This photo reminds me of the fun we used to have playing outdoors. I think every kid likes having a ride in a wheelbarrow. Dad must have been fit, he’s pushing not only a bag of chook food but also three kids. Each of us is reacting in a different way. I’m clinging to Dad’s shirt, Mike is showing a very different face and Ricky is demonstrating bravado sitting on the “bull bar” with his legs spreadeagled under the barrow.
When I was growing up the standard suburban house block was ¼ acre(1000sqm) but in Adelaide the average residential block is now 450sqm. Not only that but houses are bigger so the play area is much less and often includes pavers rather than lawn. There are more public green spaces to compensate but the way kids play there is different. We were contained in our back yard but rather than limit our play it gave us more freedom. We didn’t have an adult watching over us every minute so we were free to make up our own games and play with most of the things we found about the place. If we did something stupid we probably hurt ourselves or someone else and learnt in the process, that’s the way our life was. I think it’s only very lucky kids these days who get to feel free like we did.
Musings of a Retiring Person 