What are some things you did as a kid that your kids either do not have as an opportunity or do not feel inclined to do anymore because of safety reasons or just a change in society.
2007-01-08 15:14:17 · 14 answers · asked by jaynang_99 2 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
Bravo LORI S.
Well said!
2007-01-08 15:54:37 · update #1
I don't see many kids outside playing together anymore. We used to get all the neighborhood kids together and play tag until dark. The "unorganized" sports were tremendous fun, and it taught us how to be a society. We picked our own leaders from some un-named natural selection process, we learned to follow the rules through peer pressure, we learned to resolve our differences without supervision, we learned to control our emotions and laugh at ourselves (and each other). We didn't need sensitivity training, either. I remember one time this boy said us girls couldn't play ball with them because we were just big babies, and one of the girls walked up and clocked him. He started crying, all the boys laughed at him, and we got to play ball. Kids today don't get the opportunity to learn the way we did, because their lives are micro-managed, car-pooled, scheduled. Playground equipment has changed a lot. Looking back, I think our parents must have been TRYING to kill us on the playground. Metal bars on metal poles sunk into concrete. The monkey bars. Today, everything is plastic, rounded, low to the ground. Does anyone remember the 2-story metal slide with the round metal rungs? I still have a scar on my shin from my foot slipping off the rung. The slide would get so hot you would have to scooch your way down it (leaving your scorched skin along the way.) How about Yard Jarts? This is a game where you stood BEHIND a hoop at your feet, and your friend would stand 10 feet away with a pointed METAL rod with plastic fins and THROW it toward you, trying to get it in the hoop. We crucified each other with those things, but you know what we learned? Life is dangerous, even when you are having fun, so be careful. Take your lumps. Pain is a teacher. Nobody is going to protect you all of the time. When I was a kid, ANY adult could discipline you. If a neighbor came out yelling at us for something, our parents would yell at us too. If I got in trouble at school, I got in trouble at home. Kids had a place, and it sure as heck wasn't at the top, and we all knew it. We knew the order of society, and we knew our day would come. Today's kids are taught that they have the same rights as adults, discipline is limited, and that ultimately they deserve the same respect as everyone else. WE were taught that we have a right to food and clothing, discipline is essential and only limited to my parents' imagination, and we would have to earn respect over many years, possibly by the time we were grandparents.
2007-01-08 15:47:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have fun. Get a good education.
When I was growing up we never heard of a bike helmet let alone wearing one while riding a bike. We crashed, we broke limbs, skinned our heads. If you were a girl you played ball w/o mask and chest protectors. If you were a boy you borrowed a glove or played barehanded. We were tough. SHOES!!!!! Who woulda thunk it!!! We would have been drummed out of the society of children.
as for the education, the schools are piling on more and more classes to try and prevent adding a year 13 (i believe Canada has done this) this isn't giving the teachers enough time to teach, the students enough time to learn. The actual teaching portion of an education is being given to the parents every day. The teacher teaches them about a concept but, we parents have to make sure they learn it. And, lets face it, not every parent in the world will do that. Why do you think there are so many home schoolers now?
2007-01-08 23:27:16 · answer #2 · answered by Debra J 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I was a kid families were much bigger and tended to stay close to each other, like in the same town. Now days people have smaller families and move where ever the job takes them. I knew who my cousins were and played with them till I was sick of them. My kids don't see their cousins on my side but maybe once a year. How sad is that?
When I was a kid you could actually play outside after dark, ride your bike down the road, and take a walk by yourself without haveing to worry about drive bys or kidnapping.
As a kid people worked 8-5, moms stayed home and dads worked. At 5 everyone was home together, eating dinner, watching tv, playing games, doing yard work. Whatever happened to that? Today's kids don't seem to know thing one about giveing a helping hand with household tasks.
2007-01-08 23:29:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anna Hennings 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Learning things like how to sew and to respect your elders.
How to do their part in the family unit. Manners. Grammar.
Children are exceedingly catered to and spoiled now. The selfishness and consumerism are out of control. And don't even get me started on the craze that dresses five year olds like streetwalkers...
And teens are ridiculous. They have no responsibilities for themselves, and act like gutter mouths in public. And it seems like childhood lasts well into the 20's for some. Any opportunities that would have been a godsend to kids twenty years ago is nothing more than a chore to be avoided by kids in adult bodies who would rather be out partying. Accountability is down the drain, nothing is ever anyone's fault anymore.
Hmm.. I'm ranting about this way more than I thought. Hope some of it helped.
2007-01-08 23:33:23 · answer #4 · answered by Sugarshots 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Trust is number 1. I had loving parents. That loved each other. I rode all over the neighborhood has a child without worrying. I just had to be home when dark came. (was on a bycycle). My children ..were somewhat different. More alcohol was emmitted then. ..Society has changed for sure. I would lie awake till youngest got home and would lower the boom on him if he were late gettin home.. Things have changed and I dont know if its the parents or just society. We all have to take a stand. Yes safety reasons haved changed. For sure.
2007-01-08 23:27:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Respecting others
Respecting elders
riding bikes without helmets
experiencing pain and learning from it (referencing the helmet)
relative safety in the neighborhood
earning an allowance therefore budgetting money
2007-01-08 23:30:39 · answer #6 · answered by elliott 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The listing would be too long; here's some examples.
Social interacting skills
Courtesy
Manners
Respect
Grammar
Learn to spell
Music (real stuff)
Decent Clothing
Respect for the word "NO"
Movies (without all the violence)
As I said, the list is neverending.
2007-01-08 23:29:30 · answer #7 · answered by Living In Korea 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Having dinner with their whole family at one time at the dinner table, bag lunches. Learning social skills in elementary, instead of algebra, competition, the joy of winning, and the pain of losing, not everyone is the same.
2007-01-08 23:26:47 · answer #8 · answered by Diana 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lets see, twenty years ago I was 10 and I was always trying to play doctor with my friends so I could get them naked. Some things never change. Oh, I also used to play lawn darts.
2007-01-08 23:18:17 · answer #9 · answered by Rebel Chick69 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
going outside, cuz they can just stay in and play on thier xbox or whatever... instead of romping around the nieghborhood playing with the kids on the block or somthing
o and home cooked food, cuz both thier parents are prolly working or they have a single mom.....which meand no father either....
2007-01-08 23:20:14 · answer #10 · answered by thisisabsurd 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