Do your kids play out?

[SeanMacGabhann]

take risks in the market but absolute control at home, eh?

...looks for "rolls eyes" emoticon

[downsouth]

They're standard issue in Forum Software Inc. 3.0

Economically free market, socially liberal, domestically CONSERVATIVE = the 3rd way!

[SeanMacGabhann]

lol.... anyway to get back on topic

Do we agree that kids playing "out" - be it street/local park etc is a good thing or are they better off tucked up with a TV in the bedroom/copy of the Economist over the cornflakes?

[downsouth]

Playing in the garden with their mates.

[Vik]

Mine used to play outside when there were quite a few other local kids playing out so they could all keep an eye on eachother, very rarely now though, as numbers have dwindled for some reason, so they tend to stay in the garden.

I disagree with the point about going to the park, when my chidren played out I could watch them out of the window, and hear them, if they 'walked 10 minutes to the park' I wouldn't have a clue if anything had happened to them.

[sillywoman]

Ah, our garden is tiny & too many kids to make it feasable. Agree wholeheartedly with Asset re the park thing. It's not a possibility for kids where we are. nearest park is a good 20 minutes walk (though they do meet their friend there at the weekend). Also we're lucky in our road - under 50 houses and I take pride in the fact that both I and the kids can name the occupants of each & every one (yes, i know - how sad is that!) so can many others in the street. I guess if we lived on a busy road i'd feel differently but our road is quiet. I also think that it's good for my kids to 'own their territory' and they seem to gain a huge amount of confidence and street smarts from having their own space to hang out in. They know the people on their street, they look out for the younger kids (as do the other parents whose kids are out there) admire the babes in arms whose parents bring them out to chat and see that older people sometimes need a bit of help with their shopping. They've also started to run short errands for neighbours. I know it's horses for courses, but I feel sad for the kids that don't get this and do think that they do miss out. With rose coloured glasses firmly on I can only see playing out as a 'good thing'for my kids.

[TillieTrotter]

My 12 year old now goes to the park occasionally with his friends but wouldnt let my 10 year old go. We are luck enough to live in a gated close with quite a few other children so mine have always had access to the outdoors but not out of the gate!!

[sillywoman]

Yes Vik that's exactly how I feel too, especailly when they're so young. the park isn't really a sensible option. Anyway we live a good 15/20 minute walk from the nearest and If thy're in the street there's always someones house / parents nearby for help should they need it. I love that our kids all play out and i believe that it encourages a strong sense of community in my kids. We have about 50 households in the street in and I can name the occupants of each one and I don't think I'm alone in this. All the other parents and some of the older people look out for the kids in a general sense. Our children learn about the other people on their street. The older kids keep an eye on (and play with sometimes)the younger kids, They admire the small babies when the parents bring them out for a chat. They see that other residents care for each other - helping older ones carry shopping etc. Surely this can only be a good thing? No I don't live in some Blytonesque El Dorado it's East Dulwich and of course the kids are given safety rules to follow. Whan an 'odd' man was on our street last year (several calls to the police resulted in nothing) the kids all came in quickly and some of the Dads dispatched him elsewhere sharpish. I feel sad that some of your kids won't have this. Maybe I would feel differently if we lived in road with a lot of traffic but we're lucky and our roads are relatively quiet. Regarding the garden thing Downsouth - round here our gardens are about 35ft square - realistically not a lot of playing can go on. Besides they would miss out on all the excitement of who's doing what on the street!

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

My daughters are the only kids living in my little street, but all my kids used to play out all the time when I lived on the Rockingham Estate, and even made it accross the road to the adventure playground after the age of about 8 on their own.

There is a lack of small communal public type spaces round here, and I wouldn't let my 8 year old go all the way to either of the Parks on her own so she doesn't play out much at the moment. She does gymnastics, taekwondo and brownies tho. Maybe when she knows more other kids in the area she will have someone to play out with, but I'd be scared of the traffic.

[Curmudgeon]

Honestly I hate kids playing out and would prefer it if they didn't. They seem to be out there unsupervised from very early ages .. I'm talking 3 and 4 year olds.

The older ones make a lot of noise, their balls end up in my garden on countless occasions each evening and I have to return it with a smile. They play against the side of my house even though it booms through the house.

I find it irritating

>

[edbrummie]

Playing out is a part of growing up and although its a real wrench for parents I think its important for a child's sense of identity to experience some freedom. I remember the excitement of being let out by yourself for the first time and I do not want to deprive my kids of that.

Obviously traffic is a real issue but if there is a group of them other safety risks are minimal.

[serenity]

I fully agree with edbrummie that a child must be allowed to breathe and grow, in order to acquire a true sense of their own identity. Although there are paedophiles, cars and other dangers around, that has always been the case...