Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

[iceberg]

I didn't even give reports. Me and my buds would take off for the ball fields to play sports or the woods and climb trees, build forts, play army, hunt, fish, catch frogs. You know, just be a kid. That's great to see at least some kids experiencing that.

let kids be kids. somewhere along the way we decided they were too fragile and could get hurt then they were too "restless" and couldn't pay attention so we drugged them.

now we wonder why they shoot people.

 

[iceberg]

Back in the 50's...

... we were all free range kids...

... before the world got weird.

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

Sad world we live in...

Maryland couple investigated for letting children, 6 and 10, walk neighborhood alone

Parents in trouble again for letting kids walk alone

If the kids were out there creating havoc, I would understand why the law came down on the parents. but this in my opinion is over the line.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

 

[toobfreak]

Okay we are going to do flashbacks. So I was maybe 8 years old? A bunch of us were messing around on the ice. There were a number of skatable ponds back then. The houses were zoned for over an acre so it was pretty free and open. I slipped and fell into a hole in the ice and was wearing gloves and could not grab the ice. A high school broad comes up grabs me, pulls me out and brings me back to my Mom who tossed me into the bath tub and said I was late for dinner.

I was watching an old TV show and the question became whether the little boy of the family was being bullied. The father asked the son whether he was being picked on, and when admitted, whether he had fought back, not to call the school and report it. Then the father encouraged the boy to fight back. When the boy finally did, he was proud of him, dusted him off, life went on, they ate dinner and lived happily ever after. There were no complaints, no lawsuits, the school did not get involved. There were no criminal investigations, no agencies, no counselors needed. That was before liberals got involved and found a solution to a problem that didn't exist by electing themselves to boards in charge of telling others how to run our lives.

 

[JoeB131]

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

Overprotected, or maybe just different priorities.

You see, going back to my example, when I grew up in the 1970s, we knew everyone who lived on the block. This was an old-style, Chicago Union neighborhood.

so, yeah, I guess you could let the kids play because everyone knew everyone else.

Now... not so much. Most of us don't know our neighbors.

And, yeah, we have the creeps who can get at our kids through the internet and Stone Philips does the whole "To Catch a Predator" thing.

More awareness is a good thing, I think.

 

[aaronleland]

Horror of horrors. They might get lost. Or scrape their knees. Or other terrible results. How can those uncaring Utahans allow such a thing?

Play at a park, bike to the store, walk to school — all activities children in Utah can now legally perform alone, without parental supervision.

I cannot even begin to remember all those hours I spent riding my bicycle all over the Los Angeles area. Or playing with my friends without adults hovering over me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm totally for parental vigilance at a reasonable rate. I don't think kindergartners or kids the same age should walk many blocks without an older child or a parent looking out for them. I think it's a sign of parental responsibility.


And I have a gut feeling the new law in Utah agrees with that.

More @ Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

I grew up in utah

I'm sorry.

 

[aaronleland]

There was a long period of my childhood where I lived in the middle of nowhere. I used to walk over three miles to my nearest friend's house just to play with action figures. I've only been molested at the most six times.

 

[Crixus]

Horror of horrors. They might get lost. Or scrape their knees. Or other terrible results. How can those uncaring Utahans allow such a thing?

Play at a park, bike to the store, walk to school — all activities children in Utah can now legally perform alone, without parental supervision.

I cannot even begin to remember all those hours I spent riding my bicycle all over the Los Angeles area. Or playing with my friends without adults hovering over me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm totally for parental vigilance at a reasonable rate. I don't think kindergartners or kids the same age should walk many blocks without an older child or a parent looking out for them. I think it's a sign of parental responsibility.


And I have a gut feeling the new law in Utah agrees with that.

More @ Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

WAIT. You need a LAW for this? I would have thought it would be the other way around, that you needed a law to NOT be able to go out and just play. When I was growing up, I was never home, I traveled miles on my bike with my friends. We explored woods, built stuff. Made trips to stores, we were self-sufficient. The only time I saw my parents was when it got late and I knew they'd be calling for me to come home to eat.

