Youngsters
- Thread starter rik_uk3
- Start date
Like it Rik and so very true. We try to ration indoor techy things and ensure our daughter spends plenty of time outside. I think there is another thing going on here too and its the feeling that you cant let your kids out alone anymore. This places an added burden on parents to do the outdoor activities and some just dont want to or cant find the time too.
That said there seems to be a huge boost in our beavers group and its nice to see more young kids getting out
That said there seems to be a huge boost in our beavers group and its nice to see more young kids getting out
There are statistics somewhere that shows children, when they do play outdoors play closer to home than they did fifty years ago.
I'd blame the death of communities - people don't live and work together any more. It's common for people not to know there neighbours, the people on their street. Longer hours and longer commutes mean parents aren't home in time to take part in community activities, so the feeling of a community and the trust in it's individuals is eroded.
Another quote I'd heard somewhere and forgotten until now goes something like this:-
When I was younger and naughty I was sent up to my room. My kids have a telly, dvd, computer and phone in their room.
So I send them to my room instead.
When I was younger and naughty I was sent up to my room. My kids have a telly, dvd, computer and phone in their room.
So I send them to my room instead.
It is the fault of parents, all of us, you choose what to buy, saying no isn't hard.
Saying "no" is only too easy for me, I just say I haven't got any money [which unfortunatley most of the time is true] and they just have to put up with it
The world looks so much better with Rose tinted glasses on - ah yes halcyon days.
Blame the parents, blame the kids, blame society...
To be honest if I was a teenager growing up today I'd be sick and tired of the media, older generations and everyone else with an opinion telling me how "wrong" I'm doing things.
Nothing changes - leave 'em alone. By and large they're a good bunch.
Blame the parents, blame the kids, blame society...
To be honest if I was a teenager growing up today I'd be sick and tired of the media, older generations and everyone else with an opinion telling me how "wrong" I'm doing things.
Nothing changes - leave 'em alone. By and large they're a good bunch.
I live in the village my father was born in. My mother lived in the next one across the river. When I was little we wandered the entire parish......parish is around 22 square miles, and the neighbouring Blantyre one too.
It was normal.
It's not now.
The population here has at least quadrupled, for a start. It often seems like every scrap of land is being built on.
The roads were quieter, lot less traffic, mums mostly stayed at home, people worked on farms, not just a small family in the main house, loads of workshops, good public transport network, old footpaths and droveroads were well used, and there was little disposable income. TV was not multiple channel 24/7; it actually closed down so the folks who made it work could go home and have dinner and sleep
The world has changed; in many ways we are incredibly rich, but we've lost that cheerful feralness that grubby inquisitive children thrive in, and instead there's a spitefulness and a nasty edged greed, must have, throw away, total lack of self confidence and courtesy and respect for anything except £££ among too many people; and that's not just children.
It's easy to say we didn't have much; there wasn't much to have. Now babies are given computers and know how to work mobile phones before they can write.
Different world.
This forum is full of people to whom the outdoors is often as necessary as breathing, so we're kind of biased; it's still hopeful though, because it means there are a lot of people making huge efforts to give their children a hands on, play in the mud, paddle in the burn, play with a stick, dig through the earth to Australia, climb highest tree, type childhood, yet still encouraging them to thrive in this very modern world
I'm not a grandmother, but I've said it before; if I were and they come to visit me they best come with playing clothes because they will get dirty
cheers,
M
It was normal.
It's not now.
The population here has at least quadrupled, for a start. It often seems like every scrap of land is being built on.
The roads were quieter, lot less traffic, mums mostly stayed at home, people worked on farms, not just a small family in the main house, loads of workshops, good public transport network, old footpaths and droveroads were well used, and there was little disposable income. TV was not multiple channel 24/7; it actually closed down so the folks who made it work could go home and have dinner and sleep
The world has changed; in many ways we are incredibly rich, but we've lost that cheerful feralness that grubby inquisitive children thrive in, and instead there's a spitefulness and a nasty edged greed, must have, throw away, total lack of self confidence and courtesy and respect for anything except £££ among too many people; and that's not just children.
It's easy to say we didn't have much; there wasn't much to have. Now babies are given computers and know how to work mobile phones before they can write.
Different world.
This forum is full of people to whom the outdoors is often as necessary as breathing, so we're kind of biased; it's still hopeful though, because it means there are a lot of people making huge efforts to give their children a hands on, play in the mud, paddle in the burn, play with a stick, dig through the earth to Australia, climb highest tree, type childhood, yet still encouraging them to thrive in this very modern world
I'm not a grandmother, but I've said it before; if I were and they come to visit me they best come with playing clothes because they will get dirty
cheers,
M
wee man isn't two yet. already he comes back in different clothes from nanny's than he went in as he has got grubby.
I was lucky enough to have a farm yard. fields and my grandfather's allotment to play in.
nowadays there isn't that amount of space. plus media coverage of the dangers outside the house be it predatory adults. bullies, savage bangers or what ever puts the fear into a lot of adults. plus lack of community all tallies up to putting parents off from sending kids out to play.
however I have hopes for wee man still.
I was lucky enough to have a farm yard. fields and my grandfather's allotment to play in.
nowadays there isn't that amount of space. plus media coverage of the dangers outside the house be it predatory adults. bullies, savage bangers or what ever puts the fear into a lot of adults. plus lack of community all tallies up to putting parents off from sending kids out to play.
however I have hopes for wee man still.
My wife's grandmother said something years ago that I always remember, she died aged 97 in 1999.
She said: 'When I was young, we heard about things that went on in our village and a village or two away. That was it. Now you hear of a murder etc all over the world and certainly anywhere in the UK.'
This is true. There may of been as many killings/child abductions etc in days gone by, but you didn't hear about them. Now you hear everyone. Of course only the bad make it to the news!
Alan
She said: 'When I was young, we heard about things that went on in our village and a village or two away. That was it. Now you hear of a murder etc all over the world and certainly anywhere in the UK.'
This is true. There may of been as many killings/child abductions etc in days gone by, but you didn't hear about them. Now you hear everyone. Of course only the bad make it to the news!
Alan
It's true, society has changed, kids need to be kept indoors, good forbid they step outside, something terrible might happen....
I was down in our local woods recently with my 6 year old daughter, (I like her to be in sight) she was gathering some fallen leaves and sticks. A middle aged woman told me in no uncertain terms that the woods aren't the place for children to play. Apparently she should have been at home.
touched by nature
I was down in our local woods recently with my 6 year old daughter, (I like her to be in sight) she was gathering some fallen leaves and sticks. A middle aged woman told me in no uncertain terms that the woods aren't the place for children to play. Apparently she should have been at home.
touched by nature
That just made me laugh, [and get some odd looks from the other folks in the office as a result]
If you could rewind the clock, would you? And when too? At what point in history would you like your kids to grow up in?
No, just the parents, they are ultimatly responsible for their childrens upbringing.
I'd like to go back to april 1993 & have a vasectomy.
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Excellent!
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