Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jetshield Sep 16, 2012 18:08:45	Remember when you were a kid? Think back. I know it was a long time ago for some of us. What did you do for fun? If you were like me, you went outside to play. In fact, I spent far more time outside than in when I had a choice. I roamed far and wide, sometimes with other kids and sometimes alone. My parents thought nothing of me being gone from early morning until around supper time then gone again until bed time as long as my chores were done. My friends and I roamed endlessly, inventing games, or just exploring. As we got older, our range increased not because our parents allowed it, but because we were physically able to cover more distance. There was a small lake outside of town, perhaps 5 or 6 miles, with a large grassy field on one end and a significant stand of trees on the other. It became our favorite place to play. We would romp in the field, play soldiers in the woods, or swim in the lake. One summer, when I was 10 or 11 years old, we brought tents and blankets, fishing poles and tackle, and a few canned goods and snacks and camped by that lake for 2 whole weeks. We'd occasionally send someone back into town to make the rounds of our homes collecting whatever food he could from our parents. The only adults we saw were a few fishermen, mostly old-timers (or so it seemed at the time) who were more than happy to share their fish-wisdom with us, and one cop who stopped to make sure we kept our fire under control. It was a good summer. What ever happened to the days when kids could roam free and be kids? When did society decide that kids needed constant supervision? Why is just going to the park now considered so dangerous that some people will call the police if you let your children get more that 50 feet from you? Have we become so afraid of life that we're willing to cage our children, to take away their freedom to be kids, just so they won't have to face that horrible thing called "life"?
#2 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 16, 2012 18:51:31	I don't want to get a ride on the banned wagon, so I'll pass on my explanation.
#3 The_Silversword Sep 16, 2012 18:51:34	I hear ya man, we used to go all over town when i was a kid, riding bikes everywhere, and as long as we were home by dinner time it was all good. Both my parents worked so i was often home alone and had to cook dinner for my self and my little brother, and you know it didnt really seem like a big thing to me, I try to get my kids to make dinner and theyre like we dont know how! Even though ive showed them many many times how to use the stove and to wash dishes and use the wasshing machine, but they just dont get it. Im not sure if society has changed or if kids are just dumber these days?
#4 The_Silversword Sep 16, 2012 18:52:15	I don't want to get a ride on the banned wagon, so I'll pass on my explanation. But all the hipster kids are doing it!
#5 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 16, 2012 18:52:39	Actually, I will answer, but differently than my first reaction. Video games. Video games killed the outdoor kids.
#6 The_Silversword Sep 16, 2012 18:57:36	I was going to argue and say no way it cant be video games, I mean we had video games when we were kids, and i played alot, but still managed to find time to play GI Joes or whatever outside, but then I really started thinking about it, look at the games we had as kids, Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Space Invaders, Those were great games back in the day, but todays games are far more immersive, better graphics, sound effects and all that, so yeah video games now really suck those kids (and some adults) in to the point that thats all they do.
#7 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 16, 2012 19:04:05	I was going to argue and say no way it cant be video games, I mean we had video games when we were kids, and i played alot, but still managed to find time to play GI Joes or whatever outside, but then I really started thinking about it, look at the games we had as kids, Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Space Invaders, Those were great games back in the day, but todays games are far more immersive, better graphics, sound effects and all that, so yeah video games now really suck those kids (and some adults) in to the point that thats all they do. Yup. I had an Atari, with Asteroids and Missle Command and all that crap, but still found myself outside a lot.
#8 jetshield Sep 16, 2012 21:00:38	I wasn't really trying to figure out why children would rather stay indoors these days, but why society is now convinced that the world has become such a dangerous, terrible place that letting your kids play (or giving them any responsibility it seems) is practically a death sentence for them. Maybe a few examples will help. link1 link2 link3 link4 link5 link6 link7 link8 link9 (first paragraph) link10
#9 jetshield Sep 16, 2012 22:58:35	Once I had near-unlimited access to the interwebz, I stayed inside a lot more. Once again the point was missed.
