Most of you have no clue about these distances I will discuss today. (That’s why I have a map below.) But, when I was little- around 6- I rode my bike from my house in Forest City to Lee’s Hobby Shop in East Meadow. So, I could buy chemicals for my basement lab. (No, we are NOT going to talk about what happened to my chem lab- or me- or my parent’s house, either. At least not today.) A distance of about 3 ½ miles. Only about ½ mile on really major highways.
Now, my parents knew I went to FC Whitney’s and Bohack’s (both were grocery stores) about 2 miles away (in the other direction). My mom would send me to do small shopping chores. (My mom did not get her driver’s license until later in my life.) And, I rode my bike to the Forest City Pool about 1.2 miles away every single day in the summer for years.
When I was 11 or 12, I rode my bike to my friend’s houses in Freeport and Baldwin some 6 or 7 miles away. Which graduated to trips to visit my girlfriend who lived in Valley Stream – fairly often- a route of 15 miles (on very busy streets) each way.
So, it won’t surprise you that I let my daughters and my son ride their bike to friends’ houses. (Or walk.) Three, four, five miles. And, now I see that given the politically correct- and busybody nature- that obtains in today’s society, that’s called child neglect.
Don’t believe me? Danielle and Alexander Meitiv are now in trouble for child neglect and endangerment. The Montgomery County Departments of Police and Child Protective Services are both involved. And, these parents only let their kids, aged 6 and 10, walk home from a neighborhood park. On a Shabat afternoon. (Many Jews won’t ride on the Sabbath.) (This was not the first such trip. The children have been coached [and accompanied on occasion] by their parents who used to walk with them to the park and the nearby (0.75 mile from their home) library. And, these two kids often carry a laminated card that has the parents’ phone numbers and information- and the card also says “I am not lost. I am a free-range kid”.)
It seems nearby ‘helicopter’ parents called the police about these children. After all, they would never consider having their own children develop competency, gain confidence, or be responsible. It might even be useful for these same parents to be able to assess their own risk management skills and help their kids do so- but obviously not in the cards, should you be a helicopter parent.
The Meitivs have actually done the research- the number one cause of death for children aged 6 to 10 is a car accident- and not abductions. Oh, and the murder rate for children younger than 14 has dropped more than 1/3 in the past two decades. It actually is akin to the rate that obtained when I was a kid and most moms were stay-at-homes. Moreover, less than 1% of all children are abducted by strangers. (Those are FACTS! Not like the BS make up by helicopter parents- or, worse yet, by parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated, leaving all other children at risk due to their stupidity.)
Yet the cops kept harping on how dangerous the world is to these parents, when they accosted them. Yep, telling a researcher at the National Institutes of Health and a climate specialist for the World Bank they don’t understand the world.
You see, there are also laws in Montgomery County that stipulate children under the age of 8 must be in the care of someone who is at least 13. (Wow! I guess my babysitting the neighborhood kids when I was 11 and 12 meant my neighbors were also guilty of child abuse. Handcuffs, anyone?)
And, it gets curiouser when you realize that this same county (Montgomery) believes that bus transportation is not required for elementary students who live less than a mile from schools. Really? Doesn’t that make their school board guilty of child neglect and abuse?
Let’s hope Montgomery County comes to its senses this week when the full-court press continues.
When I think about the things I did as a kid – the distances I walked, rode my bike, etc and compare it to the way kids are today – it blows my mind. Society as a whole has really changed in it’s views.
Mary Burris recently posted..Sounds from Down Under Blog Series: Day 5
And, not for the better, in my eyes, Mary.
Thanks for your input!
