Being a kid...

I came back to Taiwan about a week ago with nothing to do except Step 1 questions. Needless to say, all I have done is looked at the table of contents of one book and soothe my guilt with extra House episodes. All I have learned is that it's never Lupus AND... ganja growing puts you at risk for cadmium poisoning. All very interesting.

But the reason I blog today is because there's something be said about returning to where you grew up and skidded your knees. I grew up here in Kaohsiung, TW till I was twelve and moved to a surburb in southern California. I lived in a sprawling gated community with a pool, a roller skating rink, tennis courts, tons of empty land, a basketball court, and two or three playgrounds. It was the ultimate wild child's paradise and a parent's dream-- no fear of amber alerts and freedom to roam. It was here that I spent every afternoon playing.

The glorious afternoons of my seven to twelve year old life were filled with nothing but plans to steal old furniture from the local trash dump and eggs from bird nests. My friend, brother, and I would "borrow" old chairs and folding tables and create makeshift shelters and boats in the abandoned basement of our building. We also did things such as make flower necklaces and eat nectar. I also attempted wheelies on my bike and "triple salchows" on my rollerblades. When I look back, I am amazed that I never needed stitches on my chin. The most "trauma" I ever suffered was from the wrath of fire ants chewing my hand away. (I accidently stuck my entire hand into an anthill.)

The past week here has been absolutely awesome. To help you gauge what relief I've had from being outside for two hours a day, I'm just going to say that I have not once wanted to go shopping. With this kind of weather, I would much rather ride a bicycle up and down ramps, over curbs, on dirt roads and paved roads, and dodge roller skaters and mommies with baby carriages. Shopping does not hold a candle to the outdoor things of life.

This all brings me to my point: kids should be outdoors for at least three hours a day. There will be a time for Halo 3, The Hills, Gchat, Facebook, Wii, and Texas Hold' Em. It ain't when they're eight or twelve. It should be when they're in college at 2 or 3 am with nothing better to do. While kids have the time and energy to soak in the sun-- that's what they should be doing. It is such a pity that abductions and unfortunate accidents have made parents very watchful of their kids. For sure, one of the best things about playing outside was that your mom wasn't there to watch you make a disgusting mess out of your clothes or tell you to wear a helmet. GAWSH... I hate helmets. They seem just like sweaty buckets you wear on your head.

The phrase "All work and no play makes ______ a dull kid" cannot ring truer. I would be such a dull person if I skipped my childhood. I am not sure if I would be rock climbing or playing with every dog I see had I been pent up at home all my life. All of my childhood adventures makes my medical school life almost bearable.

If I had the choice, I would go back to being ten for a year. Being a kid is way better than being a dramatic adolescent, or a partying college kid, or an over-caffeinated med student.

Anyways, I am forcing all of my future offspring to play outside everyday. What doesn't send kids to the ER really just makes them stronger. I am a firm believer that the flu bugs, the bruises and cuts, and the grass are important things for kids.

Sidenote: My dad refuses to ride my brother's old bike anymore. Apparently, he
saw my brother jump the curb so effortlessly that he decided to practice doing it too. So one day, he totally ate the pavement... in front of the security guard station of our gated community. I think his ego is pretty bruised. Bro- you know about this?