Kids today have a lot less freedom than their parents did.

[Anti Federalist]

Good training for the prison planet they will live their lives in.


The Shortening Leash

Six thousand respondents to the Slate survey and the trend is clear: Kids today have a lot less freedom than their parents did.

By Jessica Grose and Hanna Rosin

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2014/08/slate_childhood_survey_results_kids_today_have_a_l ot_less_freedom_than_their.html?wpsrc=sp_all_artic le_storypromo

What were you allowed to do when you were a kid? In July, South Carolina mother Debra Harrell was arrested for allowing her 9-year-old daughter to play in the park unattended while she was at work. Harrell’s arrest prompted outrage, but also an outpouring of nostalgia, as indignant readers remembered activities they routinely did as children that are considered near criminal today. So we asked Slate readers to answer a survey about what they were allowed to do as kids, and also what they let their own children do today. About 6,000 of you answered, and the results give a fairly clear picture, over several decades, of a shortening leash for American children.

[TheTexan]

Yes, but their parents also didn't have iPads, which are way better than freedom

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Bottom line for me is that this country sold freedom for stuff a long, long time ago.

[BrooklynZoo]

I don't understand this. When I was 9, I was riding my bike all around the streets of Brooklyn, even over the Brooklyn Bridge into Chinatown. I never was worried about my safety and neither my parents nor anyone I knew ever felt it was abnormal to do so. This was at a time when crime in NYC was far worse than it is today. The independence helped shape the person I became. I don't see why this is grounds for arrest of a parent. What a stupid, paranoid, pussified society we have today.

[DamianTV]

I don't understand this. When I was 9, I was riding my bike all around the streets of Brooklyn, even over the Brooklyn Bridge into Chinatown. I never was worried about my safety and neither my parents nor anyone I knew ever felt it was abnormal to do so. This was at a time when crime in NYC was far worse than it is today. The independence helped shape the person I became. I don't see why this is grounds for arrest of a parent. What a stupid, paranoid, pussified society we have today.

The trick here is to put Parents on the Leash, then the Parents are expected to teach their kids the Religion of State Worship.

Parents pretty much have no judicial authority over their own children. They are more like sub-managers and only until the State comes in and decides to take over. All People, not just Children, nor just Parents are flat out PROPERTY of the STATE.

[tod evans]

Kids today have a lot less freedom than their parents did.

Absolutely sickening!

[Ronin Truth]

I'd suggest, as a parent, that the country now is a much more dangerous place than it was when I was a kid.

[tod evans]

I'd suggest, as a parent, that the country now is a much more dangerous place than it was when I was a kid.

Oh bullshit!

Out here in the sticks cows-n-horses will still kick ya', bulls will protect their turf, knives are sharp and hammers hurt when you hit your thumb.

Even in the cities there are areas where if ya' don't belong ya' don't go..........It never was "safe" to play in the highway and creepers still haunt kiddy hangouts.

Nothing has changed but the level of paranoia...

[fisharmor]

I'd suggest, as a parent, that the country now is a much more dangerous place than it was when I was a kid.
I will attest to this.

30 years ago, if someone mugged you, you'd hand over your wallet and be out some money and have to go get a new drivers license. But that was it.

Today, if you get out of line in front of a cop, it's going to cost you upwards of $5k in legal fees to be able to keep your record clean - and if you don't keep your record clean, you lose your job, and if you have any kids, you run the risk of losing them, too.

Considering one of the best ways to get out of line these days is to let your kids out of sight for a few minutes (exactly 12 minutes, in my case), and considering how easy it is to prevent getting mugged, to tell the truth I'd rather go back to potentially getting mugged. It was a lot cheaper and had far fewer fatal consequences if I chose to try to do something about it while it was happening.

[tod evans]

I will attest to this.

30 years ago, if someone mugged you, you'd hand over your wallet and be out some money and have to go get a new drivers license. But that was it.

