What happened to all the kids?

[Somethingsomethingdarkslide]

When I was growing up, there were kids everywhere.

All weekend, all through the summer holidays. Even during the week, you’d finish school, dump your bag, and be straight out playing in the street. If your friends weren’t already outside, you’d knock on their door and ask if they were coming out.

Now, it feels completely different.

There just don’t seem to be many children nearby for my child to grow up with. No kids playing outside, no bikes left lying around, no knock at the door asking if they can come out.

And it’s not like we live in the middle of nowhere.

What changed?

Lower birth rate than when I was a kid so there simply aren't as many children around and the house I grew up in had a green outside so it was safe to play. Where I live, whilst not a main road some people do like to speed so I wouldn't let DC out front unsupervised which means back garden for play & we just don't meet the neighbours really.

The sheer volume of cars. The volume of people. The internet.
Years ago there were fewer cars etc on the roads. People now have more than one car per household quite often.
The internet has managed to change how children and adults communicate.

I’m sat in the garden and all I can hear is kids playing in the back street and the gardens.

Yup and the one about the basketball hoop facing the cul de sac and kids playing there.

Or someone who don’t like the way kids kicked a ball against the end of terraced wall (she was houses away).

etc etc

I grew up with lots of kids playing out, as did my DC. My grandchildren have 2 full-time working parents so no casual playdates after school. I think, also, they have more activities in evenings or at weekends so less opportunities to just hang out with other kids. There is a lot more traffic so they are older before it's safe for them to go and knock on a friend's door, unless very near by. It also means there are fewer places to play - street games were great for getting kids of different ages out together. Knowing most other parents are also working may mean reluctance to just let your DC go to call on a friend unless specifically invited. My DC are quite young so screen time not an issue. Teenagers still get together.

There's a lovely Mum a few doors down from me who has two DD's. They often draw things on the pavement with coloured chalks. The mum plays hopscotch with them and welcomes any other children who want to join in

The other day she took some children on a mystery tour ~ she had planted clues up and down our road. It was lovely to see

I honestly think kids need to do fewer evening activities and more hanging out. It's so beneficial for them in so many ways to have unstructured, no/low- supervision time with other kids.

It’s still like that where we live.
DS has been out all day only coming home for food!

God I wish I lived where you live OP! Soooo many kids out in front of my house…and none of them mine (who are in their 30s and a bit past that stage 😂).

Why they play outside my house I have no idea, but they do, all day!

I feel the same about Christmas time. It used to be that you'd look outside on Christmas Day and see kids pushing new dolls' prams, or riding new scooters, or bikes, or on new roller skates.

Hardly ever see kids out on Christmas Day now.

As has been said above, it's all down to technology - and possibly parents that can't be bothered to go outside and supervise their kids playing if they're really young.

Screens

Depends where you live. Council estates kids are still let out to play more than the posh families ones

They aren’t all inside on screens 🙄 not many out front in my street out except for in the cul-de-sac end because cars speed down here, but I can hear lots in their back gardens. Mines been outside playing basketball but it’s absolutely baking here 🥵

Where I live families are priced out, primary schools are closing, the sounds of children playing in back gardens has been replaced by 20/30 something’s in house shares partying

There's a row of houses round the corner from me where the children are often out with their bikes and scooters. But today some tosser had parked on the pavement barely leaving room for anyone to walk past, never mind play or ride a bike.

I did see a group of probably Yr5/Yr6 walking towards the shops.

Our park is crowded with kids. Not many on the street as too dangerous! They walk to the park either end (one has stuff to play on, the other is more formal).

A lot of kids play out in my town. There's always kids everywhere.

You only have to look at threads on here where people say their kids are only allowed to do structured activities, and are never allowed to just hang out. Plenty of posters who say their kids will never be allowed out alone or won't leave 18yr olds stay on their own overnight.
I think it's really sad.

I do understand that there's some areas that it might not be safe though like if you are living in some crime riddled gang area.

I live next to a park ~ it seems to me that more children attend organised events (football, Junior Park Run etc) but there are very few unaccompanied children playing there.

Such a shame as it's a lovely park, well used by local people as there are shops at one end, a cafe and community facilities so it all feels safe

Nothing. They're all outside my house

Depends where you live.
New build estate up to about 15 years old lots of young families moving in or young couples ready to have kids so lots of kids about

Estate thats 20+ years old plus less kids the kids are secondary aged pushing towards college, uni or working.

It then takes a long time for those houses to be filled in kids again and it becomes sporadic as the houses change hands.

I think Christmas one consideration is lots of parents will keep outdoor toy ideas for birthdays rather than the darkest time of year.

I agree that it’s very much about where you live. I don’t agree with the council estate/posh family statement though.

I live in a very middle class village and kids go out to play in the park and surrounding area on their own from around age 9.

Thanks all for the replies.

We don’t live on an estate, so that might be part of it. I do feel like back in the day you naturally knew far more people nearby.

Even my parents live on a 1960s estate and it’s mostly retired people now, and the ones who aren’t retired tend to have adult children.

Looking at my own street (small city), it’s mostly older people or people with no children.

So I do wonder if part of it is simply that there are fewer children around in some areas now, alongside all the screen time / clubs / traffic stuff people have mentioned.

It feels like there are fewer young families in everyday life, when was the last time you saw a pregnant woman out and about?

I suppose they are out there but we’re going to have to put effort into finding people.

I never really considered that all the families with young kids would be in a new build estate.

I live in an area with old terraced housing ~ there are lots of children around here as there is a very good school close by. People move here so their children can attend the school.