to feel sorry for kids who are always playing out

[vodkanchocolate]

Probilly sounding very judgmental here. On our bit of street we have 2 families who never seem to do anything with their kids they are just playing out constantly I often wonder when they manage to go in for tea/dinner let alone baths, homework etc.

So yesterday dinner was time for us to go out go find my eldest dd who said why cant she play out with the others explained we are going to see an elderly relative whos about celebrate her 80th then we can call to the near by park this girl was listneing in and said thats laim fair enough not the most entertaining day for a 9 year old but the younger ones enjoyed themselves. Got back tea time and the bunch of same kids were still all i the street aged ranges from 4-12 and apparently one of the kids have said to my 2 eldest that Im stuck up and trying to stop them playing with the other kids. Why the hell would an 8 year old come out with that comment.

My kids do play out particully my 9 year old and never stopped her playing with anyone theres the odd incident where ill say think you best come away for a bit to avoid something.

Its same after school eve on a school night during summer months out until 9pm some nights wonder where the hell they find time to do stuff.

Sorry on phone today typing not very good.

That is the point the OP was making. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with children playing outside for hours and being allowed a degree of freedom; but that there is something sad about children who are always trailing around the roads, out in all weathers, and seem to have no regular meals or bedtimes or routines around which their family life is structured.

How can this be inferred? Kids always on the road/ all weather does not mean lack of care.

Who can tell their meals/bedtimes or family structures?

It's all inference/guesswork and judginess. The word is "seem".

So you are saying that there are no neglected children wandering the streets and that no citizen should feel sympathy or concern for such children because they shouldn't go on what they see?

"Kids always on the road/ all weather does not mean lack of care."

Yes, it does.

*Kids always on the road/ all weather does not mean lack of care."

Yes, it does.*

Would you like to say why?

So you are saying that there are no neglected children wandering the streets and that no citizen should feel sympathy or concern for such children because they shouldn't go on what they see?

No, but that's not what the OP has seen. The OP has inferred causes.

So you are saying that there are no neglected children wandering the streets and that no citizen should feel sympathy or concern for such children because they shouldn't go on what they see

Nope, The sensible posters are saying that neglected children wandering the streets are (and here is the important bit) are neglected children wandering the street. And children playing out happily are (see if you can guess?) are children playing out happily!
All you have to do is use a tiny bit of common sense and the difference between these two very separate categories will be stunningly obvious!

Echt

Do I really have to spell it out. If I see a small child out every day from 8am until 9 or 10 pm, never being called in when it's lashing rain, or to put on a jumper when it's getting cold, or for meals or for bedtime then he is being neglected.
You can nit pick and keep coming back asking why, why why as much as you like. But there are certain minimum levels of care that even the most free spirited child needs and they need to be fed and kept warm and to be at home safe and sound when it's dark and the other children have all been called home.
If you can't see that, well what more can I say?

So the sensible posters are those who agree with you, Winter.

The OP, as I have been at some pains to point out, has seen something to pity in the entirely ordinary. I see no neglect or wandering kids in the OP's OP.

Chalet has made the same point, and has put it better than I could have.

I'm not addressing you, ballet, but the OP's OP.

Ballet you must spend an awful lot of time in your window if that's the case. I'd never have the time to watch other people's kids so closely

Winter that's what everyone has been trying to say. But people have to give examples, which was what a previous poster did. Very few posters have said that all children out playing are neglected, or that it's impossible to tell the difference between the neglected kids and the happily out playing ones.
But some posters are then coming back saying 'well my kids play out a lot and they're not neglected'. It is those posters who don't seem to be differentiating.

So the sensible posters are those who agree with you, Winter.

Yes. Glad you're catching on

No I don't Sharon, and what a cheap silly argument.

But I live right beside the Green and a playground so it's not difficult to spot the same faces all the time, particularly if it's raining or it's really late and it's always the same two or three kids still outside and always the same kids involved in trouble and hassle and trespassing etc.

?

Not cheap or silly I wouldn't have a clue how often kids had been outside here

So what's your point exactly? That kids who are wandering around all the time, out late at night, always getting into trouble should not be noticed?

My point is you must have time to pay an awful lot of attention to when they go inside for meals when parents come out to them etc

Yes Sharon I will sometimes go out to the bins or whatever and think 'there's' that child again on his own. The other kids all seem to have been called in for his tea'. Or I will be driving home from somewhere at 9.30 and see the same child wandering around in the dark. Or I will go to close my window because it's lashing rain and see him throwing a ball against the wall wearing a t-shirt. Or there will be some trouble and hassle from a group of children and I will sigh inwardly and think 'I might have known he'd be involved as usual'.

You don't have to be permanently standing at your window with a notebook to form an impression about a child who is constantly hanging around your road (as I suspect you know, really).

But you may just not happen to be looking when mum calls this child in for tea or whatever. If you really are concerned that certain children are being neglected have you ever contacted the nspcc/social services with your concerns?

'Some days' is different from 'all the time'

If the weather is nice it would be most days and to be honest they would not be bothered if it was every day.

No, because as you say I don't have any definite proof or evidence. That doesn't stop me forming a general opinion about a child I see every day, often out in bad weather, often inappropriately dressed, often out later than his peers and feeling sorry for him.

You can still report on a hunch.
Just that if you have reached that conclusion and have these concerns it's worth acting on