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> get left alone all day This is called "benign neglect" and for me at least, it was an _essential_ part of my upbringing. I got to pursue stuff without interf

by m0zg 6y ago

> get left alone all day This is called "benign neglect" and for me at least, it was an _essential_ part of my upbringing. I got to pursue stuff without interference. Nobody forced me to do sports, join clubs, study anything. After I came home from school I was completely on my own and did whatever the heck I wanted, from a very early age. Want to spend an afternoon soldering something? Fine. Fixing a moped? Go right ahead. Not doing anything at all? That's fine too. > puts kids in contact with adults who can serve as role models Do you have kids that attend public schools? God help us all if kids treat 80% of their teachers as "role models". One in five teachers my son is in contact with even remotely passes as a role model. Older guy, leads the school band. Everyone else couldn't give less of a shit even if they tried. And why give a shit? You can't be fired for not giving it anyway.

balabaster 6y ago
This was a part of my childhood too - mostly due to necessity of the fact that my Mom was a single Mom and if she wasn't at work, we didn't eat or have a roof over our heads. But I never felt like I was lacking for anything... I learned to manage my own boredom, find things to do that inspired me of my own doing. It forced me to forge my own destiny to a large extent. I realize that this was largely left to chance and that not many kids are self motivated to do much and fall in with circles of friends that lead them down a bad path, but I guess I lucked out.
- Olreich 6y ago
  I don’t think it’s luck. Look at the Andy Griffith show for a glimpse of how children used to be treated close to a century ago. Look at small villages in many parts of the world. Children are basically given free reign to go and do what they want outside of specific times (school and nighttime). When you give a child freedom, they generally explore, learn, and exercise. Sometimes they do stupid things, but I’d be surprised if heavily structured days for children is good for children.
  - m0zg 6y ago
    > they generally explore, learn, and exercise Not anymore. Now they watch YouTube and play games. 100% passive brain rot. Source: have a 16 year old son.

by m0zg 6y ago

balabaster 6y ago

This was a part of my childhood too - mostly due to necessity of the fact that my Mom was a single Mom and if she wasn't at work, we didn't eat or have a roof over our heads. But I never felt like I was lacking for anything... I learned to manage my own boredom, find things to do that inspired me of my own doing. It forced me to forge my own destiny to a large extent. I realize that this was largely left to chance and that not many kids are self motivated to do much and fall in with circles of friends that lead them down a bad path, but I guess I lucked out.

Olreich 6y ago
I don’t think it’s luck. Look at the Andy Griffith show for a glimpse of how children used to be treated close to a century ago. Look at small villages in many parts of the world. Children are basically given free reign to go and do what they want outside of specific times (school and nighttime). When you give a child freedom, they generally explore, learn, and exercise. Sometimes they do stupid things, but I’d be surprised if heavily structured days for children is good for children.
- m0zg 6y ago
  > they generally explore, learn, and exercise Not anymore. Now they watch YouTube and play games. 100% passive brain rot. Source: have a 16 year old son.