((Brian's Note: Kristin Sunde and I used to work together at KCAU Television in Sioux City, Iowa. Back then she was known as Kristin Mackey. She anchored the morning news and I anchored at night. Kristin is out of TV now, she works for a public relations firm in Des Moines, Iowa and lives in West Des Moines with her husband Matt and son Cade. She attended the University of Northern Iowa.))

 My two-year-old son loves balls. Soccer balls, golf balls, basketballs and, much to my husband's delight, footballs. If it can be thrown, kicked or swung at, it's cluttering my living room. And basement. And garage. You get the idea.

 Somehow, this child whose vocabularly is still fairly limited to "no" and animal sounds can already throw a spiral. It's amazing. Though we've started saving for college, I think my husband already secretly believes his beloved Iowa State University will offer my son a football scholarship. And, since college will cost as much as a Beverly Hills mansion by then, I'd be more than happy if he's right. But, right now, I'm content to watch my child racing around outside on the green grass in the fresh air, chasing after whichever ball most recently caught his attention.

 I wonder how long these days of carefree, outside play will last. When I was young, my neighborhood friends and I spent time outside every day- in every season. We organized impromptu kickball games, rode our bikes, ran through the sprinkler and in the winter built snowmen or snow forts and went sledding. We checked in for lunch and came home for dinner. Otherwise, we entertained ourselves using imagination and whatever random games or toys were around.

 Now that I have my own home and child, I drive through the neighborhood wondering why more kids aren't outside. Are they inside playing video games? Sitting on the couch watching tween sitcom reruns? Or, are their parents hustling them from one organized sports league to another, followed up by dance, piano or voice lessons? Or, are parents just not comfortable letting their kids roam the neighborhood when the news is too often filled with stories of kidnappings and pedophiles?

 In all likelihood, the answer is probably a mix of "all the above". But, I keep insisting to my husband that I don't want to raise a couch potato or an over-scheduled kid who can't keep his activities straight. And, though I have a tendency to hover, I'm trying hard not to race to my son's rescue every time he stumbles. When he's older, I want to be able to shout "Be back for dinner at 6!" as he rides his bike off to a friend's house.

 I have good intentions, but will I be able to make it happen? I know I'll need to teach by example. I'm going to try harder to turn off the TV, shut downthe computer and get to know our neighbors better. I also want to limit the weekends and evenings packed with obligations (doesn't it get tiring hearing how people go on and on about how busy they are?). And, I might bury my husband's Blackberry in the backyard. Or, if nothing else, hide it from time to time,

 My son will probably love video games and play orgaznied sports. But, I'm still hoping to help him find a good balance. And maybe someday in the coming years, I can invite the neighbors over for popcorn and front row seats at that evening's kickball game-played not at a manicured field with a concession stand, but right in our own driveway.

((Brian''s Note: Kristin's passion for her family is evident in this writing. She was always a good person but she had now become a fantastic wife and mom. Kristin, I hope you get your wish for your little boy. Feel free to leave a comment below or send an e-mail by clicking here.))