Ever go the distance as a child? Would you let your kid walk a mile by themselves today? | http://t.co/h68bfcItYO via @Adjuvancy
This is not an isolated concept. Kent was just presented with overreach in the city of Alexandria, VA. Here’s what Kent Lassman wrote:
All is well, or will be. Thank you all for the shared indignation and concern. Your comments about our parenting are kind. I probably won’t put to bed all of the issues raised but I’ll try to address a handful of the big themes. First off, this is no joke. A lady approached me at the playground yesterday, identified herself as a social worker for the City of Alexandria and proceeded to admonish me for not caring for my children and specifically not dressing them with warm clothes. She was particularly offended that one member of the tribe had kicked his shoes off and was running about barefoot. They had all manner of costumes on – from a dress with a cotton jacket and rubber Wellington boots, to short pants (knicker length) with a sweatshirt. Other than acknowledging the lady and telling her that I would take care of the situation, I only engaged her on one point. She insisted that it was neglect to have children out without coats and shoes when it was 30 degrees. I pointed out that it was 50 degrees and I’d take care of the situation. She threatened/promised/announced that she’d have to call the police if I didn’t. She walked off, I got the boy to put his shoes back on (over mild protest) and I congratulated myself for remaining calm in the face of a self-righteous, intrusive agent of the government who was clearly in the wrong. About ten minutes later she had finished trolling the playground and as she made her way out of the gate was explaining loudly over her shoulder to one of her daughters that she just had to call it in, she had no choice but to call the police. I scanned for the tribe, ascertained that they had not defiantly become nudists and were, in fact, wearing shoes, and found the source of the lady’s latest concern. There were four or five small children playing on the slides – with their parents – who were barefoot and some had gone without coats. About ten minutes later the Po Po rolled up, flashed lights and an officer walked over to the playground. She indicated to me and asked me to come over to talk to her. I found it curious that the grave concern of Social Service Buttinsky Lady did not extend to sticking around to make sure the situation was resolved to her satisfaction. The office was nice. She asked if I was the father of the offensively shod child and explained that a complaint and been called in for neglect. After being told several times that this was a heads up, or just to let me know. After covering the same ground a few times, I asked pointedly if there was any more to it? Would people be coming to the house or did she need to look in the van to examine their car seats? The officer said there was no need, she could tell from the road that they were well-cared for children. She explained she wasn’t even going to ask my name. Then she reverted to her training or talking point or whatever about a heads up. Which, in its passive-aggressive way, was infuriating as a veiled threat that I had to change my parenting to meet the expectations of the lady later deemed “Crazy Park Lady” by the tribe. During both encounters I was acutely sensitive the fact that the tribe was watching carefully to see how I would handle it. In the first instance, I simply wanted the woman to leave us alone. I chose the path of accommodation thinking it more prudent than making a big scene. In the second instance I wanted to model behavior to the tribe about encounters with police officers. I forced myself to smile. I think my voice was even. I took my dark glasses off so I wouldn’t be threatening or appear to hide. Nonetheless I was angry that scarce resources were devoted to something stupid and I was further angered about the “heads up” comments and her attempt show she understood the situation. She said things like, “I know there are sometimes “rules with Mommy and different rules with Daddy.” Despite the officer’s intentions, I don’t do patronizing well. The net of the situation is that I never got the name of the self-proclaimed shoe savior and while I understand that the officer had little choice but to check out the situation and she handled as well as could be expected excepting a handful of intimidating comments, I have a lower opinion of the APD. I contacted APD today to find out the name of the complainant but they would not release her name.
I used to walk back home from school when I was 6. We were 3 children living in the same block. Nobody ever bated an eyelid.
At 14, I was picking up my younger brother. It was considered to be normal. When has the world gone mad?
Muriel recently posted..My Name Is Julia
I don’t know, Muriel. But, I certainly wish these helicopter parents would not be taking over the part where I live…
The real child abuse……http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/sports/football/study-points-to-cognitive-dangers-of-tackle-football-before-age-12.html
RAAckerman@Cerebrations.biz recently posted..Uber Alles?
Danielle Meitiv gives a full view of her situation…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/raising-children-on-fear/2015/02/13/9d9db67e-b2e7-11e4-827f-93f454140e2b_story.html
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-04-13/seven-reasons-we-hate-free-range-parenting
This is found on Bloomberg News!