Why don't kids play outside anymore?

petergroot

Superior Member
Account Deletion Pending
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Posts
5,201
Media
83
Likes
8,615
Points
443
Location
Australia, Cuba
Sexuality
90% Straight, 10% Gay
Gender
Male
Cities are so big, kids cannot get to open, away from human areas anymore.
I suppose there are a lot more sexual predators around nowadays... when I was a kid(60's,70's) we NEVER heard about child-molesting ( But it must have been going on). Lived on the edge of town(in South Africa) so there was endless adventures to be had... the big predators had been shot out, but there were still a lot of baboons, monkeys, snakes and small mammals about. Your parents wanted to see you at sunset, and not before. Wish I was young again...
Now I work in Singapore, and I see the kids ...plugged into cellphones and I-Pods. TOTALLY disconnected from their environment. No-one does anything physical anymore, no-one gets out of air-con. Sad.
 

Osiris

Experimental Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Posts
2,666
Media
0
Likes
13
Points
183
Location
Wherever the dolphins are going
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
That's fantastic. It is said that children require 40 minutes of undisturbed play to get the benefits out of it that they need.

I have this picture of you TK. Smart, gray tailored pant suit, very stylish glasses passing a card to someone...

"Hello, I'm Dr. TK, Child Psychologist for LPSG." :wink:

We are fortunate enough to have a huge private yard and we have linking steps to our neighbors so the kids can play safely in the yard and have that undisturbed play time.
 

B_NineInchCock_160IQ

Sexy Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Posts
6,196
Media
0
Likes
40
Points
183
Location
where the sun never sets
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
I suppose there are a lot more sexual predators around nowadays... when I was a kid(60's,70's) we NEVER heard about child-molesting ( But it must have been going on).

No there aren't. You got it right in the second half of this sentence. You just didn't hear about it.
 

LeeEJ

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Posts
1,444
Media
2
Likes
25
Points
258
Location
DC
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
^^^ NIC beat me to it; I was going to make the exact same response.

Sheesh... By watching the news, I'd think that every movement I make -- and every movement I don't make -- is going to kill and molest me in horrible ways. The earlier post about, "if the varnish on the park bench doesn't kill them, then a child molester will," is a great satirical observation on how paranoid we are.

The amount of fear that's been generated is insane. It's become debilitating. No wonder our kids are socially inept, uncoordinated, and fat. Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Marge became totally afraid of going out of the house?
 

Osiris

Experimental Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Posts
2,666
Media
0
Likes
13
Points
183
Location
Wherever the dolphins are going
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
^^^ NIC beat me to it; I was going to make the exact same response.

Sheesh... By watching the news, I'd think that every movement I make -- and every movement I don't make -- is going to kill and molest me in horrible ways. The earlier post about, "if the varnish on the park bench doesn't kill them, then a child molester will," is a great satirical observation on how paranoid we are.

The amount of fear that's been generated is insane. It's become debilitating. No wonder our kids are socially inept, uncoordinated, and fat. Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Marge became totally afraid of going out of the house?

Until last summer, I would have agreed with you about oversensationalism. I let my kids play out side and encourage it, but I try to stay near because we did have a legitimate Amber Alert in my neighborhood. It was one of the kid's who regularly plays in the cul-de-sac with our kids. Can you imagine the shock when our kid runs in announcing that his friend went with "the man with the puppy and the police went to look for him." That was how we found out about the predator in the neighborhood.

Yes he's now gone and we are relieving our grip, but you never get over that sort of thing when it hits home.

1. video games

2. internet

3. paranoid overprotective parents

We defeated that one. We have a light projector and our neighbors have a Wii. We project it on the side of the house and have tennis matches and boxing tournies.
 

Jovial

Expert Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Posts
2,328
Media
8
Likes
124
Points
193
Location
CA
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
Can you imagine the shock when our kid runs in announcing that his friend went with "the man with the puppy and the police went to look for him."
How old was this kid??? I don't remember at what age I was old enough to avoid strangers and situations like this. I think I was taught and reminded early about strangers claiming to know me or my parents, then trying to abduct me.


