Where have all the fields gone?

Confusion, denial and finally, elation – these were the three stages of emotions that I experienced when my son enthusiastically informed that he wanted to go outside and play football with me.

Which made me wonder, why are kids nowadays so reluctant to play outdoors? Not that they don't want to step outside the house. My eight-year-old is quite keen to visit the countless A-Z fried chicken places whenever he gets a chance. He also loves to play. He is an expert at shooting, destroying, racing, and a myriad of insane actions in video games. But, the moment I suggest going outside to play in the sun, he starts to sulk.

Finally, when he got a football game and lost several times to the kid next door, he, being a smart 21st century child, understood that it was not the video game's fault. He needed to have first-hand experience of the actual physical sport; he realised that in order to improve his game stats, he first needed to practice the sport in the field.  

I am a teacher. My physical fitness regime is usually limited to crossing the street or running to catch the university bus. Still the significance of my son's request was not lost on me; I could simply not pass this bonding opportunity. Suddenly I felt a pang of pride, since he rarely ever wants to spend time with me, preferring instead to stay glued to the television.

Since it was an early weekend morning, the streets were sighing with relief, as the constant hammering and thrashing they received from all sorts of vehicles had yet to begin. We had decided to go to the nearest playground, which was near the lake. As we approached it, I saw him beaming with joy.

But as fate would have it, the playground was closed. Construction work!

To avoid a lengthy explanation about who was constructing what at a playground, I decided to try the lakeside, which is a pretty big area and is supposed to have some open spaces. So we resumed our journey, took a left turn, then a right, before the beautiful lake greeted us warmly.

We walked past the public washroom, which definitely needed an immediate and urgent clean-up, then past the lake which was filled with colorful garbage. There were some open space beside the lake, but those were quickly reserved by joggers, fitness fanatics, groups of elderly people – all of them walking in circles. We saw a corner where we could practice football – but hawkers, little shops, and people of different age groups looking for privacy, found it first. We then went to the open space on the other side. The moment we started playing, a guy began setting up tables and chairs there, apparently for the restaurants situated near the lake that would probably be open for business in a little while. He informed me that the place usually got busy very fast, as students gathered there even on weekends. 

By this time I was adamant to find an open field for my son's sake! ​I also asked an old man resting nearby, who said there used to be one next to the mosque, before adding the reassuring words that none of the parks were adequate for children – events were always being organized at Suhrawardy, Ramna was too small and crowded, Chandrima was unsafe, and the ones in the old city were mostly occupied by squatters.

That day, we also searched our adjacent neighborhoods for an open space where we could play football, and even asked locals for suggestions. Most of the fields were either occupied with construction materials or were reserved for some function or had simply vanished!

Now every time I visit a neighborhood, I look for an open space, a field where a bunch of children can run around freely, and the sweet cacophony of their chatter and laughter floats in the air.

But I cannot seem to find that melody anywhere.

We keep proclaiming that kids are occupied with video games. They do not want to step outside and are reluctant to play outdoors. We should start wondering if it's really their fault. We have to provide them an open space first. If we can create fields, they will be eager to play outdoors.

Open fields are essential for the wellbeing and safety of any urban community, and for a healthier physical environment. The city corporations are efficiently freeing parking spaces these days, which is praiseworthy; if only they would free up some space for parks too!

Fields and parks have always played a role in strengthening our bonds. The memories of time spent with our family and friends - while playing in the scorching heat, or even trying desperately to stay awake watching a play or movie under the starry sky, or begging our parents to buy us cotton candy at the playground fair - are not fables; they are etched forever in the open fields of our hearts.

So, let us not deprive our children of these memories. Let us not force them to grow up with the sense that their elders failed to offer them the joy of an open space to breathe, run and most importantly just feel free for at least some time.

The writer is a journalist with The Daily Star.