I used to love going to playgrounds back when I was a small kid during the 80s. That was back when playgrounds were still ‘how they used to be’. It seems something happened during the 90s. I could say that about a lot of things actually.
We were often told while going outside to play after lunch to “be home by supper”, without having any supervision or a tracking device strapped to our wrists. I feel like mine was the last generation that was still allowed to be a real ‘kid’ growing up, without all of the nanny state/PC bullshit. We try to give our kids as much of a free enjoyable childhood as we had, but the world is just too damn crazy and dangerous now, even in ‘good’ neighborhoods.
I grew up in a small town with a park right at the center. Everybody knew which kid belonged to which house. Dogs ran loose with us and even the occasional horse. We played real baseball in the park. The playground equipment was durable metal. We had to head home when the streetlights started coming on.
We used to play tag on it....only one way (the entrance) to escape...without touching the ground, and you had to jump it.
We did flips, ran across those monkey bars, jumped the “impossible”...just not to be tagged.
If we fell, we fell. We said ouch, laughed at whomever fell and continued on.
I’m convinced that the 1980s were the last traditional decade for kids. The veteran teachers and school administrators who controlled the schools in the eighties learned their craft in the fifties and sixties. They were fine with us playing tag and dodgeball and having “challenging” playground equipment and jungle gyms to play on at recess.
Unfortunately, today’s children aren’t safe outside thanks to the perverts. My kids are watched even in our backyard and a big pit bull stands guard.
I used to. Run all over, even as a 5 year old. Not anymore.
I grew up in the 70-80’s (born in 1969) and agree with you.
The “law-yahs” made all cities shudder against huge lawsuits.
In CA, my 5-year old must wear a helmet on his bike, or I face a fine.
You know what happened in the 90’s?
More women were elected to offices at every level of government than ever before.
It’s when the hovering began.
Today, the only place a kid isn’t safe is in her mother’s womb. If he or she can make it past the labia in tact, they never have to worry about so much as a scuffed knee.
Every budding mother is an executioner.
Nothing in our culture is as overrated than modern motherhood.