There’s a stream that runs along one side of my yard. It’s technically on my neighbor’s property, but it’s really a no man’s zone of neglect. It goes between our properties into more swampy neglected property. Coyotes, deers, rats and one stray cat use the stream as a highway to greener spots. The stray cat knows that he will find a small plate of tunafish on my back step on very cold days.

Steve and I often talk about this little patch of wilderness on our suburban block. It’s more of annoyance for us now. Heavy rains cause the stream to jump its banks and flood our side yard. But, we often say, the younger versions of ourselves would have loved that stream and the surrounding trees and rocks. A parent-free zone to create castles. We would have been out there all day building forts and dams and paths. Steve’s younger self would have had firecrackers, too.

Our kids have never explored it. We have never seen neighborhood kids out there or at the river at the end of the block. What’s wrong with them?

Hanna Rosin writes that exaggerated fears of abductions has created over-protected kids, who have lost the skills of fort building and adventure. And she’s right to a certain extent. I know many people who won’t let their children play in the front lawn without supervision.

But there’s more than that going on. We certainly encourage our oldest kid to play outside. Actually, encourage is a mild word. We have been known to physically eject him from the house on a nice day. “Go outside and don’t come back!” Yes, we’re that kind of parent. After a distressingly short period of time, he’ll sneak back in the house through the garage door. There’s no one to play with, because all his friends are skyping or hanging out virtually through the XBox.

Kids aren’t playing outside and exploring, because they hang out in the virtual world. Also, because they participate in so many organized sports and activities. Between travel soccer and homework and Minecraft, there is no time to explore and build forts.

Are we too nostalgic for the past? Maybe the fort-building isn’t happening by a stream, but it is happening on Minecraft instead. Maybe we were out exploring, because we were simply bored. I’m not sure. But I’m praying for a warm weekend, so I can start playing outside again. Steve and I will be outside gardening and setting up the back patio and the boys will be inside killing aliens.