go PLAY!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Family Insurance for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

So how many of you remember what it was like to spend your entire existence playing?

When I was a kid, I spent my time three ways: at school, asleep, or playing in the woods behind my house. I built myself a treehouse out there and had all kinds of games to play out there. As soon as I got home from school, I would drop my stuff in my room, grab a snack, and go out and play until it started getting dark or I heard my mom calling that dinner was on the table (at least this is how I remember it--maybe my mom would say differently!)

I love the "Street Lights" and "Still Free" videos by Bill Bellamy on American Family Insurance's Stand Up For Family website because they remind me of what it was like when I was a kid. Things are different now--I don't let my kids go off and play without knowing exactly where they are, what they're doing, and who they are with and I don't see that changing any time soon, even as they get older.  It's just not safe anymore (if it ever was safe in the first place) and that's too bad. I think kids now are losing the skill to just play--by themselves, with no fancy toys or bikes, with no adult guidance. I try to get my girls to go play in our fully fenced backyard in their treehouse, but they just don't know what to do out there without me coming up with a game. I hope that they learn how to play without guidance as they get older and as I tell them more stories about when I was a little girl--I want them to have the same fun-filled childhood that I did!

Plus, can I just say that I think it is so cool that AmFam did these family-friendly stand up videos. There is nothing like laughing hysterically with your family, but sometimes it can be hard to find stand up that is appropriate for all ages, so this is a great find!