Children Today

On the way home from school, I see a billboard that reads “One hour a day, get out and play!” and it occurs to me that some kids don’t even do that. I know of several children who only step foot outdoors to go to school or elsewhere.

Even when I was a kid, not too long ago, I still played with kids around my neighborhood. You hardly ever see that these days.

What do you think about the change in culture? What are some positive and negative influences of it?

Well ya gotta factor in that there are more videogames tv movies etc. now so i guess kids don’t see a reason to go outside.

But playing outside is an important part of childhood, isn’t it?

Even when I was a kid, not too long ago

You’re 14, you’re still a kid. Like I.

I feel it’s sad that kids don’t play around as much, but hey, times change. And anyways, aren’t the eMeadows just as good as the real meadows? But I can’t imagine not playing outside with friends, I really just find it truly fun.

I’m talking ages like 6, 7, 8. Around there.

I don’t really “play” outside; I do, however, go out and write in my diary occassionally or hit some softballs.

I mean ‘play’ as in ‘hang out/play’.

I’ll admit. I am a computer-hog. I am on it for hours at a time. However, it doesn’t even begin to come close to living in real life.

They should get out more but they don’t I used to and sometimes i play sports at school but wat are ya gonna do?

I hate it when kids think they’re cool cause they can swear.

Two reasons:

1. There’s more stuff to do inside. You can IM your friends, play video games, other stuff.
2. The media has spent the last ten, fifteen years whipping people into a frenzy about pedophiles and child abduction. You can’t let your children go outside at all! That’s where creepy men who say they have candy hang out! Never mind the fact that the vast, vast majority of abusers and kidnappers of children are related to the child.

It’s a push and a pull. Kids don’t need to go outside to have fun, and their mothers are fine with them staying indoors because it’s “safer”.

Even when I was a kid, not too long ago, I still played with kids around my neighborhood. You hardly ever see that these days.

First it depends on the climate, here in Fl it rains every day in the summer, and then sun comes out making it imposible to be out side because of humidity. If you live up north
i think you(all of you) have no excuses not to go outside. And another reason is that you(northerners) got apartments which means more people living in the black having more chances to have your friends living nearly, and making more friends. Here in Fl most of the houses one story which means taking up more space and having your friends live wery far.

At the same time, we’re in a more paranoid America in which people are afraid of those crazy people who will supposedly kidnap you and kill you and such if you’re out there by yourself. I’m sure we have the mass media to blame for that. I think some parents tend to think that their children do not know how and probably will never know how to take care of themselves, and so it turns into something along the lines of fear for something they can not predict. This can probably factor into why you don’t see so many kids out these days.

At the same time, we’re in a more paranoid America in which people are afraid of those crazy people who will supposedly kidnap you and kill you and such if you’re out there by yourself. I’m sure we have the mass media to blame for that. I think some parents tend to think that their children do not know how and probably will never know how to take care of themselves, and so it turns into something along the lines of fear for something they can not predict. This can probably factor into why you don’t see so many kids out these days.

that the problem i had when i was little, i was afraid to go out side because i thought that some drunkard is gonna kidnap me (lol), we had alot of drunk people walking around (or sleeping by the fence) where i lived (UA)

Russian, I wouldn’t be too sure. I live in IL, where, when it gets humid, it gets HUMID. And when it gets hot, it gets HOT. We have pretty extreme weather.

But, heck, that’s why we invented pools and snowball fights :]

and pool snowball fights! (not for teh weak)

i’ve been noticing this problem too, lately. i see an increasing number of children between 5 and 12 who are clearly inexperienced at walking and running, you can really tell because they move around clumsily. i find that alarming.

I once did an interview for the school paper; I asked PE teachers what they thought about children these days and how their physical fitness has changed. Apprently, no elementary students can run a mile in under 9:00.

We should be more exact in our phrasing. I was a tad confused when you posted this, when you’re not even legally considered an adult. But you are right. In sociology, my professor is bringing this up. In the end, though, I think parents are really letting go. Without a positive role model to follow, how will kids get into the swing of things for their future?

I can’t imagine what my life would be like if my parents weren’t supportive and positive.

Why do I get good grades? My parents know that I can do it and they support me.
Why do I be the best I can be? My parents taught me to be.

1. There’s more stuff to do inside. You can IM your friends, play video games, other stuff.

‘More’ rarely means better today.

2. The media has spent the last ten, fifteen years whipping people into a frenzy about pedophiles and child abduction. You can’t let your children go outside at all! That’s where creepy men who say they have candy hang out! Never mind the fact that the vast, vast majority of abusers and kidnappers of children are related to the child.

Yup, people are too quick to be ruled by irrational fears.

I agree. That’s the reason my parents won’t let me ride my bike beyond the stop sign at the end of the road…

Well, I’m not married or have kids yet, but I don’t think I’d feel safe letting my kids out if I am either unfamiliar with the neighborhood or feel that the neighborhood in itself is unsafe for my children to go out alone.

But playing outside is an important part of childhood, isn’t it?

Is it? it sounds like a conceit of 1950’s nostalgia more than anything else.

I don’t think people value playng outside as much as they value communication by some shape or form. This would not necessarily include the child going outside, and since parents would like to keep their children safe, I’m assuming reworking one priority for developing a child’s social skills would have some sort of effect on how often kids go out to play.

On the way home from school, I see a billboard that reads “One hour a day, get out and play!” and it occurs to me that some kids don’t even do that. I know of several children who only step foot outdoors to go to school or elsewhere.

Outside?

looks at the harsh sunlight through protective googles before turning to the welcoming glow of the computer screen.

hisses

Don’t mention that place here.

My mum is always wanting me off the computer for ‘social development’. I feel that any social development I have gained from say 9 upwards was either at school or on the computer. She seems to think that by going outside I would meet new people and make friends, but…. That’s just wrong, if I was to venture into that world I would only meet people that I already know from school.

My parents are actually more scared of the internet than real people. Once, after being caught up at 2 in the morning (on the computer at the weekend of course) I mentioned how I don’t believe in good and evil. And she replied they are trying to warp your mind!

1. No one else believes this.

2. She seemed not to understand that around 99.999% (probally less) of people on the internet are not specifically making all this up and going on kongregate and spending al their time for the sole purpose of ‘warping my mind’ or making me meet them, ect.

Two nights ago (I’ve started going outside for some strange reason, mainly to steal abandoned items left from the building and destruction of my school, to then reinforce my den. :D My friend wasn’t in so I decided to go for a walk. Around 8:30. I don’t live in any city areas, ect, but the only people I saw and few it was were a few children. I think any paedophiles and rapists are more scared of the children these days than they are of them. The countryish paths I took were pitch black and after a few circuits I relaized that no one was going to jump out at me or try to attack me.

I agree. That’s the reason my parents won’t let me ride my bike beyond the stop sign at the end of the road…

Mah… from the time i wasnt scared to hang out alone (when i was like 7) i went where ever i (my friends) wanted.
I got in trouble like that like 2 times. First my mom saw me hanging out in the downtown, i was like 1 mile away forom our apartment(my parents grounded me, i think i was 10 at that time.) Second time my dad saw me haning out where he worked(i got grounded again), i think it was as far as 2 milles away(or less)

The farthest i’we been myself and with my friends is like 5 mi (or more), when i went to the nearebly village (back in UA.)
EDIT: THE FARTHEST i’we been is when i went sking with my two friends(i was 11, my other frind was 13? i think, and the last one was 9?) i think we went like >10 miles (less than 10)