Hanging out in the trees

Ok, so this is the scene in front of my house as I arrive home from work.

The boys next door are playing kick ball in the street along with Son #2 and the Imp. Now we do have a yard they could be doing that in, but no they prefer to play in the street.

My girls are in the front yard across the street chasing the neighbor girls around and riding their tricycle.

And where is Son #1 you ask? I didn't spot him at first. It wasn't till I realized that the top branches of the tree across the street were moving but there was no breeze. He was up in the top branches of a tall skinny Maple tree. Do you think he could he be on the side that hangs over the grass - oh, no not Son #1. He's up in the branches that hang over the street. I watched in horror as he climbed down on branches that looked like they could snap at any moment plummeting him to the middle of the road.

Well, he got down without incident, but there was a discussion of "Did you have your brain with you today?" when he got to the house. Which got this response .. "Whaaaat, you never said don't climb that tree... (insert preteen eye rolling too). "

We've never said don't climb a tree. We actually encourage tree climbing. It's a great freeing thing to do. In fact one of the kid’s favorite places to hang out in the summer is the branches of the old red bud tree in the back yard - it has nice thick branches that are comfortable to drape yourself across.

But why he had to climb the skinny one that hangs over the street is just beyond me ....I am sooooo not ready for him to be thirteen