Do you remember?

I recently came across a post over at An Island Life that got me reminiscing. It was about how times have changed. I started thinking about the good old days when I was younger and life was simpler for kids. During the summer I used to love sitting on the porch getting my hair braided watching the world go by. I would get excited to meet new kids in the neighborhood, someone just like me. I remember at my grandma’s house I would go outside first thing in the morning and would not return until it was dark.That is how it was with everyone I knew. I was always in someone’s yard or on their porch playing and having fun. I knew everyone in the neighborhood and everyone knew me. I used to love the block parties every summer. The street would be blocked off at both corners near my grandma’s house. Everyone would be cooking and music would be playing. There was lots of laughter in air. We would have water balloon fights, eat tons of barbecue, have dance contests, socialize, ride our skate boards, bikes and roller skates in the street. It would be nothing but fun from sun up to sun down. It’s not like that anymore. People barely know their neighbors and rarely offer a smile or hello. As a parent I have personally struggled with the decision to let my children play without me watching their every move. I am constantly going over the rules about strangers and what to do if you are ever approached by one. Sometimes children are not even safe in their own yards. Sometimes I see danger everywhere. Even in a neighborhood full of families, cars speed down the street with no consideration for the safety of others. It comes back to the question asked by An Island Life, as parents are we being overly protective or just smart? I would have to say smart. There is no way I would ever be comfortable giving my kids the freedom I had as a child. It’s just not safe. What about you?

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