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I can – and have – walked for miles through waste high flood water. It’s a bit harsh to criticise those who don’t want to do this, though.
These people were in a shopping centre, probably having driven in. They were not prepared or dressed for wading. They were of various ages. Some of the had kids. It was cold and dark (when I did my wading it was in the tropics). No-one could be sure how bad the flooding was – we’ve all seen floods with cars floating down the water.
If the police advised me to stay put I’d probably stay put.
I agree it's a BIT harsh but my initial objection is the BBC wording...
were kept inside Meadowhall centre by police
How accurate that is ??? Were they physically detained or just advised?
Wider though what I see is people avoiding minor discomforts... the times I've been at Waterloo station and delays and people unwilling to walk 4-5 miles home reported as "stranded"? Quite a lot of them would normally get home then drive to a gym to go on a treadmill. (People I know)
I'm not saying everyone should ... I'm really just saying "it's a option"....
Kids rugby club 10 miles.... why not get a bike? 5 miles why not run?
These things are not universal. Some people just don’t like football. So I can’t exactly stand over my kids forcing them to kick the ball to and fro, can I? Yes, these things are quite cultural and you need to create the culture from babyhood, however a) by the time you realise how this works it’s too late, b) I don’t play or even watch football myself and c) there’s a large element of personality invovled. Kids are not all the same nor are they copies of their parents.
I hated football. Still do.
The whole point is about providing our children with the freedom to make their own activities. They go out to play, and they decide.
It's one thing being confined to a handful of activities at selected times throughout the week, but it's important to remember that not all parents can afford them, or are able to transport their kids there. And it's the transport that's one of the main factors keeping the kids confined to the house in the first place, and thus it becomes a vicious circle.
Kids should be able to wander out the front door and find an appropriate place to kick a ball about, if they wish. Or play hide and seek, British Bulldog, go to the park, or whatever.
Plus our school is too far away, and my daughter’s only 8.
Many local schools have closed down, which contributes to the problem, and that is a very modern one. As I say, this is a society of our creation. In 1971, 80% of children between the ages of 7 and 8 made their own way to school, unaccompanied by an adult. In the Netherlands, where they made an active decision to prioritise child safety in their society, I can't find the official stats just now, but I'm sure they're still pretty close to that number today.
It’s one thing being confined to a handful of activities at selected times throughout the week, but it’s important to remember that not all parents can afford them, or are able to transport their kids there. And it’s the transport that’s one of the main factors keeping the kids confined to the house in the first place, and thus it becomes a vicious circle.
Kids should be able to wander out the front door and find an appropriate place to kick a ball about, if they wish. Or play hide and seek, British Bulldog, go to the park, or whatever.
In 1971, 80% of children between the ages of 7 and 8 made their own way to school, unaccompanied by an adult.
Transport isn't needed ... it's the mindset that kids can't just wander out the front door... go to their mates and say "is johnny/jessica playing out"
My kids school REFUSES to allow 7/8yr olds to walk to school alone they have to be handed over by an adult.... it's a freakin emergency when one walks home. Year 5 they are "encouraged" to drop kids at the gates ...
In 1971, 80% of children between the ages of 7 and 8 made their own way to school
It's a shame that they allowed you to shop around for school places. This means that council-provided transport is unrealistic for every kid, because they are going to schools all over the city (ours included). When we hit school age there was no primary school within walking distance. There is now but it's heavily over-subscribed.
However, even given the above there's any number of things that could be done. Kids can very easily be bussed around, all it needs is a bit of cash for councils - nothing else. There used to be a bus (which we used) but it took an hour which is a long time for a 6 year old, but it got canned. With more money there could have been more bus routes and it'd have become a 20 minute journey from our neighbourhood, problem solved.
What we need is a government that takes problems seriously and acts.
What we need is a government that takes problems seriously and acts.
There is a huge step before that though....
It’s a shame that they allowed you to shop around for school places. This means that council-provided transport is unrealistic for every kid, because they are going to schools all over the city (ours included).
This only matters for many if we start off with an expectation it's someone's job to get our kids to school... which goes a step further back about the idea they need to be accompanied outside the house.
As far as I remember when I was 7 I was walking home with my 5yr old brother... albeit only a couple of miles... often with other kids .. sometimes not.
This has all gone a bit when I were a lad/kids don't know how lucky they are/I used to cycle 50 miles in each direction to school in the snow, uphill in both direction etc...
Kids rugby club 10 miles…. why not get a bike? 5 miles why not run?
A 9 year old on his bmx heading down the dual carriageway to play rugby? Yep, perfectly sensible.....
This has all gone a bit when I were a lad/kids don’t know how lucky they are/I used to cycle 50 miles in each direction to school in the snow, uphill in both direction etc…
i read through this and all I could think of was that monty python sketch.
5 miles why not run?
A ten mile run and rugby practice? Your kids may be absolute heroes but that's a bit too far for mine. Or me tbh.
As far as I remember when I was 7 I was walking home with my 5yr old brother… albeit only a couple of miles… often with other kids .. sometimes not.
This is the point - it's more than a couple of miles for many kids. Still, the situation is solvable with a modest amount of money. Much of which goes back to the city because we need to employ more bus drivers and mechanics and so on.
Hey you, The Darknesss
"Monday Football,
Tuesday Basketball,
Cricket on a friday night.
He's got Cross Country Club on Wednesday
Cubs on Thursday
Tag rugby on a friday
After schooollll"
A little artist license is used there in my verse and I couldn't fit in Futsal or another football practise or another basketball practise. Let alone Gymnastics on Saturday or "proper" rugby and football matches on a Sunday morn.
Costs a fortune!! All because society does not let a nine year old out to play in the park with his pals .... Oh well, what else am I going to spend my hard earned on ??
Boys are like dogs..... They need daily exercise.
And here's the epiphany .... I/we do to !!
Have fun this weekend .... I'm going to be hungover at basketball practise tomorrow morning ... not good !! its sooooo LOUD with 20 odd balls being bounced.
But double looking forward to Rugby on Sunday. It's our (I help out a little with coaching) 6th game of full contact and all the boys are doing great with tackling.... It's my highlight of the week.
A ten mile run and rugby practice? Your kids may be absolute heroes but that’s a bit too far for mine. Or me tbh.
Honestly, not trying to be too 3 yorkshiremen but when I was a kid if I wanted to do something I had to get there mostly on my own. (Not saying parents NEVER EVER took me but that was special occasions)
Not JUST me.... this is what most of us did.... (I would have cycled but nowhere to keep a bike)... no-one considered it heroic because it was normal....
Ro5ey:
All because society does not let a nine year old out to play in the park with his pals …. Oh well, what else am I going to spend my hard earned on ??
So here's the weird thing.... we used to just go and play in the park. "I'll come round your house after school and go to the park" ... etc. The park was just kids ... occasionally an adult would turn up to retrieve a kid but mostly (overwhelmingly) it was just us kids... "The woods likewise"
Now society expects/demands I take my kid to the Park which is full of other adults also accompanying their kids...
In the same way .. there is now some sort of shame attached with "latchkey kids"... and strong guidelines/legal...
The NSPCC interpretation
What the law says
Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone.
Children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time.
Children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.
FFS we were off camping at 13-14 alone.... my 10yr old is more than happy riding alone
I'd ask - Why aren't children under 12 mature enough to cope in an emergency (today)?
and suggest the reason is because they have been mollycoddled.... not because inherently they can't.