Eye on the Conejo




 

 

Fishing Frenzy fun

It warms my heart to see and hear children having fun.

When kids—especially toddlers— enjoy themselves, you can recognize it in their eyes and in their smiles. You can hear it in their voices. Some of them literally jump with joy.

The sights and sounds of frolicking children filled Conejo Creek Park North in Thousand Oaks at last Saturday’s Fishing Frenzy, put on by the Conejo Recreation and Park District.

If you love kids, it was your kind of day. Most of the children were toddlers between 2 and 4 years old. Some were older.

Young participants caught magnetized plastic fish with magnet

“lures.” There were crafts and games. When they were done, the kids turned in their plastic buckets of fish for prizes.

The event was sponsored, in part, by the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks, which donated $500 to help pay for the costs.

Kiwanians also operated a booth where children used poles to cast their “bait” over a wall. The kids then felt a tug on their line, which meant they had “hooked” a fish—a bag of prizes.

Joe Noonan was the team leader of 18 Kiwanians who worked the booth. “It was a great day,” Noonan told me. “Not only was it fun to be with the kids, it was great to see so many newer members of our club volunteering to help.”

Sarah Daub, recreation coordinator for CRPD, co-managed the event with recreation supervisor Melissa Nesbitt. The Fishing Frenzy is in its eighth year.

Daub estimated that 600 kids cast their lines into the creek last weekend.

I enjoy observing children because their personalities are so different. They’re just like adults. No matter how their parents raise them, genetics dictate a lot about kids. Parents may control the environment in which they raise their children, but genetics are beyond anyone’s control.

Some kids are shy. Others are flamboyant. They were born that way.

While most of the children were obviously enjoying Fishing Frenzy, some seemed unimpressed. A few, very few, went out of their way to show their indifference. They acted angry. Some kids refused to join in the fun.

And guess what? That’s their right.

Nobody should force a child to be something he or she is not. From an early age, children need to show their independence. Bad behavior, of course, has its limits. But no child should be expected to fit a mold.

Some of my fellow Kiwanians think that I have more fun than the children at Fishing Frenzy. I enjoy it because I remember what it’s like to be a kid.

We can blame it on genetics.

You can reach Holt, a former Acorn editor, at stevencholt@gmail.com.


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