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lostnfound

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74. Teaching kids to be afraid, and AVOID autonomy, self-confidence, or marching to their own drummer

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 06:21 AM

Apr 2015

How absurd. The obsession with constant supervision has handicapped an entire generation into not recognizing their own self-determination. In the 60s and 70s, I biked all over town - a few miles, at least - and walked home from school. Parents wanted me home by dark or by dinner, depending on the night. Biking freedom started at age 7.

Parents weren't burdened with constant supervision and driving duties either. I enjoyed my freedom and my own thoughts out on my bike.

It says in the article that a "readiness for FIRST grade" checklist in 1979 included:
●Can your child tell, in such a way that his speech is understood by a school crossing guard or police, where he lives?

●Can he travel alone in the neighborhood (four to eight blocks) to store, school, playground, or to a friend’s home?

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�Free-range children� taken into custody again in Maryland [View all] mahatmakanejeeves Apr 2015 OP

I remember my brother and I walking to the park together gollygee Apr 2015 #1

Well, you see, when you and I were kids justiceischeap Apr 2015 #2

I feel sorry for her ten year old. He will never be a adult. texanwitch Apr 2015 #5

There is less crime now; only more media fed hysteria. DamnYankeeInHouston Apr 2015 #8

I doubt there are less sexual predators, and that's what I'd be most worried about justiceischeap Apr 2015 #10

That usually done in the home by someone the child knows. DamnYankeeInHouston Apr 2015 #27

And the craziest thing is their school district requires a kindergartner to walk longer distances to get to pnwmom Apr 2015 #47

This is out of hand insane. B2G Apr 2015 #3

+1 sinkingfeeling Apr 2015 #39

No shit! Whether the police were just trying to make sure the kids got home safe, or they wanted hughee99 Apr 2015 #50

That just seems spiteful. Chemisse Apr 2015 #52

Meanwhile, somewhere else in Montgomery County, a child was actually being abused and/or neglected ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #4

To be fair to CPS justiceischeap Apr 2015 #11

I have people within my only family who have or still do work in social services. ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #12

They didn't bother to call the parents for 3 HOURS B2G Apr 2015 #24

That's what the parents say. They come across to me as unnecessarily strident if you read the links. randome Apr 2015 #26

"unnescessarily strident"???? really? niyad Apr 2015 #76

I'm not going to automatically assume justiceischeap Apr 2015 #28

They don't have to INTERVENE just because someone reports. Once they determined pnwmom Apr 2015 #48

But we don't know what else they determined is my only point. justiceischeap Apr 2015 #56

All my kids were 'free range'. Chemisse Apr 2015 #53

I'm a "free-range" kid and my parents gave me rules too justiceischeap Apr 2015 #55

Exactly! Chemisse Apr 2015 #59

Really? Really! HassleCat Apr 2015 #6

When most of us were that age, this is when it was time to come home... ChisolmTrailDem Apr 2015 #7

Because I was the youngest, my brother always made me be the one to leave the game of ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #13

I feel sorry for kids growing up today... Ron Obvious Apr 2015 #9

I can't understand why the parents were not notified when the kids were picked up by the PD. Arkansas Granny Apr 2015 #14

We were not allowed to free-range without our parents knowing where we were TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #15

Nope, the kids just don't wander justiceischeap Apr 2015 #16

Well, WE WERE so allowed! I had to be home by 5:30 p.m., and sometimes my father had to call out for WinkyDink Apr 2015 #18

Born in late fifties. Grew up in sixties. TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #20

My mother actually encouraged us to go outside and kill each other notadmblnd Apr 2015 #29

Sad. I want my kids around... TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #36

yeah, it is sad notadmblnd Apr 2015 #38

Same here treestar Apr 2015 #61

If my mom decided to go somewhere TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #63

We didn't have phones so I forget how we did it treestar Apr 2015 #67

LOL Well, we just rode off on our bikes TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #68

I always knew where my MOTHER was! LOL! WinkyDink Apr 2015 #71

Wow- speculating about these kids pooping and peeing were you? bettyellen Apr 2015 #65

I was a kid! And, yeah, I used to wonder where TexasMommaWithAHat Apr 2015 #66

WTH?! I, and everyone else I went to elementary school with, walked home! Older 6th-graders WinkyDink Apr 2015 #17

It was 6pm on a Sunday. I don't think school had anything to do with it. randome Apr 2015 #19

We ran around on the week-ends, too. WinkyDink Apr 2015 #69

When I grew up in the 1950's it wasn't called "free-range children." It was called "childhood." Vinca Apr 2015 #21

Read the first link in the snippet. randome Apr 2015 #23

At 10 and 6 Bettie Apr 2015 #22

Gotta save these kids from some pervert on the streets, by handing them over to some pervert at CPS 951-Riverside Apr 2015 #25

Explored Colorado Springs both alone and with friends at 8-9 Jake Stern Apr 2015 #30

Yes. My kids murielm99 Apr 2015 #32

The wussification of America continues apace. n/t Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #31

I think those parents are using their kids as political props. Paladin Apr 2015 #33

That i what I think too. bravenak Apr 2015 #34

Yes. Somehow they convinced the cops to pick up their own kids. Luminous Animal Apr 2015 #37

Do you have any evidence to support your claim? Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #41

Did you read all the links? randome Apr 2015 #43

human veal doesn't NEED to be outside! MisterP Apr 2015 #35

DUZY Jesus Malverde Apr 2015 #77

GPS for children Politicalboi Apr 2015 #40

The son was 10 -- well beyond that stage. n/t pnwmom Apr 2015 #49

I grew up wandering to my heart's content. Codeine Apr 2015 #42

same here... ProdigalJunkMail Apr 2015 #45

My two brothers & I were "Free Range" kids too. bvar22 Apr 2015 #44

In good humor I claim to have been a feral child... hunter Apr 2015 #46

jeez, we grew up in the outer core & regularly walked FOUR BLOCKS to catch the bus EVERYDAY! pansypoo53219 Apr 2015 #51

LOL! I thought it said, 'free range chicken" and thought those must be tough ass birds! Rex Apr 2015 #54

!!!! BlueJazz Apr 2015 #60

Need to stop scanning the titles and slow down a bit! Rex Apr 2015 #62

Insane. Just nuts. nt BainsBane Apr 2015 #57

I was TOTALLY free range as a kid. We all were back then. valerief Apr 2015 #58

I was a free range kid. Roamed a mountain by myself when I was 10. Avalux Apr 2015 #64

In 1950 when I was 10 and my brother was 6 we went all over NYC by subway. CK_John Apr 2015 #70

To say I envy you would be a gross understatement! Now, I grew up in a fab town for kids, but my WinkyDink Apr 2015 #73

I just got sad the other day passing my childhood park. There was an iron fence around each baseball WinkyDink Apr 2015 #72

Teaching kids to be afraid, and AVOID autonomy, self-confidence, or marching to their own drummer lostnfound Apr 2015 #74

the meitiv family niyad Apr 2015 #75

When I was 6 years old, I walked to school every day, as did other kids my age. When I was 10, I muntrv Apr 2015 #78

The government forcing parents into being overly protective is not a good trend. Kablooie Apr 2015 #79