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Half the time my kids are outside playing, they're playing in our yard with other neighborhood kids. So then I'm the responsible parent, but I'm not standing there watching them play cars or basketball in the driveway. I'm right inside, and if there's an issue, I handle it. Other times, our kids are at another house. But all the parents know one another and we watch out for one another's kids.
"Mayhem" is probably the biggest problem. I looked out my kitchen windo the other day to see the girls next door painting on the sid of their house lol! I texted their mother who prompbly came out and handled it.
Watching each other's kids works and has for centuries. A quick glance out the window and staying alert for yelling or unusual periods of quiet goes a long ways.
Last edited by GotHereQuickAsICould; 08-14-2014 at 10:39 AM..
Parents who advocate for free-range kids are often relying on others to provide oversight, places for them to play, etc.
Well isn't that the whole point of living in a community? Looking out for each other? I keep an eye on the neighbour kids when they're on my trampoline, if I'm out and about and I see a kid hurt or about to hurt themselves I'll step in (I've done that before, rescuing a stuck toddler whose parents were out of sight) and I expect other people to do the same for mine. Because we live in a community.
Well isn't that the whole point of living in a community? Looking out for each other? I keep an eye on the neighbour kids when they're on my trampoline, if I'm out and about and I see a kid hurt or about to hurt themselves I'll step in (I've done that before, rescuing a stuck toddler whose parents were out of sight) and I expect other people to do the same for mine. Because we live in a community.
That is indeed what community is for.
As long as everyone pitches in to provide supervision and share play areas it works out well.
However, some advocates of free-range children maintain that the kids do not need adult supervision, that they should be free to roam about learning self-reliance and problem solving skills on their own. Guess that's what I was referring to.
As long as everyone pitches in to provide supervision and share play areas it works out well.
However, some advocates of free-range children maintain that the kids do not need adult supervision, that they should be free to roam about learning self-reliance and problem solving skills on their own. Guess that's what I was referring to.
Well I think its good to give kids a chance to try and solve their problems first but if its going to result in serious injury or something like that then adults should step in. Same with discipline if the kids are behaving badly. Of course if you live in the middle of nowhere then the kids can roam freely on their own, my kid roams pretty freely at her dad's (he lives in a forest).
Well isn't that the whole point of living in a community? Looking out for each other? I keep an eye on the neighbour kids when they're on my trampoline, if I'm out and about and I see a kid hurt or about to hurt themselves I'll step in (I've done that before, rescuing a stuck toddler whose parents were out of sight) and I expect other people to do the same for mine. Because we live in a community.
I'm agreeing with GotHere! Here's an example. When my kids "Mary and Martha" were little, they played with the backyard neighbor kids "Johnny and Susie" a lot. Sometimes they'd be at my house and sometimes at the neighbors'. Sometimes the other mom would call and say she was going out somewhere and to send her kids home. I'd frequently say they could stay; and vice versa. Sometimes it was more formal; for example I'd call in advance and ask if she could keep my kids for a few hours while I went somewhere and vice versa. What neither of us did was just send our kids "out to play" while we ran errands with the expectation that someone would cover for us if need be.
I'm agreeing with GotHere! Here's an example. When my kids "Mary and Martha" were little, they played with the backyard neighbor kids "Johnny and Susie" a lot. Sometimes they'd be at my house and sometimes at the neighbors'. Sometimes the other mom would call and say she was going out somewhere and to send her kids home. I'd frequently say they could stay; and vice versa. Sometimes it was more formal; for example I'd call in advance and ask if she could keep my kids for a few hours while I went somewhere and vice versa. What neither of us did was just send our kids "out to play" while we ran errands with the expectation that someone would cover for us if need be.
Well I wouldn't just send my kid(s) out to play and then go and leave the house and run errands etc. while she's still under school age I'm at home close by when she's playing out and if I need to leave the home she comes with me. School age she'll have a house key and a mobile phone so then its different, I would leave her to play out while going off to run errands and that kind of thing (after informing her of course) with the instruction to go home if there's no one else out playing.
I'm agreeing with GotHere! Here's an example. When my kids "Mary and Martha" were little, they played with the backyard neighbor kids "Johnny and Susie" a lot. Sometimes they'd be at my house and sometimes at the neighbors'. Sometimes the other mom would call and say she was going out somewhere and to send her kids home. I'd frequently say they could stay; and vice versa. Sometimes it was more formal; for example I'd call in advance and ask if she could keep my kids for a few hours while I went somewhere and vice versa. What neither of us did was just send our kids "out to play" while we ran errands with the expectation that someone would cover for us if need be.
This is how it worked with our kids and some of the other families in our neighborhood. When they were about 12 or so, they could go to the park which was just down the street with the understanding that they needed do stick together and be back by a certain time.
Until middle school or so, most of the neighbor parents kept a close eye on things.
We fortify our children against abuse by keeping an eye on them, by helping them avoid situations where they are vulnerable, by being there when strangers give them candy.
Kids play outside where I live. Most with a parent in the vicinity until they are 11 or 12.
The older ones run around in small groups playing basketball or hanging out at the mall.
There are numerous reasons for keeping an eye o young children besides the possibility of abduction. They could get hurt, they could be the target of bullies, they could be up to mayhem...
Parents who advocate for free-range kids are often relying on others to provide oversight, places for them to play, etc.
My 11 year old spent a week in Washington DC and he and his cousin (12) rode the Metro (rapid transit system) alone to a bunch of places like the zoo. Cousin has been doing it since age 11, apparently.
It's just interesting to me that on one side of the coin, there are 12 year olds who don't go outside without "a parent in the vicinity," or aren't allowed to bike to a neighborhood park alone, and on the other there are 12 year olds navigating public transit by themselves. I wonder what's better for the kids in the long run...
As long as everyone pitches in to provide supervision and share play areas it works out well.
However, some advocates of free-range children maintain that the kids do not need adult supervision, that they should be free to roam about learning self-reliance and problem solving skills on their own. Guess that's what I was referring to.
It really depends what age child you are referring to.
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