Do you let your kids play outside alone? (sex offender, house)

[sapphire]

Also, there are tons of elementary schools in the suburbs and nearly all of them have decent playgrounds. The one in my neighborhood always has people swinging their kids and watching them on the jungle gym.

I don't think it's paranoia to want to supervise your kids. That's a bit of a stretch. I think the ones who don't supervise their kids have the issues.

[Goominim]

Originally Posted by imcurious

If you live in a "rough" area, I really do feel for you and you are doing the right thing.

If you live in a suburb or a generally safe area, and you are just paranoid, that is a different story.

You don't see kids playing outside anymore and that is a shame.

According to the info on this sex offender database map, I'd interpret the "rough" area as the majority of San Antonio. At least it's all of the area inside loop 410, and it includes most of the area inside 1604's northern parts of the city.

You'll have to zoom in a few times to see that data, but it's an eye opener:

https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DP...&COU_TXT=BEXAR

Also, wasn't it someone on this message board that posted that they sent their child out to collect the mail, and within that short time, there was a van that had the door open near the child with probable less than good intentions? It sped away as the parent approached.

We can teach the kids all we can, but in a real life situation, can you be sure that your child will remember your warnings in a potentially dangerous situation? Do children have the ability to tell if a seemingly friendly, smiling stranger is instead a person that could harm them?

[GreenScoutII]

Well, my kids are 11, 4 (twins), and 2. The younger ones still need supervision, but the oldest can play where ever she wants really.

I think this culture of sequestering our kids to the house and back yard is the biggest contributing factor to childhood obesity. Secondly, I think that if kids simply got enough exercise there wouldn't be so many kids needing Ritalin and other meds.

[perticusrex]

Bad things can happen to kids anywhere, good neighborhoods, bad ones, wherever. I just don't want to make my kids more accessible to the wolves than they already are. I dont think thats paranoia, I think thats just reality. My kids might not ride bikes around the neighborhood or run up and down the streets with the other wercos in the hood, but they do play tball, basketball, karate, and soccer to stay active. And no ritalin here...

[Lodestar 77]

HELL(o) NO! I am from Detroit, worked in the prison system many years, in both men's and women's, and I don't trust anybody. There are more nuts, ex-cons, parolees, sex offenders, and escapees out in the real world than there are locked up. People not affected by crime have no clue.

I don't have any minor children, but I have 2 young granddaughters here in SA.

[cinnamon_toast]

I refuse to live in fear... The benefits for my kids playing alone outside far outweighs the minute (MINUTE!!!!) chance they will be stolen from my yard. For those of you who live in "safe" neighborhoods and are worried, I suggest reading "The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things." Fascinating read and it may just help put your mind at ease.

[mamatotex97]

I have a sex offender living on my street, probably 8 houses down. According to the offender site it was for having sex with a young girl. Now I have no way of knowing if this young girl was 8 or 16 and he could have been 19 at the time. I don't know the specifics.

Pretty much guarantee in my decision making a small child would not be playing out front alone. And yes, I live in a nice neighborhood, good schools blah blah blah....

[nicholasa101]

Originally Posted by perticusrex

Bad things can happen to kids anywhere, good neighborhoods, bad ones, wherever. I just don't want to make my kids more accessible to the wolves than they already are. I dont think thats paranoia, I think thats just reality. My kids might not ride bikes around the neighborhood or run up and down the streets with the other wercos in the hood, but they do play tball, basketball, karate, and soccer to stay active. And no ritalin here...

I agree, bad things can happen anywhere!!
To each his own, but I want to remind yall about a post I made here a few years back. I had let my then 7 yr old son walk his new puppy down to the mailbox--which is in my view from the dinning room. A truck pulled up and opened the door and I saw my son start walking closer to the truck. I ran out the front door and yelled as I was running toward him and the truck sped off. I dont live in a bad neighborhood, there are always kids playing in the street, but that was all it took for me. We have 3 kids and yes its a pain in the butt to be out there when they want to play, but its better than the alternative...a missing child.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

When I was a kid, we played outside all the time. The whole neighborhood was our playground, and I could go to a friend's house and stay a few hours without even calling my mom. The only time she looked for me was when it was time to clean something.

When I lived in an apartment, I felt like my kids were missing out on a lot of being kids, because I couldn't let them out to roam around. There are just too many doors in an apartment complex, someone could grab a child and disappear into their apartment in seconds, and you never really know what kind of neighbors you have. I used to take the kids out to play, and sit out there with them, but then all the neighbors started sending their kids out to play, but never coming outside to watch them. Then that turned into sending their kids to my place when they needed to run a quick errand. Then it turned into dumping their kids at my house all night whenever they could make up an emergency. Then we had to move so we could get some peace and quiet.

Now that we've moved to a house, I figured I'd start feeling comfortable with my kids being outdoors without me, but I don't. Some of it is the dog issue...there are a lot of big dogs that roam the neighborhood. We even had cows running down the street one day not long after we moved in. I take the kids outside every day, weather permitting, to ride their bikes or scooters. I let my 8 year old ride her bike up and down the street while I'm working in the yard (my 5 year old has to ride on the sidewalk). My mom says I'm being overprotective, and my husband says I'm not careful enough.

[nicholasa101]

Originally Posted by cinnamon_toast

I refuse to live in fear... The benefits for my kids playing alone outside far outweighs the minute (MINUTE!!!!) chance they will be stolen from my yard. For those of you who live in "safe" neighborhoods and are worried, I suggest reading "The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things." Fascinating read and it may just help put your mind at ease.

So what are the benfits of your kids playing outside alone, besides you getting things done in the house?

I really cant imagine that anything else would be more important than the safety of your children.