Do you let your kids play outside alone? (crimes, neighborhood) - San Antonio - Texas (TX) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

Azure110 · 02-07-2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinnamon_toast

I view it as a calculated risk... I take the same sort of risk when I take my bike out for a 25 mile ride alone on the roads. Or get in a car or on a plane. The benefits, for me, outweigh the risks. The enjoyment I know my children get from being able to be independent, get fresh air and exercise, and go outside whenever they please, is worth the obscenely minute risk of being kidnapped. You just can't live life in fear. If you do, "they" have won.

Couldn't have been said any better in my opinion.

Goominim · 02-07-2011, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinnamon_toast

I view it as a calculated risk... I take the same sort of risk when I take my bike out for a 25 mile ride alone on the roads. Or get in a car or on a plane. The benefits, for me, outweigh the risks. The enjoyment I know my children get from being able to be independent, get fresh air and exercise, and go outside whenever they please, is worth the obscenely minute risk of being kidnapped. You just can't live life in fear. If you do, "they" have won.

I don't think they win at that point. I think they win everytime a child gets abducted, molested, or whatever. The loser in those cases is of course, the child. I believe it's up to the parent to avoid those situations, and most likely the parents reading this thread are doing what they feel is correct. That's a good thing that we're concerned enough to consider the various aspects of the situation by reading and contributing to this thread.

I also think that the kids that are not allowed to play alone outside in the FRONT yard are not nearly suffering as much as some posters have made it seem. There IS the backyard, where many kids (ie. ours) can play by themselves. They also do go to the front yard, and the park, and other outdoor areas - they're just supervised. I don't think this structure of "outside access" is stifling their creativity. Maybe their freedom a bit, but not being alone in the front yard isn't a deal killer, IMO. It's not that different from the back yard.

Another thing to consider with the sex offender map that I posted (did anyone look at it? There were no comments about it), is that those were just the sexual offenders that were caught. I'm sure there are plenty more that are around most neighborhoods.

With that said, once the kids get a little older, I'll feel more comfortable with them playing in the front yard and beyond. Just not at 5 years old.

HillCountryHotRodMan · 02-07-2011, 07:47 PM

It makes me feel sad, looking back to years of childhood and the fun we had without the worries. The biggest concern we had was the probablility of a$$whoopin' we faced for being home late for supper, not which monster was nearby and planning to do something unspeakable to us. I wish kids today had that same freedom without threat.

Verio · 02-07-2011, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goominim

With that said, once the kids get a little older, I'll feel more comfortable with them playing in the front yard and beyond. Just not at 5 years old.

At what age does the risk of abduction go down? When they're 6? 8? 10?

Verio · 02-07-2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HillCountryHotRodMan

It makes me feel sad, looking back to years of childhood and the fun we had without the worries. The biggest concern we had was the probablility of a$$whoopin' we faced for being home late for supper, not which monster was nearby and planning to do something unspeakable to us. I wish kids today had that same freedom without threat.

Perhaps I'm too old school as well. I grew up in very rural Oregon... and I remember being stuck outside all day during the summers un-supervised. The only "incident" we had was a creep who would come by our house daily and urinate on the bay windows. The police didn't believe my mother... so they had a cop finally sit in our house for 3 hours until that guy came by, whipped it out and started peeing.

Maybe I'm naive of how the world operates in more suburban America... but I want my children to be self-sufficient. I want them to not fear the sidewalk in front of our house. They do need to fear strangers, but they shouldn't fear their front yard.

Goominim · 02-07-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verio

At what age does the risk of abduction go down? When they're 6? 8? 10?

I dunno - all I know is that they AREN'T going to be hanging around these parts when they're teenagers!

Seriously though, there obviously isn't going to be mutual agreement on the front yard safety topic in general. How can you expect us to discuss a safe, proper age? I ain't going there...

L210 · 02-07-2011, 11:03 PM

I think the age you let your children play outside alone depends on the maturity and intelligence of the child and the number of other kids your child is playing with. Something to be more afraid of is your children being molested by a friend or relative. The chances of your child being molested are high and it most often happens with someone you know.