Why do people say it’s not safe for kids to play outside anymore?

[Waitingforthesunnydays]

People always say things like “it’s not like it used to be, kids can’t go off and play outside on their own these days”, “In my day we’d be out playing all day, the world’s not what it used to be”, “You can’t do that these days, it’s just not safe” etc etc. AIBU for thinking the world’s no more dangerous than it was in the 70s/80s/90s and it’s just and excuse for parents not to feel guilty about letting their kids sit home gaming all day? I get that we are now more aware & educated about the dangers (although in the 80s weren’t parents obsessed with “stranger danger”? - there were ad campaigns about it everywhere) but it doesn’t mean it actually IS more dangerous. Or am I missing something? Is the world somehow more dangerous in this respect now? I grew up in a rural area in the 90s and as a kid I’d be out morning till evening every weekend roaming for miles with all the village kids. Nothing bad ever happened and we were never in any kind of danger. I live in a rural area now and I’d love for my kids to have the kind of childhood I had but for their friends’ parents it’s all about structured play dates and organised trips to play centres etc. so even if they wanted to go knock on their mates’ doors to ask if they want to come out and play (they’re 9 & 11) the parents wouldn’t appreciate it or let them out at all.

I’m not sure it’s ever been safe really. A look at PIVs shows the dangers of railway lines and cars, electricity pylons and water, as well as the dangers from other children and predatory adults.

There’s always the what if factor. I’ve seen on here and in press comments very quick to judge teachers or leaders. It’s no surprise numbers of volunteers in youth organisations are low and groups closing.

There was a reason there were safety (horror!) awareness films, still have nightmares about the farm and train ones in the 70s/80s!.

3 children in my year group when I was in Primary school in 70s were knocked down by cars whilst out playing (separate incidents). 2 ended up with broken bones but were fine, one died. I remember the Green Cross Code man (Darth Vader) coming into out school to give road safety advice after the last incident.

There was a lot of peer on peer abuse going on whilst children were out playing, very often not reported, even to parents. It was not all idyllic

Think about how much peer on peer abuse happens in schools nowadays, including the impact of social media and mobile phones. Replicate that when kids are playing out unsupervised

It is far too dangerous nowadays with all the paedos and junkies around. It's a shame because I really enjoyed "playing out" as a kid

Define safe. You always have to balance risk. Keeping them inside and supervised takes away the chance to learn lots of skills, risk assessment, physical development, sharing, imagination, independence. It also means they're more likely to be online with all the associated risks there. Outside, yes, there are the risks of cars, crime, bullying.

Do You honestly think there’s more paedophiles now than there was in the past? We hear about them more. Drugs, suppose it’s area dependent, obviously people use drugs everywhere but where I am certainly isn’t too bad but that’s a call you need to take.

I appreciate in some areas there’s lots of traffic and junkies. I live in a nice low crime area, on a nice housing estate with a nice park/playing field. Children on estate or village can access it safely on pavement. It’s very low use even on summer evenings and school holidays. It’s a shame.

There isn’t is there: that’s the problem.

By and large it’s not just probability but risk.

So something may have a high probability but low risk: car accidents for example, it is highly likely it will happen but the risk of death or serious injury is relatively small.

Being abducted and murdered by a sex offender is very low probability but very, very high risk.

it is always going to be up to the individual parent(s) what the probability is likely to be and the resulting risk factor.

You didn't actually just say that?

You may not like it but it is correct. Hence heir and spare(s).

Of course it's not correct, FFS. What imaginary time period are you talking about?

Your children are at far higher risk inside your home and that of your family and friends than they are outside.

Childhood is a pretty recent concept.

I am going to be honest. I live in an area with many immigrant men who hang around. Also not to mention the druggies and drunks. I don't think my daughter who is eight-blond, blue eyed, tall, etc would be safe. We are hoping to move. I would of course love for her to play out but no thanks. Not many kids play out.

No she's right. My Gran had 5 kids and there were a couple she wasn't really arsed about so she'd just let them play in the middle of the street. With matches.

I think in some areas more kids spend more time in childcare or organised activties than hanging around in home neigbourhoods - after school weekends and school hoildays - so aren't around to be out and playing in neighbourhood.

Last place we lived hardly saw any kids outside school hours and organised groups - my kids were in local area around with me in parks and walks. Their mates were on days out with parents who take time off work - with family either doing same or in their houses or in paid childcare. Weekends often full of swimming lessons or dance - which couldn't be fitted in during week round both parents work schedules.

Probably because when the children are at home, they are "safe" on their screens. Therefore, parents can be left alone on theirs.

We live in an estate with only one way in and out so there's always loads of kids out playing.

There are also loads of grumpy adults moaning about it.

Generational creep and what we consider safe / suitable for children - go back a few generations and find 8 year olds being sent off to sea as cabin boys / boys up chimneys, in the 1880s and up to1924 children as young as 5 worked in factories and on farms. Then 100 years ago compulsory school until 14 was introduced - after which many kids went straight to the mines or factories or sent away from home as maids etc.

Universal H&S consciousness. It isn't just children who are living more risk averse lives. Every tiny thing in the workplace is risk assessed. MN is full of grown women who are terrified to do things women in the past wouldn't have thought twice about (open the door / walk to the local shop after dark / and other less extreme examples)

Drug dealing. In our friendship group the kids went to the park on their own by about 9 or 10, but we were well aware that drug dealers and their dogs, and clients, frequented the park. In some areas kids are recruited as juniors in the county lines racket from 10 years old. Lookouts etc.

Skate parks - mine went to the skate park from about 11 - a nice community actually, in our s London skate parks, with adult skaters supervising, and older teens encouraging younger ones, BUT the culture was heavily weed-orientated.

Kids have fewer siblings to watch out for them. More only children.

Majority of parents out at work full time. Kids are in childcare, not at home to go out. Fewer kids to play with for same reason. Including during summer.

People (mothers) also out at work, not at home means no network/ community of parents at home to collectively keep an eye on kids.

Traffic as mentioned by PPs.

Greater chance of negative judgment/ accusations of neglect if you let them out and something does happen.

It isn't as safe. I grew up in the 1970s. There were about 12 cars in our entire street of about 150 houses. Same street now has 150 cars coming and going. Children playing in the street would be a nightmare for drivers and cars a serious hazard to children. Same with walking to school. We could do it in primary school when we were very young because there were so few cars on the road. Now they zoom by.

Because it isn't safe

My teenage son and his friend were chased into a shop and assaulted by a gang of teenagers, they were also threatened with a knife. The police said they were an easy target and to avoid the town! We live quite rural and he's now to scared to go out in our local village on his own because some of the boys live here. My other son is to scared to go to local park because older kids shout and threaten people. We had a curfew in place last year because of anti social behaviour etc... We live on a small island in a small village. I didn't remember anything like that when I grew up here but it could be different for boys and girls.

I did play outside with neighbourhood kids myself but then everyone knew everyone and looked out for each other. Where I live now I only know my immediate neighbors and cautiously let my 2 play out nearby with friends from school as they got older but I did worry..

My kids played out in park without me from year 5. They knew to run home - not far and no main roads - if there were any issues. No one ever said to me it was unsafe. Most of their friends started to do the same around this time or a little later, depending on how cautious mums were and if there was a main road between home and the park. I mean, by secondary school they are off on their own entirely, so they need to get used to it.