Another take in this article on I guess one of my obsessions from yesterday's Washington Post...have things fundamentally changed in terms of freedom for children to wander...is it a class issue...how much of the helicopter-parenting is related to living in a city...how different are things really outside it? For years now I've assumed based on probably not-enough data (observations, anecdotes from country or suburban-dwelling friends) that children do not wander around and find other kids to play with the way they did when we were kids anywhere. More supervised activities, more parent-arranged playdates (as Clint Edwards talks about in this article) and more time inside more generally because of screens, ipads, netflix, other gadgets. I'm always curious to hear from parents outside NYC. From Lenore Skenazy's research, it has certainly always sounded like a broad problem, maybe even particularly bad in places I would have imagined kids wandering the most.
Yeah, even my high school friends in the suburbs are bringing their kids to dance classes etc...more supervised time even outside of the city
ReplyDeleteMy 3-year old nephew attends preschool, plays soccer, takes art classes and cooking classes. I like to joke that I'm "homeschooling" my 2-year old.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing as a kid you played up at "the casino" on Laurel Beach? Duck-pin bowling, ping pong, the juke box, and the candy counter. Little hooligans running all around. I ran the casino two summers in a row during college. I loved being with all the kiddos, some of whom would be waiting on the veranda for me to open the doors. Nowadays, they can't seem to lure the kids up there, which completely shocks me. I can only guess they're so stuck in their screens, they're not up for chasing each other around or bowling or even eating candy? It breaks my heart a little.
Bearette and Sarah - Thanks for your comments - I get that sense. Lots of schlepping around everywhere...capitalism marches on.
ReplyDelete"homeschooling" your 2-year-old is perfect, Sarah. It must feel like that- compared to other people's schedules. Most people I know are shocked my kids are free so many afternoons.
OMG the casino! It totally breaks my heart that they can't lure kids there...I absolutely remember the cool, dark rooms, sound of the bowling balls...the candy! Is it still open at all? Can we bring it back to life?
Yes, it's still open every summer! What fun it would be to take the kids there!
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