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This is how I grew up in the US (central FL) in the 90's. I was 6-7 when I was riding my bike down to the corner store ~0.5mi away, and ~10 I was staying home a
by Tostino 4y ago
This is how I grew up in the US (central FL) in the 90's. I was 6-7 when I was riding my bike down to the corner store ~0.5mi away, and ~10 I was staying home and watching my sisters when necessary.
I was perfectly capable of cooking and looking after things. I just don't get this hysteria that seems to have gripped so many people. We are living in one of the safest times to be alive.
- dave78 4y agoI grew up like this too (in the US in the 80s). I now have an 8 year old, and I think she would be fine at home alone for a while if necessary (especially with easy access to me via phone/Alexa/whatever). However, in my state (Illinois), the government has made it illegal to leave my kids home alone until they are 14 (14!) years old. This is insanity, but I don't dare risk it because on the off chance anything happened and the police found out, I fear the government would take my children away. I don't think the hysteria is coming from the average American. I think it is coming from nanny-state politicians who want to campaign on "cracking down on child abuse" or whatever.
- aidenn0 4y ago14 is insanely old. 1/3 of my class were latchkey kids by 6th grade, and my (very overprotective compared to my peers') mom got a job when I was in 7th grade so I came home to an empty house at 13.
- Symbiote 4y agoI took a bus home from school a couple of times a week (when my mum's commute didn't take her past my school) from age 11 or so. It was great. Since it wasn't a school bus, it was easy to wander round the shops or the park etc and take the bus 10 or 20 minutes later.