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I am in my 40s, I was out in the summer, I had 2 paper routes, we went on sales outings to get subscribers for the paper, when I was 10 I was mowing lawns for money, and I rode my bike everywhere. The school I went to had so many kids riding bikes to school there were 2 bike parking areas and they were always full. I went by the school 4 months ago and there is 1 bike parking area now and NO bikes were there, yet the school is at least 1/3 larger than when I went there. No wonder kids just sit at home and play video games, it is the only thing the parents will let them do.
I would mostly be concerned that she wouldn't stay at the park; she'd eventually make friends and end up at their house, or getting into trouble, or whatever... kidnappers aren't the main reason I wouldn't leave my 9 year old to fend for themselves while I was stuck at work. MAYBE at home, but I don't know...
And to clarify, I'm one of those people whose kid isn't even 2, so I can't quite comprehend what our life will be like when she's 9. I'm definitely not a helicopter parent, but these stories always bring out the old "when I was a kid, we..." knee-jerk reactions claiming we should all just let our kids roam free or they'll be spoiled criminals (whatever that is).
There's a library about 3 miles away from the park. It's a long walk, but on one of Mom's days off, they could walk to the library (in the absence of a car, which nothing in the article indicates that) and load up on a huge stack of books.
But I'm willing to bet it was never considered as an option.
Unfortunately you are more than likely correct in your assumption
IDK...good idea but from article this was a low income area and there may not of been a library with the mile to Mom's work.
Article also states that many kids in this area are left alone but don't go to the park anymore, rather stay indoors after this incident.
Volunteers even came to park with food and snacks for kids.
Too bad the town couldn't supply a person or two to keep an eye on all these unsupervised kids.
maybe a couple of 16 year olds for a summer job, just to be there if one of the kids needed some help. even charging the parents a nominal fee to off set the teens wages...just a thought
People in that state rave about their low taxes and this is one of the results of those non-existant funds, no extra money to create programs for those in need. I live in a strong middle class community with a section that has older cheap rental units with a high concentration of poverty, majority is working poor and our tax dollars funds several different programs for kids throughout the year in that particular neighborhood. The Federal government only funds programs during the school year and if a community doesnt support through taxes, they would not exist. These programs are within a short walk or bike ride for the kids if they have to get there alone because of working parents. There are small fees that are required to cover extras like field trips and supplies sometimes but nothing like the cost of child care summer programs. Our taxes are high but we know those kids will benefit in the long run.
People in that state rave about their low taxes and this is one of the results of those non-existant funds, no extra money to create programs for those in need. I live in a strong middle class community with a section that has older cheap rental units with a high concentration of poverty, majority is working poor and our tax dollars funds several different programs for kids throughout the year in that particular neighborhood. The Federal government only funds programs during the school year and if a community doesnt support through taxes, they would not exist. These programs are within a short walk or bike ride for the kids if they have to get there alone because of working parents. There are small fees that are required to cover extras like field trips and supplies sometimes but nothing like the cost of child care summer programs. Our taxes are high but we know those kids will benefit in the long run.
That is great!!!
I remember as a teen I grew up in a city right across the Hudson from NY.
They had a similar program in the summer in all the parks for the kids under 12. They hired 15-17 year olds at minimum wage to supervise play games etc. It was from 8am to 4pm and it was need based.
You can't explain away a quadrupling of the rate with some rapes and DVs.
We're not talking about violent crime in the last decade. We're talking about violent crime when many of us grew up.
The impact of changes in reporting is unknown, but it could be pretty high. Think about all of the scenarios in the 1960s when you would not want to report an assault, for example.
And I mistyped--my post should say decades. Violent crime is lower now than it has been in many years. It is interesting that some people desperately want to believe it is so much more unsafe now than the 'good old days'. I guess people like to idealize their childhoods. The reality is that kids are just as safe now as they have ever been, and 'stranger danger' is largely non-existent.
To me the discussion of this case should be why it is so difficult to afford good childcare. Low income women cannot win--reviled if they don't work and reviled if they cannot put their children in high quality care while they work.
As I scrolled through the posts I noted a lot of plurality- as in "we rode our bikes all day" not "I rode my bike all day."
I rode my bike all day, many times alone.
I would either walk (a couple of miles) or take the bus (if I had an extra nickle) to 'downtown' to windowshop or get a fountain soda, alone.
I'd spend time scrounging around an old abandoned ceramics factory looking at the left-over debris and hoping to find something that wasn't smashed.
I'd go to the train tracks that ran by the factories just to watch the trains come in or go by. (a fourth-grade classmate of mine was actually killed by a train on those very tracks)
There was a story our parents told us in the 50s, that probably was made up to discourage us from talking or getting too close to strange men. The story was, there was a bad man in the area who would capture kids and stick needles in their eyes! That was scary!
Nope, it's just not sanctimoniously judging someone for a poor choice they were forced to make....
yes, the choice was poor but I'm not about to stand up on my self righteous soap box and crucify her
that's the problem with this world, compassion has become nonsense
We're not crucifying anyone - we are discussing a thread that was brought up on CD. I don't think this lady should go to jail but I do think she used poor judgement.
And in return for my opinion ~ I see numerous references to 'helicopter parents'.
There is a happy medium somewhere between helicopter parenting AND leaving your kid alone in a park all day. There really is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftwinghillbilly
Me too. But I lived in Marin County. We would get on the bus, go across the Golden Gate Bridge, and play all over GG Park, go to the Palace of Fine Arts and the science museums- I even went to the Van Gough exhibit. I crawled through peoples legs and stood up in front of Starry Night. Astonishing! We wandered all over, my brother and sister, and I am the eldest. What was I? 11? We even ran wild in the Mission District.
Those were the days. Now I would not go alone to SF, no way. Too many nutcases and homeless.
This lady let her child play in the park while she worked her McJob? The first thing that comes to my mind is it starts with being an unwed mother. Keep your legs together, ladies!
Really? Every single time I get on CD do I have to see some reference to ladies 'keeping their legs together'? Just once, I'd like to see some reference to the allegedly unpresent father. Please.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morse Code
The overprotection of kids has really gotten out of control today. I understand that kids need to be wary but it's really not that different from when I was growing up. There were people trying to snatch kids then too.
So . . .IF you don't agree with leaving your kid alone in a park for 8 hours day, 5 days a week - we are considered 'overprotective'?
When I was a kid, we could stay out until dark unsupervised. I rode my bike all over town.
Yeah, those were great days. Sadly, the fear driven media has killed all the fun. Of course kids these days sit around in front of computer screens glued to all the fear hype.
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