While We're Rediscovering the "Old Ways" ...

... (as in the need for some good "old fashioned parenting") ... let's include "old fashioned play."

When we were trying to sell our home, we decluttered all the kids' toys. We stored everything except blocks, books, cars and barbies. They did not miss any thing else. They didn't ask where the fisher price little people and all their farms, castles, houses, zoos and trains went off to. They reinvented the blocks each time they sat down with them.

Veronica (whose presence at the Beyond Cana retreat is one of the things that made it a joy for me to work on) has some words of wisdom while reflecting on a recent NPR story about the far reaching benefits of old fashioned play. Do go read it all.