I'm hearing more than just a few european parents freely let their children wander off alone

[Chrysalis_Changling]

sometimes miles and miles away from where they live...expecting them to have the knowledge to take care of themselves and get back home safely

some say this is a good idea and allows the child to experience the wide world on their own and if they get scraped or injured then it's a vital lesson on what they shouldn't do

others say it's insane and can greatly endanger the child due to threats such as wild animals and kidnappers

how do you feel about parents like this?

[surgeon_general]

I'm hearing the Europeans make cheese out of toe jam. Now that is just random.

[CSTowle]

You ever smell Cheetos? Smell like stinky feet, adds up to me. Maybe that's what Cheetos stands for, "Cheese-Toes".

[mathew101281]

Not just Europe there was a case in in the US recently. I see what the other side is trying to say but to me it seems like parents trying to shuck off responsibility,

[LorrieK]

Letting school aged children wander around their own damn town used to just be called "parenting." It would have been weird in my day (and I'm only 38) for parents to follow their kids around all day, once they were 7 or 8 and showed some sense. Only people who buy into the lie that it's more dangerous now than it was 20 years ago thint this is strange. Crime is down, and stranger abduction is rare. I walked my younger siblings to the park all the time. That family in Maryland is just letting their kids grow up normally.

[Attila Kiss]

sometimes miles and miles away from where they live...expecting them to have the knowledge to take care of themselves and get back home safely

and look how I turned out.
although, never got back home, but at least I'm safe.

[Gordonstar]

sometimes miles and miles away from where they live...expecting them to have the knowledge to take care of themselves and get back home safely

some say this is a good idea and allows the child to experience the wide world on their own and if they get scraped or injured then it's a vital lesson on what they shouldn't do

others say it's insane and can greatly endanger the child due to threats such as wild animals and kidnappers

how do you feel about parents like this?

American parents are worse. They let their daughters dress too sexually and let their sons act like gangsters.

Gtg and save the world.

[Spike-X]

sometimes miles and miles away from where they live...expecting them to have the knowledge to take care of themselves and get back home safely

some say this is a good idea and allows the child to experience the wide world on their own and if they get scraped or injured then it's a vital lesson on what they shouldn't do

others say it's insane and can greatly endanger the child due to threats such as wild animals and kidnappers

how do you feel about parents like this?

Are they truly "wandering off alone", or are they with other kids, just without adults hovering over them, micro-managing their every movement and interaction with the world? I used to spend hours with friends when I was a kid, riding our bikes all over creation. We often ended up in some very interesting places.

[Kees_L]

sometimes miles and miles away from where they live...expecting them to have the knowledge to take care of themselves and get back home safely

some say this is a good idea and allows the child to experience the wide world on their own and if they get scraped or injured then it's a vital lesson on what they shouldn't do

others say it's insane and can greatly endanger the child due to threats such as wild animals and kidnappers

how do you feel about parents like this?

In Europe? Parents? Why not speak on your own account?

For me the magic word seems 'participation'. In the sense that no matter where you live and no matter whether you'd be parent or kid, if you weren't to participate and prove active within your own environment, you'd be left out, you'd get no sense onto what would be what and how come.

Amid urban or be it rural surroundings it would be vital to gradually both as continuously be to get a sense of things, not just from one's parents or schools but anyway one could feel comfortable with.

And 'wild animals', I guess if even my country contains wild boars or a stray dog or two - albeit not many - then any country has those.
But regardless any people may drown or fall ill or get hurt or threatened literally anyplace anywhere, literally anybody, but autonomy both as active resourcefulness would be what counts anytime calamity could be to strike, being anytime.

I'd think all people need to be or become to actively sustain themselves and even then will parenting remain more a real responsibility than a mere task or dayjob, whereas emergencies or accidents will likewise only be things to be to happen if and when they do.
I'm not a parent myself but it seems to me all parents wish to succeed at it, which means adding to their childrens' upbringing(s) more rather than taking away from it.

And the awesome thing is that even 'bad' seeming parents or the most poorly fitted seeming ones can grow out to become the best fitted and best succeeding parents over time, due to or despite their surroundings, which they can change, as if for finding out how life itself would be about learning for oneself both as with others!

[Cinnamon]

I'm confused, Chrysalis_Changling.
You didn't get to play with your friends? You didn't get to go outside and ride a bike?

[Marvel_Is]

Europe is in some ways safer than the States, so it doesn't seem so bad to me. Would I let my kids wander off alone? Hell, no. But, I think the Europeans have got it right this time.

But, I also thought Scotland should've gained independence, sooo, take from my comments what you will.

[Arvandor]

She's not old enough yet, but when my niece is about 11 or 12, my brother intends to give her own house key, so she can decide for herself whether she goes to his house or her mother's after school.

[surgeon_general]

If I ever have kids, I'll implant a computer chip subcutaneously so I can track their every move via an app.

[Marvel_Is]

If I ever have kids, I'll implant a computer chip subcutaneously so I can track their every move via an app.

You're taking the guy in your avatar way too seriously with this comment.

[Lee Stone]

Here in America they just leave them in the cars.
Especially if a strip club is involved. That would be inappropriate.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/24160635/...t#.VTytlJNrESY
http://www.wfla.com/story/22842937/p...t-child-in-car
http://www.wesh.com/news/central-flo...s-say/21682958
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local...03/07/1974116/

Yes... those are all separate cases.