Outdoor boys

My boys are definitely outdoor boys. Nathan has been begging to go out back and play, and since the weather has been so nice, he is allowed to go out and play in the back yard only. I know that Nathan has learned his lesson about trying to cross the road, but it still scares me to let him go out by himself. I open the kitchen window so I can hear him if he needs me, and stay close so I can look out the window every two minutes. I trust him, but it is everyone else that I don't trust. He is so cute when the neighbor girl Leslie, who I think will be six in October, comes over to play. Bruce and I say that she is Nathan's girlfriend. They play extremely well together.

On the flip side, Darren gets very mad because I won't let him play outside without Bruce or myself. Since the beginning of the summer, Darren has gotten much better about not going near the road. Darren, of course, isn't allowed to go outside by himself. Evenings are so busy that we let Nathan go out while I stay in and make dinner, do laundry and do whatever I need to do. Darren will sit at the door to the garage and just cry and whine until Nathan comes in. He sits there and says, "sie" which means that he wants to go outside also. Usually one of us relents and takes him out for a half hour or an hour and he is the happiest boy on earth. It is annoying at times that all they want to do is play outside and I have to supervise Darren, but I have to remember that it is better than having them sit in front of a TV.