When I Was a Kid, We Were All 'Free Range'

americanthinker.com ^ | 6/14/2015 | Claire Hawks

[EinNYC]

Yeah, it was a different world growing up in the Midwest in that sweet time within a couple of decades after WWII. I used to take my toy fox terrier in my bike basket and go off birding in a local park near my high school. My mother never worried about me. I’d be home right on time, new adventures under my belt. There was a creek there, a pond, acres of woods. It was an Eden within a city.

Our street was one block long. Come 4th of July, people would block off the ends of the street and we’d all put our lawn chairs in the street and turn them toward the local drive-in movie theater to watch the fireworks they put on, free.

If anyone got any sort of “boo-boo”, any mother on that block would run out to mop you up and apply Mercurochrome and a bandaid. Or give you lunch or a drink on a hot day.

Those days are LONG GONE.

[Mmogamer]

I remember my mama telling me and my nieces and nephews “get out of this house” spent the day in the woods.

[trisham]

Being outdoors and getting exercise in the fresh air is one of the best things for children.

[mdmathis6]

“He started calling my son into his yard to pet the dog he watches”

Whoa!

[trisham]

I love it.

[savedbygrace]

It probably isn’t too difficult to figure out which neighbor was the spy. That person is a serious danger to the neighborhood.

[wardaddy]

Our camp has in Louisiana had bleached clam shell drive

Still does

Ditto most of the homes on the bay at Point Clear Alabama where we lived

[Ditter]

I don't remember clam shell roads here in Texas, just oyster shells, they were everywhere.

[blam]

Aye.

We had'em too.

[wardaddy]

You have caliche too

Oyster shells must be rough on barefoot

[Ditter]

Yes caliche, haven’t seen a shell road in years. The traffic would grind the shells into pieces pretty quick.

[Covenantor]

Sometimes we came back injured and much wiser. Usually we just came back wiser.

Skinned knees and elbows, bruises, the occassional black eye, cuts that now and again required stiches, and broken bones were all part of girls and boys growing up.

We learned early to wash our wounds and get the mercurochrome and band-aids out and patch ourselves up. Always had to report for inspection to mom on returning home. getting hurt wasn't the big deal, tearing your pants was.

If today's k-6 teachers saw the booboos, SWAT teams wiuld be called out.

[NorthMountain]

“My baby, my baby” ... their 7 year old had

Yeah ... I think I've identified part of the problem ...

[DungeonMaster]

When I Was a Kid, We Were All 'Free Range'

There is a big difference between kids who have two parents to answer to and kids who don't. There are more of the latter now.

PS: Parents of differing sexes.

[Chickensoup]

He is grooming your son.

Pull him aside and tell him in no uncertain terms that you do not want him speaking or associating with your son. Tell your son the same.

[itsahoot]

Himself.

[itsahoot]

“Go out and play Come home when the street light go on”.

You had street lights?

[rktman]

Well, whale oil lanterns anyway. :>}