#10 homicidal_squirrel Sep 16, 2012 23:09:04	Once I had near-unlimited access to the interwebz, I stayed inside a lot more. Once again the point was missed. Yes, the point was missed, but technically he is correct. The internet is partially to blame. The internet a long with all the various sources of news we have now. You get a lot more information about crimes now than you did when you were a kid1. There may or may not be more crime occuring, but you see it more often. __________________ [sblock=1]When dinosaurs romed the earth.[/sbock]
#11 jetshield Sep 16, 2012 23:53:53	A good point. It's unfortunate that people are unaware that crime rates have been going down for the last decade. I suppose there's the mistaken impression that just because you hear about it more, there must be more crime happening. edit: A quick search reveals that 68% of Americans feel that there is more crime in the U.S. than last year. edit 2: According to the FBI, the total number of violent crimes is at the lowest level since 1979, while the number of property crimes is at it's lowest since 1973, despite the fact that the population has been increasing steadily.
#12 jetshield Sep 17, 2012 6:00:32	The bet thing a parent can do is limite the time a kid can spend in front of the tv and computer and kick them outside. That's just it, though. Parents of kids who play outside are being seen (and sometimes charged) as negligent and/or abusive. What kind of world do we live in that letting your kids play outside has become a crime?
#13 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 17, 2012 6:15:18	What kind of world do we live in that letting your kids play outside has become a crime? A "politically correct" one. I would expand further, but I won't due to ban-hammer sightings in the area.
#14 jetshield Sep 17, 2012 6:21:24	Perhaps I should repost this in the OTTercave?
#15 dirtyfrank Sep 17, 2012 14:03:15	..."window.parent.tinyMCE.get('post_content').onLoad.dispatch();" contenteditable="true" />What ever happened to the days when kids could roam free and be kids? When did society decide that kids needed constant supervision? Why is just going to the park now considered so dangerous that some people will call the police if you let your children get more that 50 feet from you? Have we become so afraid of life that we're willing to cage our children, to take away their freedom to be kids, just so they won't have to face that horrible thing called "life"? From what I've seen parents seem to think there is a murderer or molester behind every corner. And as for someone that used to be a youngster a few years back when you have access to some awesome game and free range on the interwebs and cable/satellite there is just so much entertainment at ones disposal that you don't have to run around your neighborhood playing pretend games. Like why play cowboys and indians when you can just play any fps like call of duty or tf2 or whatnot. This is at least my experience.
#16 ADHadh Sep 17, 2012 17:34:21	Overprotective parents that see murderous pedophiles everywhere and lazy ones that prefer to stick their spawn in front of TV or a game so they don't have to watch over them. More often than not these kind of parents like to blame the outside world rather than their own shortcomings \ But disregard my post, I haven't bred yet (and I'm not sure I want to).
#17 homicidal_squirrel Sep 19, 2012 22:15:17	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...
#18 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 19, 2012 22:18:00	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  Ridiculous!
#19 jetshield Sep 19, 2012 22:39:01	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  I could have sworn I linked to that story. *checks* Yup. I did in post #8. Your source is a little late.
#20 jetshield Sep 19, 2012 22:40:14	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  Ridiculous! The lawsuit or the jail time before it?
#21 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 19, 2012 22:40:19	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  I could have sworn I linked to that story. *checks* Yup. I did in post #8. Your source is a little late. Now it's YOU, HS, who must say "my bad" and post the doh! smiley!
#22 homicidal_squirrel Sep 19, 2012 22:47:48	Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  I could have sworn I linked to that story. *checks* Yup. I did in post #8. Your source is a little late. Lies! You've obviously used some time machine in order to go back in time and create that link after-the-fact! Talking about kids playing outside. news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mom-sues-p...  I could have sworn I linked to that story. *checks* Yup. I did in post #8. Your source is a little late. Now it's YOU, HS, who must say "my bad" and post the doh! smiley! Never! If I were to ever admit to being wrong, all existance would cease to exist.