Cotton wool kids

KThom122 · Apr 14, 2008 10:09AM

I saw an ad on channel 4 last night for a programme next thursday called cotton wool kids based on the fact that alot of parents nowadays don't let their kids play outside of their gardens and have as much freedom as years ago.

What do you all think??

I live in an estate but its near a busy road and I wouldn't dream of letting my 6 yo play out yet I have seen kids as young as 3 or 4 wondering around. The last house I lived in was a quiet cul-de-sac and I still wouldn't let him unless I was out with him.

I feel that nowadays this is best but I do feel that I am restricting my children even if its for their own good. I had a debate in work with a guy one day who has kids that are allowed to play out and his opinion was that they should be allowed on the basis that they learn more common sense this way.

Any opinions on this??

hayley_l · Apr 5, 2008 10:21AM

I live on an estate but because it is fairly new there is nowhere for children to play safely. when i was younger we had big greens and all the houses were built around the greens in a square so it was easier to let children out and keep an eye on them. I didnt start letting my eldest out on his own till he was nearly 10 but i think if we lived somewhere like my mum does i would have let him out sooner, maybe houses need to be built so there are safe areas for children to play out.

alioli123 · Apr 5, 2008 1:21PM

I've just started letting my boys play out this week in our secure garden (huge iron gate with key lock so can't climb or open!) which is kid-friendly. Tbh they come in after about 5 mins but I know they can't escape nor anyone get in and I can see them from 3 of the 4 downstair rooms too.
There's no way I'd let them play out anywhere else till they are older and certainly not at this house as we're near a very busy road. We'll move b4 they want to go out with friends to the park etc but I was 10 when my mum n dad let me out like that so mine will be of a similar age too.
It makes me angry when I see little kids, preschool age esp, out alone by the road...
We used to live at the bottom end of a cul de sac but as he was only just 4 we went out with him when he played with the other kids.
It's not cotton wool kids at all, it's a sad sign of our time...too many sickos on the loose, and mainly who you'd least expect it to be too.

becky25 · Apr 5, 2008 5:56PM

this is probally going to sound like im abit over protective.....my son turned 8 in feb so i reluctantly agreed with my partner to start letting him go to the park(which is right at the side of our house but hidden by sum garages) this summer,so we bourght him a cheap mobile phone so we can ring him to check he is ok,but i am so scared something is going to happen to him that im still very reluctant to let him go on his own,it makes me so mad that the pervs and badly behaved children and thugs have made me feel this way,i feel awful because my son is at the age where he needs to have a bit of independance but because of other people in this world he cant have that yet.Am i goin over the top,what should i do?????? becky xx

alioli123 · Apr 6, 2008 3:28AM

You're not going over the top at all. The mobile sounds like a really good idea. Would he be going with friends? I don't think I'd let mine out unless they were out with someone.
Can't give advice as not experienced this yet! Just sympathising....other people make our country a really crap place to grow up in now. x

becky25 · Apr 6, 2008 3:30PM

hi,yea i would only let him go with friends but there are children who are around the same age who go to the park just to cause trouble,and older kids wouldnt think twice about bullying a younger child,maybe i should enroll him into karate lessons first!!!!

alioli123 · Apr 6, 2008 3:51PM

That's a good idea! Positive way to self-defend. May get my 5 year old in a class soon!

KThom122 · Apr 6, 2008 5:11PM

Karate lessons are a great idea tbh. My cousins are both black belts and one is only 14- I think that because her mates and others at school know this they wouldn't dream of picking on her.

It is a sad sign of our times and I agree that there is so much to worry about. Becky I think you are right to allow your eight yo out to the park coz they do need to learn independance sometime.

It really is awful that it has come to this I lived in a large council estate growing up (I'm 25 now) and we were allowed to play around the estate it was fab getting a big group of bout 20 kids and playing tig or hide and seek but kids can't do that. The ones that are allowed out and about seem to just want to cause mayhem rather than play.

highlandfea · Apr 8, 2008 3:46PM

oh my son is so lucky we live in the far north of scotland and when i split from his dad we moved into the village (we lived 4 miles outside it before that ) he was 5 at the time i let him out in the garden at first then over to the park then round the whole estate and now he is ten he can go all over the village he is so lucky to have so much freedom but he is very aware and scared of the main A9 that cuts through the village and will always call when he is out so i know where he is he keeps his curfew times as he is grounded and his computer taken away if not (only had to do it once !) he is having the kind of freedom i had when i was young and living in glasgow its a sad reflection on the times we live in that we cant give our children the freedom they deserve cos of weirdos and pervs capital punishment for offenders is whats needed i say
fea x

MumDonna · Apr 12, 2008 4:09PM

My daughter is 11 and its only this week that I've started letting her out with friends to the park (only 1 min walk away but out of sight, no busy roads) and with a strict time limit to be home by (one hour at mo but will extend it as she goes more often).
My concern hasnt been weirdos and pervs as much as older teenagers. I know that some use parks to drink, take drugs etc, more commonly than you would think and I dont want her being around, even within the vicinity of these kids. I struggle to understand how their own parents can be so clueless to what they do when they are out all hours on their own.

mumto225 · Apr 13, 2008 3:30AM

i let my 4yr old play out in the street... our street is a dead end with a little field next door to my house, so the kids play on there where we can see them, no cars come down the street, the kids just run to and from each others houses playing in the garden etc (his friends have trampolines and basketball hoops LOL)
he is the youngest but i feel he's safe as we all look out for them and i do restrict him more than the older children in the street.

i feel it would be a shame for him to be stuck in the house for the sake of being paranoid about "weirdos" the world IS NOT worse than it used to be we have just become more paranoid. (although i do agree about busy roads)

becky25 let your son go to the park, if he's being picked on or older kids are being naughty tell him to come home. i think at 8yrs old he should be trusted to go round the corner without you IMO

susie2-34726 · Apr 14, 2008 10:09AM

my lo is a bit young for this yet, but i watched, some of those people were crazy!!!! getting the kids tagged!?? what.
the best for me was the lady taking her girls shopping, in the car pointing people out saying 'oh it could be him, hes a bit wierd, or it could be a woman or an old man, or even a teenager, you never know who could hurt you' yes, you right however as your saying all this your child its even wearing a seatbelt!!!! maybe sort that out first eh!

Cotton wool kids

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