The horror - I had to walk nearly a mile to school starting in the first grade (1958). There was no bus service at the time and we only had one car which my Dad used to get to work. By third grade, I had a bicycle and rode it without a helmet. I guess my parents were criminals.
Such a difference in times. I started school in 1946 in the country. There was no school bus. Two and one-half miles to school and everybody walked. When the snow was deep I had a horse to ride. We, too, had only one car but both my parents worked. Nearest bus to the city was 4 miles and my mom walked it every morning and every night so my dad could take the car because there was no bus to where he worked. I had a scooter and roller skates but wasn’t allowed to ride a bicycle because my mom felt it wasn’t something ladies do.
In the 1960’s my kids rode their bikes everywhere and also no helmet or knee pads. They were outside all day in the summer and only came home to eat, if they had skinned a knee and needed a band-aid or if it was getting dark. Never thought to worry about them.
Now when my grandson goes out to play it’s like he’s in a suit of armor and all the neighborhood moms are out watching their kids to make sure nothing happens to them.
I think it is more difficult now for older people like me because we have lived through and seen the erosion in so many areas.