Looking back, when did things change? When did we stop letting kids wander freely outside?

[Anonymous]

I feel like growing up here, sometime around 1999/2000. I started to see less kids out alone and by the time I had my own kids, it was nearly unheard of to let your child hangout and ride their bikes around town. There were news stories about children free range in this area into the 2010s.


What year would you say things changed?

[Anonymous]

When kids who saw missing kids on milk cartons started having kids. That was traumatizing.

[Anonymous]

When you joined them up to a computer to use as a babysitter instead of going outside with them.

[Anonymous]

I was born in ‘69. I grew up near Murch. We weren’t allowed to wander freely in my childhood.

I think a lot of what people think of as generational change on this is actually class change. People who grew up middle class and are now UMC follow UMC norms which are more restrictive.

[Anonymous]

I was born in the mid 70s. I didn’t go to summer camp and my parents, mainly mom since dad was working, just siad go out and play. Come home at dinner. We went to the pool, tried to find change to buy candy or slurpees, and I guess went home to eat. We rode bikes everywhere. I can remember taking a path and coming out miles from home. We’d play at the creek and hang out with our neighbors. I had my first beer while playing beer pong the day before my 11th birthday at their house. No parents were around. No clue what they were doing. We found cigarettes and beer hidden at the creek. I assume by teens. We once were flashed by the creepy neighbor. This was in a nice neighborhood. No way in hell would i let my kids do that. It’s irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was born in the mid 70s. I didn’t go to summer camp and my parents, mainly mom since dad was working, just siad go out and play. Come home at dinner. We went to the pool, tried to find change to buy candy or slurpees, and I guess went home to eat. We rode bikes everywhere. I can remember taking a path and coming out miles from home. We’d play at the creek and hang out with our neighbors. I had my first beer while playing beer pong the day before my 11th birthday at their house. No parents were around. No clue what they were doing. We found cigarettes and beer hidden at the creek. I assume by teens. We once were flashed by the creepy neighbor. This was in a nice neighborhood. No way in hell would i let my kids do that. It’s irresponsible.

We did so many dumb things. How we weren’t killed is a miracle. Zero chance my kids are getting that much freedom.

[Anonymous]

It’s regional too I think. I live in New England and kids have a lot of freedom, it’s pretty safe, you see packs of kids cruising around on bikes etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was born in ‘69. I grew up near Murch. We weren’t allowed to wander freely in my childhood.

I think a lot of what people think of as generational change on this is actually class change. People who grew up middle class and are now UMC follow UMC norms which are more restrictive.

I grew up very UMC in Kansas Coty and we roamed far and wide in the 70s, old dilapidated mansions, parks with lots of hippies and free love , libraries far away all on bikes with no helmets and so on. I feel like GenZ pulled back due to our free range childhood. I definitely got in some hairy situations but got out thankfully unscathed. We did move to a neighborhood where our kids could be more free range but most parents thought we were too permissive. Our kids thrived and really hope to raise thei kids similarly. I hope that can but do encourage them to consider moving overseas to do it if they can.

[Anonymous]

About the time parents stopped being incredibly neglectful of their kids. Not saying letting kids wander is neglectful on its own, but it was more common during a time when parents had no f**king idea what their kids were up to and weren't expected to.

[Anonymous]

Kansas City…. Had to laugh at getting flashed, happened to me in first grade walking to school w a friend and again in HS while I was on fancy private school bus looking down into a car! Yes, we smoked very young after cribbing our parents cigarettes.

[Anonymous]

Grew up in the 1970s and 1980s in a Midwestern City. We were outside a lot but not far from house and all parents knew where everyone was. When in middle school and high school we might go farther afield but until maybe half way through high school parents knew where we were.

[Anonymous]

My sibling and I were a newborn and toddler at the time of the Lyon sisters’ tragic disappearance. Several of my cousins were also the same age. My entire family became paranoid and did not let any of the kids out of their sight, ever.

[Anonymous]

I grew up here and we never free wandered. Our parents knew where we were at all times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sibling and I were a newborn and toddler at the time of the Lyon sisters’ tragic disappearance. Several of my cousins were also the same age. My entire family became paranoid and did not let any of the kids out of their sight, ever.

I was born and lived in Kensington same year they disappeared. My mom always talked About them and never let us go to Wheaton on the “wrong side of the tracks” but it didn’t deter her from having zero frigging clue what we were doing or where we were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was born in the mid 70s. I didn’t go to summer camp and my parents, mainly mom since dad was working, just siad go out and play. Come home at dinner. We went to the pool, tried to find change to buy candy or slurpees, and I guess went home to eat. We rode bikes everywhere. I can remember taking a path and coming out miles from home. We’d play at the creek and hang out with our neighbors. I had my first beer while playing beer pong the day before my 11th birthday at their house. No parents were around. No clue what they were doing. We found cigarettes and beer hidden at the creek. I assume by teens. We once were flashed by the creepy neighbor. This was in a nice neighborhood. No way in hell would i let my kids do that. It’s irresponsible.

We did so many dumb things. How we weren’t killed is a miracle. Zero chance my kids are getting that much freedom.

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