Boy in Protective biking gear Courtesy: Fonsi Fernández We normally imagine young children running after butterflies, picking up a worm, stopping to watch a spider spin its web in a bush, or chasing after a squirrel scampering across the grass. Yet I cannot help noticing how often children today recoil in terror at the sight of an insect or a spider. Perhaps part of the reason is that they simply do not encounter these little creatures as often as children once did. Our homes, schools and...

Have you been to a neighborhood park lately and simply watched children play? There are a couple of children on the swings, pushed by a parent; another little one being encouraged down the slide; and another quietly playing in the sand—with a parent close by, of course. Childhood experiences have undoubtedly changed with every generation. The toys children use for imaginative play have changed, as have the games they play and the spaces in which they play them. Playtime has evolved from...

Note the preposition here. You do not simply walk your child. You walk WITH your child. You do not walk with your child as you would walk your dog. In fact, I have sometimes seen people show more patience with their dogs. I know this may sound a little harsh but think about it. We take our dog for a walk. The dog stops to sniff a tree or a bush. We wait. It investigates something mysterious on the ground for what seems like an eternity. Still, we wait patiently, leash in hand. Owner walking a...