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Sure, every responsible parent will get anxious if their kid gets too high, but they should all have the opportunity to grab onto those first few branchesCarrie Cockburn/The Globe and Mail

Take a page from the 20th century – a 10-week guide on how to bring back the adventure of summer

A 2008 study conducted in England found that half of British kids have been stopped from climbing trees. Parents, they're nervous. But come on! We fret so much over kids losing a connection to nature and never learning to take risks, but we won't let them climb a tree? Getting up into the branches of a giant oak or pine tree is primordial and kids love it. Or at least they would love it if we gave them the chance. Sure, every responsible parent will get anxious if their kid gets too high, but they should all have the opportunity to grab onto those first few branches. Supervision is called for, not prohibition. See if you can get up there with them. It will do you good, too.

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