Did your parents keep a good eye on you as a child?

I remember discussing this converation with my mohter one time because I can remember I used to walk to the store and take my little younger with me all the time . The store was a good 40 minute walk to get there and then 40 minutes to get back not to mention how long we would be in the store . I was about 8 when we would do this and my sister was 5 . I would have a heart attack today at the thought of letting my daugther go for a walk at 8 years of age with her younger sister this far away , not to mention , that eight years is to young of an age to watch out for a five year old on a walk that far . My parents never stopped a conversation to see what we were doing either and I can remember getting together to light fires because it fascinated us . I can remember one time , I was about five so my sister was only 3 and we had our younger cousins out with us and we had set the whole lawn on fire before anyone noticed . They had to call the fire department . I can remember being severly grounded for this but when I think about it now , I was only five , why was I outside resoponsible for my sister and all my cousins and where did I get the matches . Obviously I was not being watched . We used to try to build cabins in the woods all the and were forever taking my dad's tools to help us build whatever . One time we found an old cabin two mountains behind our house , we were all in our teens and thought this was really neat , we were going to make this our secret hide out . One of the guys thought it would be neat to light the stove and not thinking before he lit it to make sure it was safe , he did . The next thing we knew not only was the cabin on fire but so was the trees all around it . There were trees hanging over the chimney and the stove was so old it never should have been lit . Half of the chimney wasn't there . I panicked because our house had burned in the middle of the night when I was younger and felt like I couldn't breathe . I was sure we were all going to die that day because all the tops of the trees were on fire and I didn't see how we would ever get it out , not to mention we were two mountains up behind the house so by the time anyone would be able to see it we would be history . Somehow they managed to put the fire out and we never told anybody about it . We later found out the cabin belonged to our relatives and they never could figure out who had set it on fire . Maybe I am overprotective as well . But my son is 13 and even when he wants to go some place , I want to know where he is going , when he will be back and what they are planning to do while they are gone . My little one's are allowed only out by the swings by themselves and that is with me checking on them every five minutes to make sure they are alright and all the windows open so I can hear if one of them starts to cry .

YOu are preaching to the choir! I know exactly what you are talking about! We used to go leave pennies on the rail road tracks nad come back the next day to get them flattened! We went to play in the school playground, in the alley and just from one kids house to the other all through the neighbor hood. We walked home from school by ourselves and could even be "left" in the toy department while mom shopped in the clothes department. We could even eat our halloween candy the minute we got home - and mom didn't even have to check the carmal apples the lady down the street made or the baggie of homemade popcorn!!! Boy how times have changed. My kids were kept close at hand and not out of site, and now my grand kids also are kwpt close. We have no choice. I see unbelievable things out of kids these days and wonder where their parents are and why they have allowed hte kids to do this junk.

We lived on a farm, and I know there were plenty of times when we would be out playing around the farm and wouldn't go back into the house until it was time for lunch or to go in at night. It was the same as you have said when we went to visit our cousins - only the smaller children were kept close by the parents - the rest were left to run about. Only if we got into serious quarrels or physical fights did the parents ever get involved.

In our family we were raise where we see our parents not that much often but I they come over twice a week in order to check on us every now and then. They're travelling and into business in different places, so we (the kids) are just at home with my grandma in the next house to look upon us. But we didn't get spoiled nor stray instead we're just like any other normal kids that goes to school everyday but the only difference is that other kids have their mom or dad with them to accompany their way to school not like us who just take the ride or a walk a few kms to school.

I think the best parents are the protective ones.. (not overprotective and crazy) but the ones who care enough about their kids and love them enough to check up on them and watch out for them. Growing up, my parents have hardly been home because they were constantly working.. so I mean I spent most of my time at home with my sister. In the early teenage years.. I was still a lot like that pretty much, but in high school, I sometiems went out a lot for long hours. My parents were pretty lenient on things and they trusted me. I feel like that's why I've never really taken advantage of it and just abused it by partying. However, near the end of high school, I did get a boyfriend and did spend a lot of time with him and would someitmes come home early in the morning. I think the first few times, my parents were okay with it, but after it got to a point where it was almost every week, they got angry and made sure I came home. They were flexible and trusted me, but they also did call me a lot to make sure they knew where I was and who I was with. Sometimes, they even had a friend say HI or whatever to make sure they knew I was with who I said I was with. I feel like kids are going to make mistakes somewhere along the way. Parents can NEVER be able to control them no matter how hard they try. It's up to the kids of how they're going to live their life. Either way, they'll learn from it and make mistakes and it's up to them whether they want to change and grow from it. I feel children who have been too overprotected are also the ones who rebel the most. They just have a hunger for some kid of experience and I think that's why it's important to be protective, but not too much so that the kids can experience life on their own, make their own choices, and learn from them. I think the most you can do is be there for the child, love them, talk to them, etc. Most of the times, kids will do stupid things because they come from a broken home or from a lack of their own self-esteem which will somehow result from their family or social atmosphere.

I think as a small child and into my teen years I had way to much freedom to do what I wanted to do. I would go to a friends house as soon as I woke up in the morning and not come back home until dinner time in the summer. My mom went back to work when I was about 8 and even though I had older brothers and an older sister I do not remember them being around all that much. We had a pass to the local pool and my friends and I would go by ourselves, walk to the store by ourselves, and even take bike rides out of town and into the country by ourselves. My son is 8 years old now and there is no way I would let him do that kind of stuff.

