Posted on 07/03/2006 12:06:46 PM PDT by fgoodwin
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-07-11-pastimes-childhood_x.htm
Its sad what has happened to kids playtime over the last 20-30 years. I can remember getting on my bike in the morning and not coming come until it was dinnertime. Used to catch crawdads after a rain, "explore" creekbeds for hours, build treehouses in the woods, stay at the neighborhood pool until sunset, and play touch football, all without adult supervision.
What's happened? Have we as parents forced our own kids indoors by being so afraid of the outdoors, predators, molesters and kidnappers?
Internet,Ipods,Play Station, just to mention a few.
True. Also, I think subdivision layouts and the "subdivision mindset" have something to do with kids not running around in herds, like we used to.
Also, I suspect there really is more danger for kids than there used to be, in the form of sexual predators.
But I think there's also a rather powerful "ninny state," which does things like replace playground equipment with "safe" stuff, plus a somewhat suffocating overprotectiveness on the part of parents.
Now, even the outdoor activities seem to be arranged by adults.
"Also, I suspect there really is more danger for kids than there used to be, in the form of sexual predators."
I think they have always been around. It's just we are more aware of them now.
"But I think there's also a rather powerful "ninny state," which does things like replace playground equipment with "safe" stuff, plus a somewhat suffocating overprotectiveness on the part of parents."
Not just that. But some don't even make the playgrounds accessable after school hours. And I have seen where some communities have done away with 'public' playgrounds because of 'fear' of the predators.
It seems sometimes, that common sense has gone right out the window when it comes to child rearing.
Not to mention a 24 hour news industry terrifying parents with stories of child abduction, child rape and child murder. Many parents are terrified to let their children out of their sight.
There was a story in my home town about a local boy who'd been reported missing. The reporter on TV mentioned that the boy had been out, unsupervised for 8 hours and acted as if the parent should be charged with child neglect.
When I was that boy's age I'd be out from just after breakfast until dinner time and my parents only had a vague idea of where I actually was. I may have been playing ball, I may have been swimming at the lake, I may have been in my tree fort or building a new tree fort or fishing in the creek. It's a different world for kid's these days.
"It's a different world for kid's these days."
Ain't that the truth.
...somewhat suffocating overprotectiveness on the part of parents.
^^^
Many of the so-called parents don't even know their own children or what normal children's play should look like because they farm their kids out to the care of strangers for most of the child's life.
"When I was that boy's age I'd be out from just after breakfast until dinner time and my parents only had a vague idea of where I actually was. I may have been playing ball, I may have been swimming at the lake, I may have been in my tree fort or building a new tree fort or fishing in the creek. It's a different world for kid's these days."
I grew up in a suburb outside Washington, DC. We'd get on our bikes and ride...roller skate to wherever...hike through the nature trail in the woods...go hang around Pine Lake...take our ice skates, walk to the rink and skate all day...then the Lyons sisters disappeared and that was the end of unsuperivsed rambles.
I woudn't trade those days for anything. I feel sorry for my nieces and nephews who never knew the joy of just GOING.
Should youngsters be called obese?
Waterbury Republican-American | July 3, 2006 | Lindsey Tanner (A.P.)
Posted on 07/03/2006 5:41:42 PM EDT by Graybeard58
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1659879/posts
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