General Discussion

pnwmom

(110,236 posts)

27. Yeah but there it could even be babies left home in their cribs.

Wed Mar 28, 2018, 05:04 PM

Mar 2018

My husband once had to tell an American man in Seattle, married to a European woman, that they needed to find a babysitter. They couldn't leave their 4 month old baby in the crib by himself while they went out to do errands -- no matter what they could do in her country.

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Can someone pls. tell me when it became illegal to let kids play outside with no parent watching? [View all] dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 OP

It's not illegal, but neglect laws are definitely applied in inequitable ways and as a weapon WhiskeyGrinder Mar 2018 #1

I was a latch key in 1st grade exboyfil Mar 2018 #4

So was I. meadowlander Mar 2018 #10

Me too. tazkcmo Mar 2018 #52

Buddy system exboyfil Mar 2018 #2

My wife and I worry about this from a safety and legality perspective. kysrsoze Mar 2018 #3

Back then Nevernose Mar 2018 #11

When many child protective agencies started going overboard Lee-Lee Mar 2018 #5

Agreed. Snackshack Mar 2018 #53

This seems to be an American thing spinbaby Mar 2018 #6

Its a recent American thing BannonsLiver Mar 2018 #8

Yeah but there it could even be babies left home in their cribs. pnwmom Mar 2018 #27

In Japan, there is a right of passage where parents send VERY young kids to the store alone. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #12

For city kids it was going off the block, and/or crossing the street that were mile stones. bettyellen Mar 2018 #18

That would be the tv show "Hajimete no Otsukai". miyazaki Mar 2018 #24

Oh thank you!!! dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #30

Sure Didn't Go That Far Back For Me ProfessorGAC Mar 2018 #13

same time frame for me (more or less) and Dyedinthewoolliberal Mar 2018 #43

my gut isntinct is OriginalGeek Mar 2018 #7

There's an element of misogyny about it, too. Laffy Kat Mar 2018 #16

All the free-range parents I know are liberals. Ms. Toad Mar 2018 #38

Neglect zipplewrath Mar 2018 #9

Back in my day..... Laffy Kat Mar 2018 #14

My mom said go outside and come in when the street light comes on... LakeArenal Mar 2018 #15

As long as I was home before dark everything ok. In_The_Wind Mar 2018 #17

When I was 14, I spent a week in the woods. Thunderbeast Mar 2018 #19

It might not be more dangerous, but other parents will report you janterry Mar 2018 #34

When I was seven years old, I wandered the neighborhood freely. Binkie The Clown Mar 2018 #20

About the same time a kid couldn't set up a lemonade stand in the front yard without a license. WillowTree Mar 2018 #21

I wonder how much of this is urban vs rural, too. X_Digger Mar 2018 #22

My family moved. A lot. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #23

I hate to sound like, "Old man yells at cloud", but.. X_Digger Mar 2018 #49

When my kid was 10 or so dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #55

Urban streets are loaded with auto traffic today. Blue_true Mar 2018 #37

Societal norm, maybe not illegal but will draw flack. Blue_true Mar 2018 #25

Too damn hot, mostly. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #32

Maybe. Blue_true Mar 2018 #41

I don't know, but I remember police arresting some Maryland woman because she let her pnwmom Mar 2018 #26

I remember that story! dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #33

When some CPS overreached their authority. n/t MicaelS Mar 2018 #28

I got a phone call from a neighbor about my first grader walking to and from school one block away Freethinker65 Mar 2018 #29

Here are the readiness rules for a kindergartner in the 1950s: Doremus Mar 2018 #31

"It's crazy how much our values have changed." dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #35

I started walking to school ALONE in 2nd grade. MicaelS Mar 2018 #36

I just a flash of me doing the same. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #50

I don't know the answer to your question, but growing up 1950s - 1960s we were feral children csziggy Mar 2018 #39

That's the story of my childhood too. No shoes in the summer, of course. nt LAS14 Mar 2018 #42

Oh, of course! We got three pairs of shoes each a year csziggy Mar 2018 #44

When I became aware that someone walked my 5 and 6 year old... LAS14 Mar 2018 #40

Many neighborhoods have few kids and few adults at home cally Mar 2018 #45

there has been an age limit, but the "test" is when harm is done to a child and a parent is not beachbum bob Mar 2018 #46

There needs to be some protection from some crazy child protection people. LiberalFighter Mar 2018 #47

The busting up of the neighborhoods. Wednesdays Mar 2018 #48

I am living in one of those original neighborhoods. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2018 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author lindysalsagal Mar 2018 #51

Good grief! I babysat at age 12!! We walked to school in first and second grade. Maybe demigoddess Mar 2018 #56

This appears to be the last report about the Maryland family. pnwmom Mar 2018 #57

Thank America's Most Wanted. LSFL Mar 2018 #58

My boys were lucky enough to apparently be SoCalDem Mar 2018 #59