The last great walk

[haha]

It was 14 years ago that my youngest son graduated 8th grade. I would never have let him or his brother at younger than 13 or so walk to school. Too many bad drivers, too many evildoers.

When I was a schoolchild things were so much better that adults still talked about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Now some poor child goes missing so often that you cannot keep up with it.


Ha

 

[harley]

When I was a schoolchild things were so much better that adults still talked about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Now some poor child goes missing so often that you cannot keep up with it.

Another case of Too Much Media. Out of 800,000 cases of missing children, 115 were cases of "stereotypical" kidnappings. Less than .001%. The rest were family members and other acquaintances, and runaways. The perception is that is too dangerous to let kids play outside, walk to parks and school, etc. The reality is it is just as safe or dangerous as it ever was. Missing persons cases are down over 30% for the last 15 years or so.

It's actually far safer to leave your kid with a stranger than a family member. Statistically, of course.

 

[EastWest Gal]

It was 14 years ago that my youngest son graduated 8th grade. I would never have let him or his brother at younger than 13 or so walk to school. Too many bad drivers, too many evildoers.

When I was a schoolchild things were so much better that adults still talked about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Now some poor child goes missing so often that you cannot keep up with it.


Ha

We would have walked him to school. It was scary for us on at commute hours! When I was in kindergarten I walked to school with a classmate. From first to sixth grade I walked the 1/4 mile to school, mostly with my older sister.

We were all naive about traffic safety and child development. There was more risk taking and more independence expected from kids in the 60s and 70s. Now even college kids have "helicopter" parents.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[eyeonFI]

They do it here too, it's insane. I went to elementary school in the 1950s and everyone in our neighborhood walked the mile or so to school. Once in a blue moon Mom would drive us to school if the weather was particularly nasty (near-freezing, heavy rain) but that was rare.

I would be quite happy to let my 6.5 year old walk the short distance to school by himself. But in my state it is illegal to leave a child under 8 unattended. Can't even leave him in the car while I run into a convenience store for 3 minutes for fear of being "caught." These kinds of laws may explain some of the crazy hovering parent behavior....