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Moms are not home now like in the 1970s. Most work or are single parents. I am not letting my son 'hang out' with anyone just to have friends.
I don't know who would be supervising him if there is no parent at home. Would you trust your kid with someone's big brother or sister?? Or grandma or NO ONE home??
Not me.
Here people are particularly clueless because of lack of crime and what causes it...they let 6 year olds wander around unsupervised, free to talk to anyone. Just because one adult is nice doesn't mean they all are...parents need to teach that to their kids!!
I agree with most of the reasons others have posted. Re organized sports - It seems like when I was a kid (1970's 80's) soccer was the only sport in elementary school, and the first chance at cheerleading was 6th or 7th grade. Now, every sport seems to start at age 3 or 4. Forget making the HS team if you haven't already been playing for years. I have my kids in sports young because their friends do it, and because I want to weed out now what they do and don't like so we can narrow it down as they get older. It's too bad. We have a neighbor with a boy the same age, and have never had each other over to play.
Moms are not home now like in the 1970s. Most work or are single parents. I am not letting my son 'hang out' with anyone just to have friends.
I don't know who would be supervising him if there is no parent at home. Would you trust your kid with someone's big brother or sister?? Or grandma or NO ONE home??
Not me.
Here people are particularly clueless because of lack of crime and what causes it...they let 6 year olds wander around unsupervised, free to talk to anyone. Just because one adult is nice doesn't mean they all are...parents need to teach that to their kids!!
so what is the difference between neighbor friends and school friends? Just because they are neighbors doesn't mean they are "just anyone." You could supervise them.
so what is the difference between neighbor friends and school friends? Just because they are neighbors doesn't mean they are "just anyone." You could supervise them.
If my son wanted a neighbor or school friend over, yes, I can (and do) supervise them.
We have lived all over the mid-atlantic for the past 10 years,7 of them with children.
No neighborhood is the same.... the last one we moved from,the kids were all over the place but not one,single adult to be seen. The kids (even as young as my children who at the time were 3 & 5) were out all alone. For hours.
I can only speak for myself,but my children are not allowed to go out and they are 2 years older now. Not happening.
Our new neighborhood is more established and most of the children right around us are older,so they are not interested in playing with my children,we have a few that are around and they do come over,but I am outside all of the time with them.
Although it is wonderful that they have someone to play with,I can't stand being outside for 3-4 hours a day supervising . Sometimes the other parents do come out,but they also don't want to be out there,so,it ends up that the kids are then forced to be inside because we can't allow our children in today's day and age,to be out just having fun.
It isn't fair and it isn't right,but it is the way it is..... there are to many problems out there today ,no matter what people say or where you live,there are problems.
When their parents stopped knowing the neighbors' names.
Very true.
I live in complex. I have been here almost a year and because I am the pleasant sort, I know more of my neighbors than anyone else. Meanwhile I don't think ANYONE talks to anyone else here except hi and bye. Meanwhile, I can point out "Bob" or "Ralph" or "Melanie."
No one WANTS to be friendly anymore....I guess it's too hard..
Forget making the HS team if you haven't already been playing for years.
I was fed this load of **** when my son was young also...Not the case. I know kids who made the HS sophomore basketball team (and our HS is a 5A HS not too far from you) not ever playing anything but rec center ball and not even trying out freshman year because he wanted to get solid grades first. He also mad the JV team. Now granted he is a natural athelete - but those tend to be the kids who make the teams and actually play anyway. I know a lot of parents who spent a LOT of money and time thinking they were "assuring" their kids the opportunity to play HS sports. Often the kids were burnt out by the time HS came along. It is important to play sports but don't let anyone tell you if your DS isn't playing competive league sports by the time he's in 2nd grade that his chances for HS sports are over....Sorry, didn't mean to go OT that comment just jumped out at me since I've BTDT.....
I was fed this load of **** when my son was young also...Not the case. I know kids who made the HS sophomore basketball team (and our HS is a 5A HS not too far from you) not ever playing anything but rec center ball and not even trying out freshman year because he wanted to get solid grades first. He also mad the JV team. Now granted he is a natural athelete - but those tend to be the kids who make the teams and actually play anyway. I know a lot of parents who spent a LOT of money and time thinking they were "assuring" their kids the opportunity to play HS sports. Often the kids were burnt out by the time HS came along. It is important to play sports but don't let anyone tell you if your DS isn't playing competive league sports by the time he's in 2nd grade that his chances for HS sports are over....Sorry, didn't mean to go OT that comment just jumped out at me since I've BTDT.....
I wasn't fed a load of anything. It is just an observation I've made. Maybe it isn't making the team so much as being willing to try a new sport at age 14 when many of the others have been playing since age 4. Some kids would try anyway, but some wouldn't bother.
When people quite trusting their neighbors and the influence it had on their kids.I mean parents are more selective of which kids they allow their kids to hangout with is what I noticed. Now days kids get judged by thier parents conduct asnd vice versa ;sadly to say.
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