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

[Anonymous]

I think the biggest change was the internet. Parents became inundated with videos, pics, stories, etc. of all kinds of behaviors. Parental worries were no longer limited by parental imaginations, so they started to want adult supervision more than ever before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what is exactly meant by wandering freely but I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s upper middle class Baltimore (Roland Park, Homeland and Ruxton for those of you in the know). We all rode bikes all over the neighborhoods, explored the trails in Lake Roland with our contraband beers and cigarettes, and wild parties in high school. All the private schools had party crowds. All in all had a pretty good amount of freedom as a middle and high schooler. We never went anywhere else in Baltimore.

Do agree kids were wilder back then. I never see kids sneaking contraband cigarettes anymore!

Well, who smokes anymore? No one has ciggies in their purse these days.

[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.

Born in '67 and this was also my childhood. Lots of bike riding to the creek. No slurpees though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When moms started all working, daycares exploded. Kids were no longer raised at homes. This happened after the 90’s. Two spouses worked to support the family.

All of these developments disgust me.

[Anonymous]

Born in 1990 and we did lots of wandering around the neighborhood but when we were younger had limitations about how far we could go (not allowed to go on or cross the busy streets that bordered the neighborhood). Those limitations faded away around middle school and we still did quite a bit of wandering without our parents really having an idea where we actually were.

[Anonymous]

We have this in our neighborhood. Not exactly like when we were kids but kids do travel around the neighborhood on bikes, etc. Daily during the pandemic because there were almost no scheduled activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When moms started all working, daycares exploded. Kids were no longer raised at homes. This happened after the 90’s. Two spouses worked to support the family.

All of these developments disgust me.

You’re a disgusting misogynist.

[Anonymous]

When there started to be more of:

"My kid didn't do that"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what is exactly meant by wandering freely but I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s upper middle class Baltimore (Roland Park, Homeland and Ruxton for those of you in the know). We all rode bikes all over the neighborhoods, explored the trails in Lake Roland with our contraband beers and cigarettes, and wild parties in high school. All the private schools had party crowds. All in all had a pretty good amount of freedom as a middle and high schooler. We never went anywhere else in Baltimore.

Do agree kids were wilder back then. I never see kids sneaking contraband cigarettes anymore!

Well, who smokes anymore? No one has ciggies in their purse these days.

I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is still fairly common where I live (suburban neighborhood in CO). Lots of sahms and it’s a safe community, people leave their doors unlocked etc. I definitely think having 2 working parents changes the dynamic and people sign their kids up for so many activities now day to day activities are more structured

IMHO so detrimental to development.

[Anonymous]

I was born in the early 70s. I had kids in the early 00s. I remember when my kids were little, someone asked something like "wasn't I scared to raise kids with how things are these days?" I said I thought things were way safer for kids these days than they were when I was a kid.

She looked at me like I was crazy. Statistically, I was absolutely correct; but she couldn't believe it.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from high school in 2000 and my brother in 2004. We both definitely grew up with the ability to roam freely. We went to the park without supervision all the time. Once I was 12, I was deemed old enough to watch my brother and we were allowed to stay home alone during the summer. We were allowed to play outside in our neighborhood only. We also had to call and check in with our mom three times a day: when we woke up, 1 PM, and then 4:30 PM before she left for work.

When I was 14 we were allowed to go to our community pool alone because at that age I was considered someone who could "supervise" others by our HOA. We were also allowed to start walking to places near our neighborhood like 7-11 and Mcdonald's. Once I got my license we were allowed to drive to my cousins' house, the library, and the mall during the summer.

We 100% did not obey those rules at all. We roamed all over. We figured out public transportation on our own and used it to go where we wanted. And then getting my license was total freedom! One time we hatched a plan with our cousins to go to Ocean City on our own. My brother and I told our parents we were staying that night with our cousins and they did the same. We packed light bags Friday morning after checking in with our mom and headed off at ages 17, 16, and two 13-year-olds. HOW I was calm enough to drive on the Bay Bridge at 16 is beyond me! We made it, though. We spent all Friday afternoon on the beach and took naps because we had nowhere to sleep that evening. We ended up roaming the boardwalk until around 3 am and then finding a parking lot to kind of sleep in the car for a few hours. We spent all day Saturday on the beach and headed back home at around 3 PM that afternoon. We never got caught. It's also still one of the best memories from my childhood that I have!

[Anonymous]

I grew up here and in the 80's we were outside riding bikes all over. We had to come home before dark. Both my parents worked. We were given tons of freedom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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?

1981. 6 year old Adam Walsh was kidnapped from the toy department of a Sears store and murdered (beheaded). Things were never the same after that.

I agree. That was an earthquake for a lot of parents. I have young children now and I still think about it.

[Anonymous]

Why do people wax nostalgic about the free roaming good ole days? Tons of really awful crap happened to us. I want better. for me kid.