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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think 10 year olds could play with other kids in the school hols, without a military plan

50 replies

Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:25

and without having to look at everyones diary and plan days in advance, then text and email!

I know we have busy lives, but what happend to the days when you could just knock on your mates door and ask if they could play?

OP posts:
OrvilleRedenbacher · 10/04/2007 20:26

we do that aorund here
btu then we all live in raduis of say a mile

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:26

im moving to your area

OP posts:
Surfermum · 10/04/2007 20:28

Impromptu knocking round here too. The neighbours' children knock so early they've frequently seen me in my PJs .

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:32

I would love some bell ringing, send your children here!

We have big garden and trampoline, and recently re-discovered swingball.

OP posts:
fireflyfairy2 · 10/04/2007 20:34

When we were little we went out the back door in the morning with a jam sandwich & a bottle of diluted juice in our bag & mam never saw us again until dinner time!!!!

I miss those days

We used to knock the doors of our friends, their mam would answer

"Is Mary coming out to play?"

Out Mary would run, with her sandwich & a bag of crisps or something.. lovely picnics of warm jam & cheese sandwichs.. we were never sick in those days either..

OrvilleRedenbacher · 10/04/2007 20:35

new estates
i tell ya
kiddi heaven

Surfermum · 10/04/2007 20:35

Although the knocking in reality is actually texting or msn'ing. Dsd is always asking can I ring boy next door? Then moans when we say no put on some shoes and go and knock.

colditz · 10/04/2007 20:36

Knocking happens here, but then, I'm a bit Council

Londonmamma · 10/04/2007 20:38

Don't be daft, they could get knocked over by a paedophile in a 4x4

MerlinsBeard · 10/04/2007 20:39

jam AND cheese? togther? in the same sandwich?

We used to "knock on" as well

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:40

so new estates or council are the best at teaching social skills, whereas my dds will grow to be recluses as we live in an average street just ourside a town.

OP posts:
mum2sons · 10/04/2007 20:41

Orville, new estates, I agree, we are on one, it is fantastic , all the kids know each other and knock for one another here. I didnt see my 11 year old today as he was off playing tennis with his friends organised by themselves.

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:43

I am now sobbing and want to move.

OP posts:
fireflyfairy2 · 10/04/2007 20:44

Jam & cheese.. was it just the council estate kids who had jam & cheese?

Sometimes in the same sandwich, my brother always had them in the same sandwich!

misdee · 10/04/2007 20:45

i want to move as well. we have elderly peoples on our street plus my two other neighbours all who have older and severely disbaled children.

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:46

I wouldn't care what the ate as long as they played out for ages! Jam and pickle for all I care and they could bring back the rotten crusts!

OP posts:
Surfermum · 10/04/2007 20:48

We're neither new estate or council, we're an 1870's cottage in quite a posh area (although we aren't).

Tinker · 10/04/2007 20:48

That's what it was like in the last house. Sadly, bereft of kids same age here but, in theory, would still be doing that. Am amazed on mn at how many people don't seem to let their kids play out though. How do you keep thme in and what do you do all day? That's to no-one in particular btw.

Furrymummy · 10/04/2007 20:49

One of my brothers liked ham and jam sandwiches - yuck!

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:51

Surfermum if you have children of a similar age as neighbours its great. We did until about 3 years ago and the kids really missed them. We had a gap at the end of the fence and the used to go through to play all the time.

All others are old or with no children. Next door the lady is due in June and I have metioned that my dds will want to coo and fuss over new baby.

OP posts:
Londonmamma · 10/04/2007 20:51

Spent many years going out with them myself, have just got to the stage where they can play football on a patch of green near the house. Absolute bliss (though I'm not 100% relaxed about it). One friend who comes knocking - I love that as I really feel that's what today's kids miss out on - the ability to manage their own social lives.

fireflyfairy2 · 10/04/2007 20:52

I live on a farm in rural countryside. A far cry from the housing estate I grew up on.

My kids are 5 & 2.

DD has friends over from time to time as I am aware that she is bound to be lonely. I had 7 siblings so we made fun for eachother.

My sisters were 9 & 10 years older than me so they looked after me. We used to have a park beside our house, we played games for hours at night & mam just had to look out the window. There were always enough of us for a decent game of rounders, 4 a-side football etc..

To combat boredom in dd & ds here, I have a slide & swing set, a tent that stays outside, a playhouse, a trampoline, a see-saw.....numerous baby lambs being born at the minute that ds is mesmorised by! They have toy tractors each, & dd has a bike. But truth be told, i'd swap it all tomorrow to give them 6 months of living somewhere like I did, & having all those friends on my doorstep.

Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:54

Londonmamma I so agree, its all part of them learning and growing up. Its not that I just want to shove them out the dorr for a few hours, it so much more about them learning to manage and be social with other kids.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wotzsaname · 10/04/2007 20:56

ireflyfairy2, I too had a very different childhood to my dds. Lots of us just used to group up and go off and play. Loved it.

OP posts:
Surfermum · 10/04/2007 21:00

We did too, I was always out playing with someone, on my bike, on my roller skates, in someone's garden. I remember playing George and the Dragon and being tied to the boy next door's washing line .

When we first moved here there were no children other than the boy next door, but since dd was born there have been 3 or 4 other families moved in. It's lovely to see them all out playing football or man hunt.