Reply to Why Do We Judge Parents For Putting Kids At Perceived — But Unreal

Forum Index » Elementary School-Aged Kids

Reply to "Why Do We Judge Parents For Putting Kids At Perceived — But Unreal — Risk?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Born in 1970, grew up in DC.  It really was just 'normal' and no one questioned that was normal that even early elementary kids played outside and wandered the neighborhood until dinner time, walked to school alone, came home alone after school (latch key) etc.  The norm has changed.  I think the shift started when there were some really high profile child abductions (like Adam Walsh) and there was a string of child murders in Georgia etc which changed the perceived risks and started a big national conversation (what evolved to stranger danger etc).  By the time my brother - six years younger - was going through school, many fewer latch key kids.[/quote]

I'm the same age and I recall learning the term kidnapped as young as four, but also recall that going to the grocery store came with the option of staying in the car while mom or dad shopped.  I did it all the time, sitting in the back seat with my Merlin or a book.

This discussion is also reminding me of a season one episode of Mad Men when Don and Betty had a party at their house and another dad smacked Don's kid for running (or something that was not that big of a deal.)  My husband (who was born in 66) and I goggled at hitting a kid, but recalled that it was normal and expected that any adult could discipline another kid and the "wrongdoing" would be the kid's.  If someone else had to tell you how to behave, you were just an embarrassment which meant extra punishment once your parents found out about it.  Everyone pretty much watched each other's kid but what was also different is that abusive behavior was normal parenting.  No one could be meaner to your kid than you, and that was a-okay. I  remember two brothers in my after school daycare in third grade.  Both of them regularly had black eyes and bruising in the shape of a hand on other parts of their body.  We all knew what was happening and no one said a word about it.

So, you know, I think the judgement is a good thing.  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics