LJWorld.com weblogs Stumbles
Posted
by Sandy Beverly
October 24, 2008 at 7:01 p.m.
My New Love Affair with Rain Boots
I didn't have rain boots when I was a kid. (Did anyone in 1970s suburbia?) My older son didn't have 'em in his early years either. We try to keep the shoe count to a minimum, and there have been entire seasons when Simon had only a single pair of shoes. But this year I have fallen in love with rain boots. Simon's pair came to us when he was five, an inexpensive "Well, why not?" purchase at Lasting Impressions. Boots were pretty nice, I soon realized. They really did keep out water, they were eye-catching (dark blue with yellow stripes, haphazardly pushing up the pant legs), and they made a nice clunk! clunk! clunk!- sound. But those boots really began to make my heart go pitter-patter after I read Rachel Carson's essay, "A Sense of Wonder." Carson writes about sharing nature with her young nephew and recalls that some of their most special moments were at times we moms might consider inconvenient-after dark (i.e., after bedtime!) or during or after a rainstorm (i.e., wet and muddy times!) Carson's essay re-awakened my belief that children should go outside in all seasons and all weather, and I vowed to take more walks at "inconvenient" times. Since then, Simon's boots have accompanied us in the rain, snow, and mud. They have even gotten stuck in what Simon calls "quick sand" during a winter walk on a local golf course. http://media.lawrence.com/img/blogs/e... pair for little brother moved in a few weeks ago (ankle-high yellow ones, with zippers). This time, I deliberately searched them out on e-bay. Max loves them, and I get a giggle out of seeing him clomp around in public when it hasn't rained for days. http://media.lawrence.com/img/blogs/e... importantly, we're finding our muddy backyard a little less problematic. And the fact that we all have boots makes me want to go out in search of puddles! Last week, we found a humungous puddle on a nearby cul-de-sac, so now we can stomp to our heart's content without worrying about traffic. It seems like a little thing, I know. And it is a bit inconvenient to come home muddy and wet. But my heart tells me that kids need this messy, carefree outdoor time. Heck, I need it! And having boots just gives us an excuse. Hooray for rain boots!
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Comments
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tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…
And in the wings... snow boots!
sgb (Sandy Beverly) says…
Yes, you're right! Snow boots and snow pants.
jystevens (Joyce Stevens) says…
Sandy:What a fun story! Thanks for sharing. The mental picture I got from reading about you and your kids stomping around in a mud puddle gave me a giggle! Sounds like fun!
hedshrinker (anonymous) says…
Sandy, you didn't say anything about YOUR boots; I discovered boots thru my ex-neighbors (Wetlands explorers who introduced their young kids to its wonders in their colorful yet practical boots AND plain inexpensive adult Wellies from the discount store). Now I am coveting the great proliferation of grownup ladies' Wellies in bright primary colors with flowers and butterflies depicted on them. Same principle as colorful bumbershoots: smiles on a rainy day. Kids reintroduce us to life's beauty. I love that you include photos with yr recent blogs.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…
"Carson's essay re-awakened my belief that children should go outside in all seasons and all weather, and I vowed to take more walks at "inconvenient" times."Good for you, Sandy! No greater gift than giving children permission to be childlike in their appreciation of their world. Going out during inconvenient times just may help to strengthen your health away from the indoor allergens and bacteria trapped by too efficient insulation. So trudge on in those wonderful boots, live life in the moment, and create wonderful memories for both of you.
angell (Marlo Angell) says…
Love the photos- especially the yellow boots in the autumn leaves. And great advice about letting kids get messy- my little guys love making mud pies with worms, so our snail garden boots from Target are getting plenty of use this season!
kansascrone (Virginia Rigney) says…
ahh...if only some parents and teachers who bring children to our pumpkin farm would read this blog. it breaks my heart to hear them tell the kids to stay out of the mud. the look of disappointment on the kids' faces says it all. great blog sandy.