Kids

Today's kids are so much different than when I grew up, or parents or grandparents.  I think some things work in a circular fashion.  Back in the 1800-1900's a girl was considered a woman at 16 and could be married.  Then child laws got put into place.. and then it got pushed back further.  But you also have to remember back when, they didn't have TV and radios and they also had a shorter life span.

My parents had TV and Radios and movies as entertainment, but it wasn't 24/7 like our kids lives are.

Even me as a kid, computers had just started coming out, but they weren't commonplace like they are today.

All if us had to have a way to have fun.  For me, it was books or my imagination. We lived in the country so  you had to find something to occupy your time.  For me, we had a creek out back and lots of space to run.  I mean our parents told us to be back at specific times, but no one was monitoring us and what we were doing.  I even remember doing walks around my grandparents block with no adult.  Just for fun.

We didn't have car seats, got to rid in the back of a station wagon (that was so much fun!) as well as in the back of a pickup truck.  No pads for skating or biking, or helmets.  Heck my science classes, we didn't even have goggles or gloves or anything!  How did we survive?

Times are changing.  Now the kids are monitored a lot closer.  It's less of a utopia time.  Less innocence in the world and for a shorter period of time it seems.  I mean my cousins who are 10 years younger than me seemed to know more at an earlier age than I did at that age.  Also with the media and internet .. there's a lot more out there that can go wrong.

So, when would I send my eldest walking to school alone.  12 at a minimum.  First off she has scoliosis and doesn't walk well, let alone run and she's very trusting and outgoing.  So, no, in this day and age and for the distance we have to walk, not going to happen at 7 or 8.  There are too many variables out there now a days.  Not to say things didn't happen when I was a kid, but I think there are more these days than not.  So why tempt fate.

I also want her to be a kid.  For as long as she can.  To me it just seems they lose their innocence so much earlier than they used to.  Especially with all the TV shows and video games that they see.

When it comes to my kids I will protect them with everything I have and can do for them.   How about you?  What would you do for your kid to keep them innocent as long as possible?