Bathing Beauties and Children

Going to the beach has never been my thing. When I was a little boy, I of course did my share of swimming, but not as an adult (if that is in fact what I am). But since Saturday I have been in the water five times! Fancy that. I've been swimming in the ocean and in small lakes (which I prefer), and it has been nothing but wonderful. It actually started last year, when I swam at least three times, but that was three times in one year. I'm already past that mark this year. If I keep this up, I will most likely have developed gills come October.

Yesterday I was with my cousin and her two little girls, and her sister's (my other cousin) daughter. I like children, and since I don't have any of my own yet, I have to settle with hers (and the son and daughter of my friend J). We of course went to the lake, but this time there wasn't so much swimming as there was jumping and splashing.

One thing I like about children is that they are unrestrained. I sometimes think of adults as children with straightjackets. I suppose that's generally a good thing, but I often feel that it would be more healthy if grown-ups for example were to loosen up a bit and be more direct and honest, without having to drink a lot of alcohol first. Adults have much to learn from children, or perhaps much to unlearn.

In the summer issue of The Atlantic there was an article about brainy children, and a woman was quoted as saying "How many [babies] can tell you what an orangutan is, or the difference between a circle and an oval, or that the color of our van is 'silver'? My son could - from watching these videos!" (The videos watched were educational videos for very small children, even for those younger than one year). I find this very alarming. Children are given less and less time to be children. Almost as soon as they are born their parents are tutoring them, sending them of to camps, and schools, and all kinds of activities. Again, I think it would be better if we learned from our children than force fed them with information and activities. To be a child is to explore your surroundings on your own, in your on time, in your own manner. To be a child is to be fascinated by a bubble, a bug or a basket, it is not to sit in front of the TV and watch films teaching you what an oval is, just so that your mother can brag about you in front of the neighbours. And whenever I am around children I get upset about these things. Personally I try to play be their rules as far as it goes, and pick up as much as I can on the way.

Since this is a topic on which I have very strong opinions, don't be surprised if I were to come back to it. But now it's late. I'm tired, and it is really a struggle to keep my eyes open so...