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Much as we are finding about obesity being caused by the "food environment", there's an unhealthy "kid environment" in many places these days. I have a 12 year

Much as we are finding about obesity being caused by the "food environment", there's an unhealthy "kid environment" in many places these days. I have a 12 year old, and he barely would go run around our neighborhood growing up because there weren't any other kids doing it. We tried to get him to do it, but none of his friends would join him. Other neighborhoods achieve a critical mass and have tons of kids that run around playing. It bums me out a bit, but I've compensated by getting him involved in lots of camps and activities, which I think are more interesting anyway. Growing up, sure we ran around and did some things, but it was usually pretty boring. My son would get to spend summers fishing, learning different sports, kayaking, running through different parks, and many other activities that I never go to experience. It's a difficult balance, and just excruciating during the pandemic to figure out. And now that my son is 12 and vaccinated, it turns out most of his friends think playing outside is a "dumb little kids thing". And there are hardly any camps, and the few that exist filled up instantly. So I'm acting as a bit of a camp counselor this summer and working more in the evenings so I can bring him places with friends.

semitones 5y ago
I'm sorry to hear that, it does sound like a bummer. I grew up in a small residential community, and running around with my friends through the neighborhood from the age of 8-15 was a huge part of my development. Really can't imagine who I would be today if it wasn't for those super fun times.
YeezyMode 5y ago
Could you explain why you feel bummed about it? You've clearly exposed your child to a world of fulfilling outdoor activities that are far richer than what a group of kids could get up to in a neighborhood. I myself had the freedom as a child that many in this thread fondly remember, and yes, making friends and spending time with them was highly influential. But all my significant memories involve sleepovers, watching movies/playing video games, or family vacations. Simply being allowed to go outside didn't really do much for me, and my most defining life experiences at this point occurred in high school and the two years after graduating. I think that if you as a parent are giving your child the freedom to go outside and explore however they want, as well as a minimum amount of advice, that's really where the advantage lies. Being told that the world is dangerous and constantly being smothered definitely causes issues but I don't think there's anything inherently valuable about socializing in a very specific way.
- gilbetron 5y ago
  Two things. First, the pandemic has me bummed because our son has largely had to sit around inside for the past 15 months due to living in a relatively barren "kid environment" in our neighborhood. That is most of the reason for me being bummed. Related, I like balance, and while we tried to fill our son's time with activities, I think some more free play would've done him good, but, again, our barren kid environment didn't really allow for it. I was the opposite growing up, with nothing but "get out and play" for my entire kid life until my first summer camp as a teenager. It had its upsides, but I think I would've been better served by having more structured activities that exposed me to more things in life. Regardless, kids are resilient and they learn what they learn and find their own way in life, ours is no different!

semitones 5y ago

I'm sorry to hear that, it does sound like a bummer. I grew up in a small residential community, and running around with my friends through the neighborhood from the age of 8-15 was a huge part of my development. Really can't imagine who I would be today if it wasn't for those super fun times.

YeezyMode 5y ago

Could you explain why you feel bummed about it? You've clearly exposed your child to a world of fulfilling outdoor activities that are far richer than what a group of kids could get up to in a neighborhood. I myself had the freedom as a child that many in this thread fondly remember, and yes, making friends and spending time with them was highly influential. But all my significant memories involve sleepovers, watching movies/playing video games, or family vacations. Simply being allowed to go outside didn't really do much for me, and my most defining life experiences at this point occurred in high school and the two years after graduating. I think that if you as a parent are giving your child the freedom to go outside and explore however they want, as well as a minimum amount of advice, that's really where the advantage lies. Being told that the world is dangerous and constantly being smothered definitely causes issues but I don't think there's anything inherently valuable about socializing in a very specific way.

gilbetron 5y ago
Two things. First, the pandemic has me bummed because our son has largely had to sit around inside for the past 15 months due to living in a relatively barren "kid environment" in our neighborhood. That is most of the reason for me being bummed. Related, I like balance, and while we tried to fill our son's time with activities, I think some more free play would've done him good, but, again, our barren kid environment didn't really allow for it. I was the opposite growing up, with nothing but "get out and play" for my entire kid life until my first summer camp as a teenager. It had its upsides, but I think I would've been better served by having more structured activities that exposed me to more things in life. Regardless, kids are resilient and they learn what they learn and find their own way in life, ours is no different!