Today, if you get out of line in front of a cop, it's going to cost you upwards of $5k in legal fees to be able to keep your record clean - and if you don't keep your record clean, you lose your job, and if you have any kids, you run the risk of losing them, too.

Considering one of the best ways to get out of line these days is to let your kids out of sight for a few minutes (exactly 12 minutes, in my case), and considering how easy it is to prevent getting mugged, to tell the truth I'd rather go back to potentially getting mugged. It was a lot cheaper and had far fewer fatal consequences if I chose to try to do something about it while it was happening.

A perspective I hadn't considered.......Thanks!

[EBounding]

"South Carolina mother Debra Harrell was arrested for allowing her 9-year-old daughter to play in the park unattended while she was at work. "

I'm not condoning the busybodies or the arrest. However this is a 46-year old single mother working at McDonalds. I'm pretty sure that didn't happen 40 years ago either. The destruction of the family is nearly complete.

[Ronin Truth]

Oh bullshit!

Out here in the sticks cows-n-horses will still kick ya', bulls will protect their turf, knives are sharp and hammers hurt when you hit your thumb.

Even in the cities there are areas where if ya' don't belong ya' don't go..........It never was "safe" to play in the highway and creepers still haunt kiddy hangouts.

Nothing has changed but the level of paranoia...

Example: Halloween: Trick or treating alone, for hours as a child. Never a concern about razor blades in apples, or candy bars. Never any concern about getting molested or kidnapped. Never mugged nor robbed by the bigger kids.

Also: Walked or rode my bike to and from elementary and middle school school every day, usually alone, never had any incidents.

As a city kid, our childhoods were obviously very different. :(

[Keith and stuff]

The parents parents freely admit that their parents allowed them more freedom than they allow their kids. They think taking away freedom from their kids is a good thing.

[heavenlyboy34]

Example: Halloween: Trick or treating alone, for hours as a child. Never a concern about razor blades in apples, or candy bars. Never any concern about getting molested or kidnapped. Never mugged nor robbed by the bigger kids.

Also: Walked or rode my bike to and from elementary and middle school school every day, usually alone, never had any incidents.

As a city kid, our childhoods were obviously very different. :(
Meh. I was a city kid and I did all that stuff. I liked to go out playing with friends (no parents) till 9 pm or whenever it gets too dark to my your hands. Usually biking around various paved and unpaved areas that are probably considered "dangerous" now. Creeks and rivers were teh best. :D R.I.P., childhood. :'( :(

[PAF]

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1957: Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2015: School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for
traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957: Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2015: Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957: Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2015: Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957: Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2015: Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957: Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.

2015: Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1957: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2015: Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1957: Ants die.

2015: BATF, Homeland Security, PETA, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.


Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957: In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2015: Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

[enhanced_deficit]

So true.

[dannno]

Example: Halloween: Trick or treating alone, for hours as a child. Never a concern about razor blades in apples, or candy bars.

That has never, ever happened. This is proof you more scared of what the media presents than you are of actual reality.

[Sola_Fide]

Yes, but their parents also didn't have iPads, which are way better than freedom

I wonder if that kids in the future view freedom as "not quite real", much like they view the reality of the internet.

[Anti Federalist]

That has never, ever happened. This is proof you more scared of what the media presents than you are of actual reality.

That.

I was going to mention, that goofy scare tactic has been around since before I was kid.

[ItsTime]

I would go to the corner store (a mile through backwoods bike trails) when I was 9 - 10 yo. I bet now a days the cops would bring me me home. And since I grew up poor I am sure they would make life hell for my family...

[presence]

I lived in Jersey; 14 miles from the George Washington bridge into Manhattan.

I walked 3/4 mile to and from school K through 3rd. All kids within 1 mile radius walked.

After school I was free to walk or ride my bike anywere between home and school.

By second grade it was check in after school, be home before dark.

[Ronin Truth]

That has never, ever happened. This is proof you more scared of what the media presents than you are of actual reality.

Source?

[dannno]

Source?

Bowling for Columbine