How life has changed... Remember when..

I think people sometimes look at the past through rose-colored classes. It isn't helpful. I've heard similar treatments of car seat safety and the like. Things were still dangerous in the past. Perhaps you never heard of a drive by shooting. However, serial rapists have always existed as well as kidnappings. In previous years, they might have been dismissed as runaways.

I think most of the things that I was able to do when I was a kid I would not let my kids do today. Where I live now as opposed to where I grew up are completely different though. I walked to school by myself from the time I started first grade. I got to pretty much stay home by myself in the summer time starting at about the same age. My brothers were always in and out all day, but still I had quite a bit of alone time. I got to go to the community pool by myself as soon as I learned how to swim. I used to not have to come in at dark. I remember many a game of ghost in the graveyard when I was a kid.

Well back then, kids could walk to the corner market a few blocks away and not have to worry about being kidnapped,rapped or shot at. You could ride your bike to a friends house a mile away and no one thought anything of it, now days it isn't recommended to let y our kids out alone like that. Kids aren't even safe at the parks alone. Back then everyone kept a eye out for all the kids everywhere..now days people just don't care and are to busy in their own lives to take notice of what's happening right under their own noses..like a child kidnapped right in front of their home but they see and hear nothing..I think we all should start taking more notice like before and remember it can take a village to raise a child..and keep them safer.

Times really have changed. There's alot of times that I wish my niece and nephew could go back and grow up in the times that I did...I think they would be more happy in that time. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]

hello there! the thing i remember doing when i was still a kid and would not allow my kids to do it now is playing in the neighborhood streets. i don't feel safe for the kids to play in the neighborhood now as compared to the times i had in the past, everything felt safe and okay, even the traffic.

i remember as a child going to school in the morning my mum used to pack my lunch p everyday with load of fruits which i really dont like, sometimes she wouldnt give me much of other stuffs but the fruits until i got used to them, it seems a bit mean but im really thankful today for that.

oh yes... i still remember when i was still a child and i used to go to my neighbour's house to play in the afternoon after school until about dinner time... i also used to cycle in front of my house because i live in a complex where there is not much car passing by... it was so nice and fun... take care and have a nice day...

I remember those days and today is nothing like it used to be. I remember sleeping with the window up in my bedroom with just the screen in but there is no way I would let my daughter do that now. It is too scary. I used to play outside late at night also and camp out. I would not let my child do that these days either.

Yes, I do remember those days. I would meet my girlfriend fist thing in the morning and we would go home for dinner, then out again until dark. We walked a few blocks to the store and bought penny candy. On Friday nights we would walk threw the town park to get to the skating rink, go ice skating and then walk back home. Never a fear in the world.

Great Question! Things I did that I don't let my kids do that I did due to safety issues.... Walk to school alone drop my kids off @ school w/o waiting for them to go inside waiting at the bus stop! We live @ a busy intersection and I can just picture someone grabbing my 6yo & there are no other kids @ the stop but us so I figure it's easier for me to just take her & the siblings. All the serial perv's were just that weird uncle no one talked about now they have to register with the authorities for the rest of their life. Wich is fine for the cops BUT knowing makes me even more uneasy especially since the sites don't list the senario of the offense. Some of them could of been where the guy was 18-19 dating a 16yo and the parents filed charges or whatever... not an actual "criminal" you know?!?! We were just talking about this @ school yesterday & I looked @ the local site and there supposed to be one a few blocks away but of the couple houses there the house # doesn't match up!?!?! I don't get it. you can't leave you kids in the car to pay for gas, I remember my mom leaving me in the car as a small kid while she paid for gas. Now days they tell you to look in your backseat after paying for gas just in case. Thank goodness for pay @ the pump! You can't disapline your kids the way you were disaplined as it's considerd "abuse" now. But you know I don't know too many kids that were damaged for getting punished for doing wrong & kids feared the punishment so they'd behave. Now they laugh at you when you say "time out" even if you mean business. Speaking of dressing up for School. What happened to the teachers wearing nice dresses or slacks w/ heels. Now they wear flip flops & t-shirts ! For what they are paid they should be able to manage a decent wardrobe. And I think they don't look as respectable either that way, ya know. Sad when the clerk @ the grocery store making minimum wage is more dressed up than the teachers are.

This reminds me of a country song I like. "Our cribs were covered in lead based paint"... do you know the song? In any case, I think that the world has done a lot of changing. People who were born a long time ago, would definitely not recognize the world now. We have no fear of anything, and people do and say bad things, as if they don't have to worry about the consequences.

It is sad that things had changed dramatically. back then, places were a lot more safer and quiet than before, so many trees and flowers and parks. No vendors,street children, snatchers, sales people, it was almost paradise. Now,it's likely more than Hell now.i don't in this time i would allow my child to ever go outside with out a trusted Guardian.

ah those were the days.. Sure glad I grew up in those wonderful peaceful days where we could walk in the streets in the night without the fear of some idiot trying to rape you or steal from you. We never needed to lock the doors at night because everybody was happy and content with what they had. There was virtually no crime at all, no abusive language, no disrespect to parents, just pure simple life.. how did we lose all that?? I wonder too..

I remember we used to play hide and seek when we were kids. we did not have to worry that someone would come and take one of us while we were hiding. we never had anyone try to pick us up when we were walking to school. kids were safe in school. we did not need security guards at school. many people take there kids to school and many more are home schooling there children.

yeah, your post just reminds me of the good old days when life looked like a little bit boring but simple and peaceful. yeah, no anxiety, no stress and stress-related illness. Take a look at elementary students, we can easily see how life has changed ! The Chinese kids, I mean, some are burdened to such an extent that they do their homework late at night, around 10 pm. Daytime, they find it hard to concentrate on the teacher's preaches. The worst of it, a friend of mine mentioned that the kid stared things long, with slack eyesight. He just stared at things quite often. Much tortured by the cruel school life, doesn't he?

When I was growing up my brother and I had a pair of 10-speed bicycles. We used to ride all around town and play video games at the corner stores. I was 8 and he was 11. Now when I see kids running around town that age I think to myself, "where is their mother". We used to have so much fun. Sadly, I won't even let my child ride her bike on our street unless I'm out there with her (and we live in a nice quiet neighborhood). I miss those days. Like you said, the neighbors where looking out for you and weren't afraid to tell your mom and dad. Now, you worry about who your neighbors might be.