Something has gone seriously wrong with the way we rear children in the last few decades. In a few years when everyone lives in a bubble, Darwin will roll over in his grave and say "I told you so".
My instructions as a kid were that if I felt in danger I should knock on the nearest door and tell an adult. I never did but any parent in our village would have helped whether they knew me or not.
Back then we knew our neighbors and people rarely moved. You had a support system that helped kids as well as parents cope with the crap life serves up. Now a stranger is a potential pedo, we rarely know the neighbors well if at all and our jobs cause frequent moves.
I think we've lost the gifts of community and I really think "it takes a village" is the best way to raise and look out for kids. I doubt we'll ever regain that.
__________________
__________________
I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
I'm not giving up yet. My kids and a lot of their friends have seemed to miss out on the kid in a bubble upbringing, so there's still hope as far as I'm concerned.
But it seems that for every kid that grows up with danger and manages to develop a survival instinct, there's hundreds that don't.
I think that nowadays the news is always trying to report just the bad stuff, and make everyone scared of everything.
So society has become paranoid.
My parents tell me news was more a realistic outlook on the are when I was a kid, so the fear level was much less.
I talked to strangers all the time, rode with people I barely knew etc.
But my parents did not raise me to be paranoid either.
And kids get hurt my parents said, so cuts, bruises etc were just a part of everyday life.
So many kids now get a scrape or bruise, and they make a big deal out of it.
__________________
We do NOT need to raise taxes on the people. The government needs to spend less is the answer.
But it seems that for every kid that grows up with danger and manages to develop a survival instinct, there's hundreds that don't.
I'm guessing history will tell the tale.
Always does. I see kids who haven't a clue. By 17 you should understand about being aware of who & what is around you. How can that penetrate an Ipod, cell phone and walking head down while tweeting? If I was a mugger I'd be in 7th heaven plucking these babes.
Ever have a play date? (yuck!)
I didn't know it at the time but being put to work mowing lawns for AT&T at age 9 was the best preparation for work I could have found. By 17 my father got a few of my friends hired by the construction company I worked for. They were in great physical shape but needed constant direction.
__________________
I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
I think that nowadays the news is always trying to report just the bad stuff, and make everyone scared of everything.
So society has become paranoid.
News has always focused on horror, danger & shock. The advent of 24/7 news brought a demand for more of the same so we get "Snowpocalypse", hurricane of the century and a 500 year flood of the Mississippi.
Actual good news like finding a lost hunter or hiker is second section probably because we humans seem to like to scare ourselves. Fox runs on hype and loves car pursuits and would dearly love to be running that photo of Weiner's weiner.
__________________
I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
What everyone has said so far has been realistic in my life growing up too. When I was a kid and when it was time for a week of camping up at the lake Mom and Dad would get everything ready and load the car, (a 1968 V.W. Bug) Then load 6 kids in the back and then themselves in the front and away we would go. we would have the time of our lives in the back seat, the smaller ones sitting on the older ones lap for the whole trip. It was great.
I remember as a kid, we had a convertible Cadillac. The pocket behind the rear seats (where the top would slip into) was a great place to ride and take a nappy pooh on long drives.
I used to stand up in the front seat of the old Chevy with my arms behind the seat to sort of hang on. Once the brakes had to be slammed on and I hit the dash. The chrome "Chevrolet" on the dash embedded on my face.