My mother always warned me, even as an adult, not to wear shorts or else gay men might hit on me, lol. :rolleyes:
 

Osiris

Experimental Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Posts
2,666
Media
0
Likes
13
Points
183
Location
Wherever the dolphins are going
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
How old was this kid??? I don't remember at what age I was old enough to avoid strangers and situations like this. I think I was taught and reminded early about strangers claiming to know me or my parents, then trying to abduct me.


My mother always warned me, even as an adult, not to wear shorts or else gay men might hit on me, lol. :rolleyes:

The kid was 7 and the culprit pulled up to the front yard. Our child didn't go because he told the man he needed to ask us first, he ran home and then came the afforementioned announcement. I'm just thankful the guy wasn't a killer and that he didn't forcably grab my kid. We have a strict no car unless mom or dad are there rule. It paid off.
 

B_Italian1

Experimental Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2007
Posts
1,661
Media
0
Likes
13
Points
183
Location
United Steaks
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
We made forts in the woods, went ice skating (even when it wasn't safe and the ice was cracking), rode our bikes without helmets, played baseball and street hockey. We even stayed out after dark playing hide and go seek. We'd do crazy things, like see how many kids we could get on one bike--one on the the handle bars, one on the bar, and two more on the banana seat. Kids are such pussies these days. They talk on their cell phones and play games. There's a childhood obesity problem going on in the U.S. and I can understand why.
 

36DD

Experimental Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2006
Posts
1,766
Media
2
Likes
16
Points
183
Location
U.S.
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Female
As I stated earlier, mine played in the backyard or in the front with supervision. I am amazed at how many people here think when a kid is inside they are playing computer games and getting fat! When mine were inside they always wanted to read or play their musical instruments and they didn't get fat! Being inside can be beneficial to one's development as well, not just detrimental...it's what one does with that time spent indoors. My kids are socially adept, considerate, talented, intelligent and accomplished...I couldn't ask for better kids! My son is studying neuro-psychiatry and he is also a musician, photographer, and writer. My oldest daughter is an orchestral musician and she is a writer as well, she is involved in animal rights and helping the homeless. The way I see it, they benefited from safe play...they are still here and making contributions to this world.
 

Notthe7

Cherished Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Posts
1,086
Media
0
Likes
255
Points
468
Verification
View
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Female
In my old neighborhood the kids were fucking everywhere.

I hated them.

Loud, abnoxious little fuckers.


Trust me, most of them are out there.
 

earllogjam

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Posts
4,917
Media
0
Likes
179
Points
193
Sexuality
No Response
There seems to be a balance between protecting a kid from the world and giving him the freedom to become who he is and become part of that world.

I somehow think that independence is important and it actually happens in stages. As kids get older more and more freedoms are granted to them as they mature and gain the ability to discern right from wrong, safety from danger.

Although I played a lot unsupervised outside looking back there were clear rules. Clear boundaries of where I could and couldn't go, always play with kids my parents knew, and we could always come running back to some parent who always at home just incase something happened.

I think that this trend of kids not playing outside and parents being paranoid about abductions is a by product of a deeper problem - the erosion of our communities in the USA. Many places people just don't know their neighbors anymore. There is no looking out for each other. Who belongs and who doesn't. There were always people about when I was a kid, mowing their lawns, sitting on the porch, washing cars, and if a kid got in an accident or was abused in anyway those neighbors would instictually come to help simply because they knew me. They were eyes on the street. That no longer exists anymore with the demise of community in much of suburbia. Most parents aren't home anymore. Most parents don't feel that that comfort or trust in neighborhoods where they only know a few people. That familiarity and safety net is gone, at least where I live.

I'm glad as a kid I had a dad who offset my mother's over protectiveness because that independence and self determination that was allowed by him served me well into my adulthood. I was out of the house by 17 and never looked back.