My Children Will Do It Differently

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I have been sitting here considering this topic on and off in my mind for a couple of days now. Not because I cannot think about any content for this, but because there is so many possibilities to what my children will do differently.


I am going to start with the differences I currently see between what I could do as a child and what my children do differently. When I was a young child I would be free to go and play on the streets with my friends, riding our bikes, kicking the football around, having water balloon fights - not necessarily ON the streets, be it in parks, front yards, or yes, sometimes on the actual streets.


As a parent, I do not feel comfortable allowing my children to do this. Not that my parents were uncaring, they were actually quite strict - especially in regards to our safety. Times have changed though. No longer can young children be out playing until the street lights turn on, no longer can they go wandering around the neighbourhood playing imaginary games.


The whole idea of stranger danger was around when I was growing up, so that can't be the sole reason behind it. I just cannot fathom the idea of allowing a child to go out playing in the streets with their friends without any adult supervision or form of safety barrier from all the evils in the world!


Of course it's not a bad thing that many parents are sheltering their children from the outside world, is it? I'm not so sure. In one way I feel I am doing the right thing by making my children do it differently, but at the same time I cannot help but feel as though this sheltered lifestyle is limiting their imaginations, their ability to experience a relatively care free childhood and their social skills.


This is one post topic that I believe I am going to have to carry on over multiple posts, there is just so much to say in regard to this! What do you think? Do you shelter your children?