Eek! When I was 12 I almost burnt my mum's house down!
I also cannot believe that parents here let their kids walk home alone at such a young age... you would never dare do that back home!
I think in this day and age you cannot be too careful, especially when you see so often on TV that children have been murdered or abused!
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Leaving kids home alone is ok in Germany, it seems
So is sending them out alone at 6yrs
QUOTE (cinzia @ Jul 19 2005, 1:59 pm)
I have no kids yet (well, not for the next two weeks or so), but I remember having a conversation with someone at the Amerika Haus 4th of July party about how American kids are often overprotected now.
Case in point: organized "walks to school" in the suburbs, where they put all the kids in yellow safety vests and a few adults sort of herd them in a group to the school a few blocks away. It's like a walking car pool.
Frightening that people feel they have to do this to keep their kids safe. Maybe it's necessary, but I, too, walked to the suburban elementary school starting at maybe 6 years old, usually with siblings or friends but not adults. We were told not to talk to strangers or approach strangers in cars, obviously.
Now, at my parents' (large, midwestern, suburban) church, you have to check your kid into Sunday School as if at a coat check! Only the adult with the claim ticket can pick up the child. I guess the church is worried about liability in case a non-custodial parent shows up and tries to take the child during the service, for example. Sad, sad.
Case in point: organized "walks to school" in the suburbs, where they put all the kids in yellow safety vests and a few adults sort of herd them in a group to the school a few blocks away. It's like a walking car pool.
Frightening that people feel they have to do this to keep their kids safe. Maybe it's necessary, but I, too, walked to the suburban elementary school starting at maybe 6 years old, usually with siblings or friends but not adults. We were told not to talk to strangers or approach strangers in cars, obviously.
Now, at my parents' (large, midwestern, suburban) church, you have to check your kid into Sunday School as if at a coat check! Only the adult with the claim ticket can pick up the child. I guess the church is worried about liability in case a non-custodial parent shows up and tries to take the child during the service, for example. Sad, sad.
I don't see what the problem is here. I would hate to think that it was so easy for a stranger to walk in and take my (fictional) kid away.
While those measures may seem over-the-top, I think that the positives probably outweigh the negatives. It could only become harmful to the kids if you, for example, never let them play outside because you're too scared that something could happen.
I have two nieces, from two siblings. My sister had the first kid. She was completely free with her daughter - anyone could hold her, she could stay over at friends' houses, stay late at daycare, everything. She doesn't seem to worry very much about strangers, etc., although of course she tries to keep her kid out of life-threatening danger. My brother had the second kid - and he and his wife are polar opposites. They hardly ever let me hold my niece, much less let her run free. My brother's approach theoretically matches my sentiments - but it's really, really, obnoxious and I don't think it's going to be good for her in the long run. A little independence goes a long way though.
Everything is changing to suit to-days needs. Even nursery rhymes. Ring-a-ring-a-roses doesn't have ashes anymore, we now sing fishes in the water.
As for the fairy tales, so many of them explain how kids get used and abused: little red riding hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, we won't be telling those stories soon, or if we do, someone will change the storyline for us. What about Little Red riding hood stayed at home. Her grandmother died of Hyperthermia.
One thing that bugs me is why do we now have to sing itsy bitsy instead of incy wincy spider?
As for the fairy tales, so many of them explain how kids get used and abused: little red riding hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, we won't be telling those stories soon, or if we do, someone will change the storyline for us. What about Little Red riding hood stayed at home. Her grandmother died of Hyperthermia.
One thing that bugs me is why do we now have to sing itsy bitsy instead of incy wincy spider?
QUOTE
Ring-a-ring-a-roses doesn't have ashes anymore, we now sing fishes in the water.
Ashes was wrong to start off with it should have been atishoo atishoo we all fall down.
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