Do we protect our children too much?

[Ramrod]

Do we?

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Do we?

We may not protect children enough in general - but I beleive I protect my child just fine.

[ian@huth]

I think that all responsible parents tend to overprotect their children, but surely this is better than too little protecting.

I would never dream of leaving a five year old child or even a much older child under any circumstances without adequate supervision, no matter where it was. You must be mental to ever consider it.

[luftys]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Do we?

Well I do I look after my grandson at night,and I would not leave the house even if he is asleep in bed

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

I think that all responsible parents tend to overprotect their children, but surely this is better than too little protecting.

I would never dream of leaving a five year old child or even a much older child under any circumstances without adequate supervision, no matter where it was. You must be mental to ever consider it.

Thats how I feel but it seems that most of Germany does just that and yet their kids seem to survive the ordeal.....we might be being a tad overprotective....

[danielf]

I thought there was a point for children needing to learn to judge risks (as in the playground example), and I think overprotection could be detrimental to that. But then again, I don't have kids.

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Thats how I feel but it seems that most of Germany does just that and yet their kids seem to survive the ordeal.....we might be being a tad overprotective....

It may be that something only happens to one in ten million children left in this way, but would you risk your child being the one?

Originally Posted by ianathuth

It may be that something only happens to one in ten million children left in this way, but would you risk your child being the one?

Perhaps the title of this thread should be "Do we live our lives in a state of unwarranted paranoia fuelled by media hype?"

[Julian]

Like others I would not leave my 4 year old alone.

But why?

My feeling it is one of security, if he wanted me or his mum and we weren't there could it have some psychological impact?

Whatever it is I could never do it.

[Xaccers]

This is really interesting.
I bring this up when reminising about being in Saudi Arabia when I was 5-10.
At the shopping centers out there (a bit like Lakeside etc) I'd go off on my own, find the little electrical shop which sold those little nintendo games (game&watch I think they were called), or off to see the turtles in their pool, or the crocodiles.
I always knew where to meet up with them, and at what time.
At the beach, I'd go off swimming along the shore, or out to the reef on my own.
Back in England, if we went up to the hypermarket, I'd go off on my own to look at the toys, then when I was bored, head off to find my mum.
I knew not to talk or go off with strangers.
I'd go off an play in the woods behind our estate, daming up the stream, making treehouses and dens, going round the BMX track that the older boys had put together.
I knew I wasn't allowed to cross the main road, and never did.

If we went shopping down the highstreet though, I'd always stay with my parents as there were too many shops for them to dissapear into

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

This is really interesting.

<snip>

If we went shopping down the highstreet though, I'd always stay with my parents as there were too many shops for them to dissapear into

Yes, I have similar memories (ok not Saudi Arabia), but being relatively free and learning where your boundaries are. We weren't allowed near the lake until we could swim (which we were taught at an early age), but other than that we were allowed to get up to all sorts of mischief, which in a way I feel kids are denied these days. I don't think it did me much harm...

[ian@huth]

I had a lot of freedom when I was five years old, but that was a long time ago and things were different then.

I would love my daughter who is a security officer in the Lakeside Shopping Centre to post a comment in here as I have heard many a tale about young children in the centre from her.

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Do we?

Interesting article Ramrod,thank you.


Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m remembering back to when I was about 4,5 and I would be allowed to go out to play in the street.My gran and mother werenââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t worried because behind every curtain there were eyes watching every child most of them my granââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s network of spies(she knew everything I ever did).I remember being allowed to go to school on my own in Woolwich when I was 7.

Maybe we are allowing our children to be hostage to the media hype.

I do however believe that the reason I didnâ₠¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t allow my children as much freedom was because I was terrified of Social services.

Incog.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by dr wadd

Perhaps the title of this thread should be "Do we live our lives in a state of unwarranted paranoia fuelled by media hype?"

I considered that title but thought it might be a little provcative

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m remembering back to when I was about 4,5 and I would be allowed to go out to play in the street.My gran and mother werenââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t worried because behind every curtain there were eyes watching every child most of them my granââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s network of spies(she knew everything I ever did).

My gran used a similar network. You could ask her about almost all of my friends, and she would know what they had been up to...

I remember being allowed to go to school on my own in Woolwich when I was 7.

Maybe we are allowing our children to be hostage to the media hype.

I bet you wouldn't let your kids out in Woolwich now. I am 32, quite big, male and I still don't like being out in Woolwich at night.

I think there is a large portion of truth in the statement about media hype. We are told by the media that the world is not safe for Children, so therefore we believe it.