Sadly yes. For some reason most adults find it nessicarey to hook a child on Xbox and smart phones in order to keep them safe.

 

[Crixus]

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

Overprotected, or maybe just different priorities.

You see, going back to my example, when I grew up in the 1970s, we knew everyone who lived on the block. This was an old-style, Chicago Union neighborhood.

so, yeah, I guess you could let the kids play because everyone knew everyone else.

Now... not so much. Most of us don't know our neighbors.

And, yeah, we have the creeps who can get at our kids through the internet and Stone Philips does the whole "To Catch a Predator" thing.

More awareness is a good thing, I think.

Nonsense. Why not teach the child to be aware? Or to judge what is and is not a good idea? It’s how they learn you know.

 

[Crixus]

Horror of horrors. They might get lost. Or scrape their knees. Or other terrible results. How can those uncaring Utahans allow such a thing?

Play at a park, bike to the store, walk to school — all activities children in Utah can now legally perform alone, without parental supervision.

I cannot even begin to remember all those hours I spent riding my bicycle all over the Los Angeles area. Or playing with my friends without adults hovering over me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm totally for parental vigilance at a reasonable rate. I don't think kindergartners or kids the same age should walk many blocks without an older child or a parent looking out for them. I think it's a sign of parental responsibility.


And I have a gut feeling the new law in Utah agrees with that.

More @ Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

They Need to pass this law nationally.

 

[martybegan]

Horror of horrors. They might get lost. Or scrape their knees. Or other terrible results. How can those uncaring Utahans allow such a thing?

Play at a park, bike to the store, walk to school — all activities children in Utah can now legally perform alone, without parental supervision.

I cannot even begin to remember all those hours I spent riding my bicycle all over the Los Angeles area. Or playing with my friends without adults hovering over me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm totally for parental vigilance at a reasonable rate. I don't think kindergartners or kids the same age should walk many blocks without an older child or a parent looking out for them. I think it's a sign of parental responsibility.


And I have a gut feeling the new law in Utah agrees with that.

More @ Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

I seen this on GMA this morning and one of the women newscasters said she has either a 12 or 14 year old daughter and wasn't sure if she should walk 4 blocks.


I grew up similar to you.....I rode my bike all over town.....but my parents had also taught me basic common sense rules. I also had to check in at certain times and had to stay close to home after supper, but during the day I had more freedom.

Then again I had to give a full report before I could go anywhere........where ya goin, who ya goin with, when/how long you goin to be gone, whatcha gonna do,

it was a question of expanding zones growing up for me. First up and down the block on one side of the street. Then the other side, the the street itself, then around the block, then around a few blocks and then about a 5 block area, then 10, then by that time I was going to high school on a bus/subway combo and i was pretty much on my own.

 

[martybegan]

Sad world we live in...

Maryland couple investigated for letting children, 6 and 10, walk neighborhood alone

Parents in trouble again for letting kids walk alone

you reap what you sow.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Horror of horrors. They might get lost. Or scrape their knees. Or other terrible results. How can those uncaring Utahans allow such a thing?

Play at a park, bike to the store, walk to school — all activities children in Utah can now legally perform alone, without parental supervision.

I cannot even begin to remember all those hours I spent riding my bicycle all over the Los Angeles area. Or playing with my friends without adults hovering over me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm totally for parental vigilance at a reasonable rate. I don't think kindergartners or kids the same age should walk many blocks without an older child or a parent looking out for them. I think it's a sign of parental responsibility.


And I have a gut feeling the new law in Utah agrees with that.

More @ Free range kids: Children can now play outside without adult supervision in Utah

I seen this on GMA this morning and one of the women newscasters said she has either a 12 or 14 year old daughter and wasn't sure if she should walk 4 blocks.


I grew up similar to you.....I rode my bike all over town.....but my parents had also taught me basic common sense rules. I also had to check in at certain times and had to stay close to home after supper, but during the day I had more freedom.

