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We Can’t Just Let Our Kids Roam Free Anymore
You know, it’s funny how nostalgia can make us rethink our parenting. Sometimes, it feels like there’s this pressure to parent the way our parents did. Sure, helicopter parenting can be a bit much, but when I hear people say life was easier back in the day, I can’t help but roll my eyes. Things have changed, and we need to accept that.
Take, for instance, that article floating around titled “What Would My Mom Do?” The writer nostalgically reminisces about how their mom would just kick them outside to play without any worries. “Just go outside and play,” they’d say. But let’s be real—if I told my 7-year-old to head out for the day, drink from the hose, and hope a neighbor would feed her, I’d probably have the cops knocking at my door. People are just way more paranoid about child safety now than they were decades ago, and frankly, there aren’t as many kids just hanging out on the streets anymore.
The idea of simply sending kids outside is mostly a thing of the past. Nowadays, we have camps, daycare, organized activities, and playdates. I don’t enroll my kid in these things because I want to baby her; it’s just where all the other kids are. That’s the reality in 2023.
I get it—we all want to give our kids a taste of the carefree childhood we had. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. If we really want to create a close-knit community for our kids, why not gather other parents to brainstorm ways to foster that? Maybe with some effort, we could build a neighborhood where kids can roam freely and even set up a system where they can share meals. But if that sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. Honestly, I’d rather adapt to the times than try to recreate a childhood from the ’80s. My 7-year-old rides her bike with a helmet, and that’s just how it is now.
So let’s stop pretending that simply telling kids to go outside and come back for dinner is a viable option today. To make that happen would require a lot of community involvement, not just from parents but from everyone. And if you’re spending that much energy trying to recreate the past, maybe it’s time to reflect on who’s really overthinking their parenting.
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Summary:
In today’s world, letting kids roam freely like we did in our childhood isn’t really practical anymore. The landscape of parenting has shifted, with organized activities and safety concerns taking precedence. While it’s nice to dream about the past, the reality is that modern parenting requires adaptation and community collaboration. Instead of trying to recreate a bygone era, let’s focus on making the most of the present for our kids.