Are parents too over-protective of their children these days?

Question

Studies show that most parents like to keep a much closer eye on their children than they did 10, 20 and 30 years ago.
Is the world really a more dangerous place for children, or is it just perceptions that have changed?

Answer 1

The Internet has created a new subculture of kiddie porn, kidnappings, and child sex rings. The media reports on all these new kiddie porn purveyors and child molesters. More media coverage=more paranoia. I can't say for sure that the internet has actually created more danger, but it sure seems like someone with an urge to do harm to kids has an easier time of it with the internet.

Answer 2

The world is a very different place than it used to be. As a 32 year old Male, I remember walking, riding my bike or skateboarding to and from school, coming home playing outside, going to the candystore etc.. Kids today do not get that, there is so much uncertainty in the world just about everything is supervised to some extent.
Parents send their children to school and have to worry about some crazy kid with a gun or some pervert trying to lure a little girl into their car.
When I was a child their were limits for the most part. The most I could do was play Atari or some other video game, I could only ride my bike so far and everyone in the neighborhood knew one another so anything I did my parents found out about anyways. Today, first off the internet is endless. Kids have Myspace; and to be honest kids are to naive to really understand not to post personal info. There are cell phones and just so many other ways to deceive a parent. I do know some parents are very protective of their children as far as the internet. I know someone who went as far as to bring home her work computer for her kids to use the internet. That way they knew exactly what sites they were on and since it was a work computer sites such as Myspace were blocked.

Answer 3

As a parent I can say I am more protective of my children and believe I have every reason to be, when I was a child my parents were protective to but we still got on with our lives as they knew they couldn't protect us from everything or everyone, when I was a child there were dangers true but there are so many more dangers out there today.

It is true that you are more likely to be murdered, raped or abused by someone you know and are possibly related to and it is also true that more and more of these crimes are being committed but so are muggins, theft, armed robbery, G.B.H to name but a few.

You only have to look around to find gangs of board children who, some not all, have nothing better to do than cause trouble and I believe that is part of societies problem. There are also far more drugs about, more relaxed drinking laws and far less jobs, there is just so much trouble and temptation out there that yes you have to keep a close eye on your children but not to the point of making them a prisoner in their own home.

Answer 4

even though she got a thumbs down i have to agree with mary rose. Children are statisically no more likely to be abducted, raped or murdered by a stranger than they were when i was a child. It is proven fact that children are more likely to come to harm at the hands of a family member or someone known to the family.

So yes i think parents are being too cautious when balanced with the facts.

However, I think our children are in more danger from violent gangs, drugs etc than we ever seemed to be.

We have access to so much information via the media, it is easy to see why parents become very sensitive to the dangers surrounding children. Unfortunately keeping our kids under lock and key does not prepare or equip them with the skills needed in life. There is now a huge divide between kids allowed to run riot(asbo kids)and those wrapped in cotton wool by well meaning and protective parents, unfortunately once they are out in the big bad world they are easy targets for the thugs that seem to now rule our society.

Answer 5

I don't want to believe that the world is really a more dangerous place for children... I am hoping for the best... but the truth is, it has become more dangerous...one can never be too careful... I will say that i am an over-protective Mother, I am way too protective than my parents was when i was a child... I can't help it, there's just a lot of violence around... but i am hoping that i can learn not to be like this forever, especially when our daughter is in that adolescent stage... I wouldn't want to be the one to lure her into doing things, that we might just regret...

Answer 6

Years past our society was slower, cars were not as fast, the television was much calmer, images were not bombarding kids and adults a like.
The world has been desensitised to violence, gore and cursing. What is tolerated now, was not allowed or thought of in some cases 10, 20 or 30 years ago.
I think if the parents of back then were to be transprted to this day in time they would run for the hills screeming "Jesus is coming, soon."

Answer 7

i really think its a case of changing perceptions, you cant possibly watch your kids 24/7 but as soon as something happens the parent will somewhere catch some flak , you have to find a balance that you are comfortable with ours are now 22 and 20 i still fret when they are away but have to sit on hands and keep mouth shut, the world is maybe a little more dangerous than it used to be (terrorism etc) but the media and communication now brings all the bad right into our living rooms so we know more about tit.

Answer 8

The world has gone little crazy..
The parents (including myself) has become very paranoid about the street, city, country and world we live in.
With the media and 'wireless" technology we come to know every little thing that goes in the world. So, i think we need to be protective of our kids, nowadays noone can be trusted at all, ppl change at a drop of a pin.

So NO the parents are not too over-protective of their children

Answer 9

Thank God We are so much more educated to preditors now days, back .20 years ago It was a shame to be raped as a child it was a unspoken thing and It distroyed people it made some of them preditors or in a deep depression.
Today we are fighters and have a much better understanding of the world we are in.
We now know how to teach our children how to protect themselves from this pain and hurt . We are stronger for it.
We must do our best and Pray for protection for our children every day. God Bless.

Answer 10

Nope, they are trying to protect their children and teach them about the bad things in the world. Unfortunately society keeps brushing aside the fact that there are drugs and crime building up to a new level and nobody is doing anything about it!

Protect your children and TEACH THEM about the bad things and bad people in the world. Tell them not to trust anybody until they have known that person for quite some time.

I hate to have typed that, but the fact is, the world is NOT a safe place anymore. People should be taking care of each other not killing each other. :-/