It's all that weed maaaaaaann...
More seriously, I can kind of understand. In America, everyone is so afraid of being sued, or having their kids hurt, or having their kids grow up less than perfect, that it must make kids miserable. Look at a modern American playground - they've taken away all the 10' metal slides that I loved so much as a kid, along with almost all of the toys and playcastles and swings I loved so much. Why? "Some kid might accidentally fall off! They might *gasp* break their arm! Noooooo!" So now we have this pathetic PC plastic 2 foot tall "bubble structures." Whenever I go to a playground, all the kids look sad and bored out of their minds.
Plus, consider all of the pressure on kids to be perfect. Hell, afterschool activities and parents worrying about college in GRADE SCHOOL! "Oh no! Little Jimmy only got an A- on this test! He must have ADD! Quick, fill him full of drugs, send him to a psychiatrist, and put him in so many programs he can't even breathe without someone noticing!"
Honestly, we need to just relax and let kids be kids. So they don't like school, and prefer to run around and get dirty? So they prefer playing kickball in a muddy yard instead of all your damned organized sports teams? Let them! They're kids, that's what they do!
Meh.