Then again I had to give a full report before I could go anywhere........where ya goin, who ya goin with, when/how long you goin to be gone, whatcha gonna do,

it was a question of expanding zones growing up for me. First up and down the block on one side of the street. Then the other side, the the street itself, then around the block, then around a few blocks and then about a 5 block area, then 10, then by that time I was going to high school on a bus/subway combo and i was pretty much on my own.

I'm sure that may have played a part in my own upbringing, I don't remember of course. But I was also something of a latch-key kid before it was a thing. Both my parents worked and so I had a lot of free unsupervised time to myself during school breaks. I also had a ton of rules to go with that as well. My parents already knew in the 60's/70's of the dangers toward young girls alone. But those rules were more about when at home rather than how far I could go. Still the normal 'don't talk to strangers', 'don't stop or be alone with an adult' & things like that, applied at all times. I know there were a few times I rode my bike to the other end of the small town I grew up in......I just can't say if I was allowed to or not I do know that when my folks were home, I had a lot less freedom.

Having been raised that way, I did about the same with my own kids. Although for the most of their growing up years, I was a stay at home mom. I was of the 'expanding zones' type parent but I know too that my boys all went beyond those zone limits, and they heard about it too when they got home. I also tried to instill some precautionary measures and I'd drill them with the 20 questions beforehand.......just so I knew or had an idea of what to expect so that if they didn't check in within a reasonable time or something came up and I had to find them, I'd know where to start looking. Most of the time it worked, but not always. They would take matters into their own hands on occasion, the ornery little cusses. (and yes, I also swatted their behinds when necessary)

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Back in the 50's...

... we were all free range kids...

... before the world got weird.

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

 

[iceberg]

Back in the 50's...

... we were all free range kids...

... before the world got weird.

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

you'll never be able to prevent failure. ever.

more important is to teach them how to succeed from failure.

 

[OldLady]

When I was working Child Protective, we had a little escape artist that I had to go out and look into a few times. Kid was preschool -- first time he was 3 -- and out wandering the neighborhood in spectacular ways. I can't go into detail. Mom seemed normal, no drug problems evident; kid seemed normal though active. I never figured it out. Never came close to getting anyone in trouble, although we did refer to parenting services.
I never heard of getting concerned about a 6 and 10 year old though.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Back in the 50's...

... we were all free range kids...

... before the world got weird.

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

you'll never be able to prevent failure. ever.

more important is to teach them how to succeed from failure.

And never give them participation trophies...all it does is create mediocrity

 

[iceberg]

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

you'll never be able to prevent failure. ever.

more important is to teach them how to succeed from failure.

And never give them participation trophies...all it does is create mediocrity

if you want to be a winner, learn what it takes to win and commit.

 

[OldLady]

Or it got more vigilant.

Here's the thing, in 1950, they'd have probably left a kid alone with a Catholic Priest, because, hey, nothing bad would happen, right?

Today. Not so much.

Now, here's the thing. My generation, where we had big catholic families with no rhythm, our parents couldn't possibly watch us all the time. So we were expected to watch each other, and the other kids were expected to watch us.

But back then, we didn't have NAMBLA and creeps on the internet and stuff like that. And when John Gacy was found with 33 dead kids under his house, everyone was shocked.

so, yeah, when a family is no down to one of two kids with no one to watch them, they get a bit more vigilant.

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

you'll never be able to prevent failure. ever.

more important is to teach them how to succeed from failure.

And never give them participation trophies...all it does is create mediocrity

It builds confidence.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

It was just more hidden then, it hasn’t increased, just awareness. Kids are overprotected these days.

yep. let them get hurt and realize what it means. let them fall so you can teach them to get up. let them get disrespected so you can teach them respect for others.

let them be kids.

^^^ That...kids are going to fail, pick them up, dust them off and tell them to try again.

Sometimes it's difficult to let them try but they are learning valuable life lessons...when they do fail, teach them that lesson

you'll never be able to prevent failure. ever.

more important is to teach them how to succeed from failure.

And never give them participation trophies...all it does is create mediocrity

if you want to be a winner, learn what it takes to win and commit.

Our youngest is a gymnast and she'll be the first to say finishing second only means you lost. She has the hunger to win