Posted on 06/01/2014 6:40:44 PM PDT by windcliff
PHILADELPHIA — DINNER with your children in 19th-century America often required some self-control. Berry stains in your daughter’s hair? Good for her. Raccoon bites running up your boy’s arms? Bet he had an interesting day.
As this year’s summer vacation begins, many parents contemplate how to rein in their kids. But there was a time when Americans pushed in the opposite direction, preserved in Mark Twain’s cat-swinging scamps. Parents back then encouraged kids to get some wildness out of their system, to express the republic’s revolutionary values.
American children of the 19th century had a reputation. Returning British visitors reported on American kids who showed no respect, who swore and fought, who appeared — at age 10 — “calling for liquor at the bar, or puffing a cigar in the streets,” as one wrote. There were really no children in 19th-century America, travelers often claimed, only “small stuck-up caricatures of men and women.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Backyard tackle football, too.
We used to take off and ride bikes down the railroad bed a mile or so to go fishing at 8 or 10 years old.
The high board proved you had guts.
Carried a knife from 6 years old.
Played sports with no protective gear.
Drank from the hose.
Mom kicked us out of the house early and didn’t let us back in until dinner.
Got injured. Got over it.
Drove at 14. Took driving test at 16 and passed.
First beer at 14. First cigarette then too.
Got into fist fights as early as 2nd grade. Never thought about pulling my knife.
Treated girls with respect. Treated elders with respect.
Thing is that kids bounce. Most moms now don’t realize that.
One thing I enjoyed as a kid was getting a flashlight, going down to the outlet at the nearby bayou, and entering and exploring the concrete ‘storm drains’ that ran underneath the neighborhood. Cobwebs, slime, cockroaches. I walked many blocks ‘underneath’ the streets. Gloriously spooky.
My parents would not have approved, had they known. But, when you were a kid back then, there seemed to be adventure awaiting around every corner. Watching “Tarzan” movies each weekend and reading “Sgt. Rock” comic books, I think it just instilled that sort of thing in you.
I just don’t see kids outdoors or doing much of anything anymore. Are they all inside with their smartphones?
My great grandad grew up on the streets of Brooklyn. They played stick ball in traffic.
Your post is making me melancholy——those were carefree days.
I never drove my kids to school either-——ever. Everyone in the neighborhood walked no matter what the weather. (Inner suburb—no school buses).
.
1. The rise of the perpetually annoyed class
2. The successful project by lawyers to turn anything that is usual or unusual into a lawsuit.
3. The unwillingness of judges to shut down stupid lawsuits.
4. The willingness of juries to award good sized money to plaintiffs who were plainly at fault in their injury.
5. Too many families without fathers.
6. Cable tv.
All of these have contributed to the demise of our children’s adventure based childhood.
When I built a tree fort for my kids in 2000, I decided to make it 6 feet tall (instead of the 2-4 feet they usually do today). Nobody got hurt, but we did have some parents who were nervous their kids came out to play in it.
Looking back, I’m amazed I wasn’t suffocated from a cave in digging forts, or turning into a grease spot on the street pavement racing bikes barefooted, or getting my eye shot out by a bb gun.
APPLE WAR!!!!!
We too were kicked out of the house...sometimes locked out...LOL! We lived in the Country and could always find something to do.
Started driving when I was under 10 years old.
Same as you, played all kinds of sports. I see the softball players now with the face cages and protective gear and just roll my eyes.
Rode on the tractor fender right above the wheels...had to hang on tight as it was pretty bouncy as Dad drove through the fields.
Drove a tractor through the side of the barn when I was about 5. Baled hay and worked on/around extremely dangerous equipment from the time I was a tiny kid.
Rode my bike 5 miles into town by myself to see Grandma...did that a lot. Grandpa paid me to pick up nails after they added onto the house (when I was 4 or 5); gave me a penny for each that I found. Kept me in candy for most of one Summer (I think he was putting out new nails...LOL!)
By the time we were 10-12, we all had mini-bikes and snowmobiles.
Spent a lot of time in the emergency room, but had a lot of fun.
Oh...the local bar was the only place that had video games...so we were always running in and out of there. Good hamburgers, too.
Not so many cars on the road circa 1958 so it was safer to ride your bike in the street, even without wearing a helmet.
I call BS to that. I was on great blocks the last few days here in Montco Texas and I pictured kids riding their bikes. The problem is kids would rather stay in and play video games or watch TV.
I also grew up in Brooklyn. We were still doing it in the 70s.
LOL! for me, on the Colorado prairie, it was dirt clods and swimming in the livestock tanks. I guess it’s really a miracle I’m alive and my parents weren’t sent to prison for child endangerment by today’s standards.
“Hello Uncle George.”
great post, I’m so thankful I too was raised to have freedom. Although it could be my mom had 6 kids and couldn’t keep track of us all as we grew up since household duties laundry shopping etc etc had to be done. What was kool was you could always make money in the city. I honestly don’t know what is wrong with kids today.
yo great post, have you ever played half ball?
Looking back, I’m amazed I wasn’t suffocated from a cave in digging forts, or turning into a grease spot on the street pavement racing bikes barefooted, or getting my eye shot out by a bb gun.
Wow you are so right
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