Home alone, a five minute free write
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You don’t hear the term ‘latchkey kids’ so much these days, but in the 60s and 70s it’s how us kids who were home alone after school were referred to, having as we did the house keys tied around our necks on a piece of string.
It was quite common in those days, probably more than it is now when kids, it seems to me, are over-parented, probably because of the parental fear factor. I don’t think it’s any more dangerous for kids these days than it was then. It’s likely safer if anything with communication possible at the touch of a button. In those days we didn’t even have a telephone at home.
From the age of about five, I used to bring my baby brother to nursery on the bus before getting myself to school and then collect him afterward. You'd take leave of your parents at about 7.30 am and wouldn't see them for at least 12 hours. You had to get yourself to and from school and feed yourself, not to mention put yourself to bed if your parents, like mine, mostly left work and fell in the door of the nearest pub.
I think kids have far too little freedom these days and don’t learn to think for themselves and be self-reliant. Being left to our own devices at such an early age meant we were very independent and not fearful of taking on the unknown. We did get into plenty of mischief I admit, but somehow we managed to avoid getting into much trouble....though there was this one time............
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Posted in response to @mariannewest's freewrite challenge which you can see
here
Image is my own
Haha, a trip down memory lane for me too.
Most young people now would find it hard to believe. I remember the summer holidays when I was still quite young 7-9 years old, I would go out in the morning with my friends and we wouldn’t come home again until tea time. Nothing bad ever happened, no one was afraid, our parents weren’t worried.
There has been a culture of fear bred into people over the last 20-30 years which wasn’t there before, I feel sorry for the youth of today, they’ll never have the literal freedom we had as kids.
Absolutely true. We've been persuaded that in freedom lies danger and in surveillance and obedience to authority lies safety. We're only a few steps from love is hate and peace is war.
Yep, Orwell was only a few years out.
Ah this brings back memories!
I didn't have the string around me neck. Even my parents didn't wanna strangle me. Not at that age, anyways.
5 years old! Wow. That's so little. These days, you'd be whipped away by the SS and put in a home.
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.
LOL I look forward to that story ;D
Yeah, amazing isn't it. You didn't get much interference from authorities in those days. Parents were regarded as the arbiters of the child's best interests. These days you'd be taken into care quick smart.
Yes. I can see the need for SS in some instances coz some parents clearly don't have the skills necessary for raising a child safely but I reckon they go way too far.
Fantastic nostalgia. I must say, I agree with you, I too think kids are over-parented these days. The media like to keep us fearful and the papers and the news on tv is always peppered with the worst of society. As you rightly point out, these crimes have always taken place, but we are more aware now in this information-age.. We all walked to and from school back in the day and it was about a mile away, and we used to have so much fun on those walks, acting the maggot away from adults eyes, but never anything bad, just innocent mischief... Given the choice of growing up now or growing up when I did, I would take my youth every single time.. I feel for the youth of today who are constantly reminded of how good they have it... I don't see it that way for them... We have to break the cycle of molly-coddling and babying our kids, or the next generation will not thank us for it..
Unfortunately, I think we're too far down the opposite path to ever find our way back. We seem to have accepted the interference of authorities in every aspect of our lives and the next generation will have no idea what it was to live without surveillance, suspicion and fear of their neighbours.
Definitely.. The amount of red tape for everything these days is gone beyond a joke... We went from one extreme to the other, instead of finding a nice balanced middle ground.. The keys around the neck reminds of my Granny... She used to carry her keys around her neck as she was always losing them :o)
My mother would have shrieked at the very thought of it, haha. I agree, keeping kids locked down all the time can't be good for their sense of independence. I think I might have benefited from it, personally. I guess you're saving that 'one time' for another time - looking forward to hearing it :)
I was in Vietnam for 5 years and saw parents baby their kids in so many ways for as long as they can. But some of the Vietnamese I talked to were against that which is good.
Hahaha, no, not really. It's just that my five minutes was up!
Thanks for your support m'dear.
I think we (adults ) need to show them kids how to think for themselves and be self-reliant.
Or put them in situations where they've no choice but think for themselves and be self-reliant.
Hear hear, you're speaking my language! If there's one thing I think everyone should learn at an early age it's that you are entitled to nothing from others.
I must admire your 'do good and good will come to you' principle. Something my father used to repeat to us ad nauseam and which I've always found to be true is "cast your bread upon the waters and it will be returned to you ten thousand fold".
And, by the way, thanks for the vote. It was entirely unexpected and I've no idea what I did to deserve it.
Good people meant to meet people:)
Happy Steeming!
"I think kids have far too little freedom these days and don’t learn to think for themselves and be self-reliant."
Totally agreed, and that's how we learn how to figure everything out ! so important !
I'm certain your 2 little 'uns will be out making a fortune busking by the time they're 10 and you can just retire.
HAhah who says that I want to retire ? Just kidding, I do wanna retire , they might not want to be musicians though, I am not gonna push them too much !
Well, you have a few years left in you yet kid.
Hahaha yes please!
Main stream media and main stream education pulls humans away from that, from letting kids be bored, from thinking for themselves, and they encourage us all to let the state raise children.
It's so true , that's what I keep repeating all the time !However I don't lead by example , I sometimes let them play video games and watch TV for way too long, as I can work in the meantime !
Understood.
you have children ?
Oh hehe, I do not have children. How are you?
howdy there from Texas @deirdyweirdy! hey what a contrast to todays kids and the way they are handled or raised. And the way they are spoilt rotten and if you try to discipline them they themselves call social services on you!
but taking care of your baby brother and being responsible for him like that at age 5? whoa you must've been extraordinarily mature for your age. Your parents were very confident in you weren't they? this account is quite amazing to me but having to be responsible at a young age helped you in life I bet! thanks for the interesting post.
My parents were two alcoholics! As for kids, I can't abide the little blighters;)
oh my..simultaneously funny and sad at the same time so it shuts me up.
My dad was a drunk too and it was tough at times. Was born in 85 in Oregon but mom helped, home school, and everything.
your mom is amazing, God bless her!
Shuts you up, hahaha, I bet Mrs. J will be glad of the break.
hey I'm not the big talker around here, I'm the strong silent type. until I get in front of a keyboard.
Yes, I grew up like that, although I don't remember actually having the key hanging around my neck. Of course, I wouldn't dream of letting my son alone for any lenghty period of time... as for going across town on his own as I used to do at his age, not a chance.
I don't know if it was done on purpose, but the media managed to put all these insane fears in our heads, any isolated incident being blown out of proportions. I even read a book about this kind of manipulation, my rational mind tells me I should let my boy be more independent, but I just can't.
You're absolutely correct. We've been made to perceive the world as a much more dangerous place for kids now, while it is likely a lot safer. I remember when we used to ask my father why we weren't called in from play and looked after like other kids were, he used to tell us about the exposure of infants in Ancient Rome.
The world is dangerous but kids need to be gradually introduced and exposed to it and we need to trust them as they get older, gradually, one step at a time. You don't have to give kids the keys to the city all at once in one second, but how about just one small piece at a time, per year or whatever. Baby steps, slowly. If kids are ready to be independent, they may try to run away like my older sister tried.
It was a good free writing post. And good to know for the first time about ‘latchkey kids’. Most probably nowaday we are flooded with new words and slang so we don't use it anymore. :)
Yes indeed, I'm very ancient and firmly stuck in the 20th century;)
That's classic!
You sure did have a lot of responsibility at such a young age. Glad everything worked out well...except for that one time....LOL! : )
I was a precocious child, or as my mother used to put it, a bloody little know-it-all;)