This discussion actually reminded me of a song by a country artist. The name of the song nor the artists' name I can remember. However, one line from the song reigns true 'It was a different time when we were boys and girls, not just a different time it was a different world." I think that when I was growing up we were watched upon more frequently but none the less, we could get away with things if we wished to. I know that I would play outside, but like you never got into to much trouble. I never tried playing with fire and such, but then again I grew up in the suburbs. I live in the country now, but when my fiance and I have children, of course we will keep a mindful eye, but I don't think I will keep an hawk eye towards them. I think that as long as morals are instilled, wherein they may backfire, guilt will always reign true and if anything bad has been committed, a child will confess. Great discussion by the way.

I think my parents kept a pretty tight reign on my brothers and me. We were only allowed to go a few places. They had to know who we were with and when we were coming back. If they had any suspicions, they would show up where we were supposed to be. We were usually only allowed to spend nights with specific relatives. No friends, especially me because I the only girl. Admittedly, I am not so over protective of my children. Or at least I trust them a little more than my parents did us. I still thoroughly check out their environment. But I give more space to my children than I received as a teenager.

Times have definitely changed. When I was a child my best friend and I would be all over the neighborhood. And by neighborhood I mean at times even 15 blocks away or so. We would ride our bikes everywhere (no helmets then either) and pick up pop bottles to take to the store for money for candy. We'd play at the park, or go watch the trains on the tracks. We would occasionally check in with mom if thirsty or something, but otherwise we were out pretty much from sun up until after dark. But these days, times are different. I know when my son was small my mom accused me of being over protective. I said fine, but at least I'll know where he is and he will be safe. There are too many strangers out there these days looking to harm children. I know there were some in my childhood too (my friend and I were approached by one once and ran to tell Dad), but there weren't as many predators back then as there are now.

Hi! My mom was so protective over me. I understand that but sometimes, I wish I was more free. Until high school, I was going to school by school bus. If I would go some friend's house, I'll be droven there then fetched. I was only able to go on my own by senior high school year. But even now, my mom's still protective of me. If I want to go somewhere else that's quite far, she has no choice but come with me. Not that I'm forcing her to come with me, she can't let me go alone. Because she also wants me to go to places, she'd just go with me. It's sort of our bonding time as well so I don't really mind. I'm very thankful though that I've never been lost or away from home when I was a kid. It disheartens me to see some kids in a department store who got lost and the store announces "child missing, wearing..." Welcome to myLot and happy myLotting!

of course yes!! i would say they were too too protective about me!! each and everything for that matter.. be it food.. to the dresses i wear!! my mom never made to work!! she would never tell me to go out and buy goods!! even at the age of 8!! and school!!! my god!! it would be worse!! after my school gets over i would be waiting for my maid to pick me up!! if she doesn turn up!! then my parents had to come and pick me up!! i guess what i would be crying there!!in school coz no one would be there!!! then there would be my parents running and coming to me!!! ohhhhhhhh! beautiful moments!!! there are so many moments that i could mention here!! but it would go for pages!! haha

I think yes.Because if not me and my sibling might be a bad person or something.I do remember when i was a little boy during summer we're going to my grandmother house,there we'll meet my cousin and we'll play all day in the backyard.Every one hr my mother used to call us and see if we're all ok and remind us about the things that might hurt us or something that we must not do like playing with fire and going to the nearby river to swim.etc.etc. .

Every child is naughty,all of us like playing with fire and water in our childhood.Though my parents hope me far away from fire and the river,i always play with my playmates.Today when i recollect what i did in my childhood,i have a little fear,do you?

my parents were always caring,. they used to keep good eye on us. actually in childhood we were engaged in freak little accidents sometimes,. so they were careful.

My parents are not really strict and overprotective. Although they're overly concern about us, but still they just let us do what we think is best for ourselves. They just give advices and opinions whenever they feel we are crossing the wrong path. I think that's what makes them the greatest parents in the world.

hi there. taking care of a child is really tough. but i think my parents took real good care of me. when i was a child my mom never allowed me to play outside as she thought that i might get hurt. instead she bought me the toys that i asked for and made me happy. my dad was also very much caring. my mom used to take me to my grandparents house whenever i got my holidays and there i would meet up with my cousins and it was real fun when i was a child. whenever i used to get sick both of them used to stay right next to me and took good care of me. i am really lucky for they still take care of me the same way. they also used to take me to the park often and one thing is they always buy me the things i ask for. i get it either the day i asked them or the next day. i feel am lucky to have got them. thanks for sharing. happy mylotting.

Yes parents are having an eye on me everytime at the beginning i felt really bad but as the time gone by i know that they are doing it for our care. After all they are they one who really created us so they have all the rights to care for us.

I could not remember my childhood very much, all my memory was : my father had bussiness, he was not at home regularly, I lived with my mother, i remembered our life is very difficult,my mother had to work hard, she always worked over time to earn more money. I had to looking for myself, sometime, my mother bought a cake or some toy for me,I liked it very much. My friend always had more toys than me, but I never asked my mother buying more toys for me, I knew she was very tired with doing work allday, she always had to do 12 - 14 hours a day.But when she was home, i always the most important for her, Sometime, when the end of the years comes, she had time to go with me to the park,zoo ... I love my parents very much.

Yes. when i was younger it would just bother me how much they wanted to know and that i could not do anything without telling them. my mom did not even send me to daycare until i could speak and i mean speak clear. i had to be in the house every night when the street lights came on. i was not able to leave my block that often either. in middle school they did start to give me some space but i also had friends that they didnt want me hanging out with. which now 23 years old i understand it and i have thanked them for it many times.