Letting Kids be Kids. Are We Too Protective of Our Children?

[PurdueMom]

Are we too protective of our children?    Do you monitor your children every second they are outside or are you comfortable to let them out of your sight?

Quoting another mom in another group: 

In 2006 (US census bureau): US population: children: 42,667,761; female 40,328,895: for a total of 82,996,656 people under the age of 19.

In 2002 (provided by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children): 797,500 people under 18 were reported missing. Of those cases, 203,900 were family abductions, 58,200 were nonfamily abductions, and only 115 were "stereotypical kidnappings" 

Assuming no population change between 2002 and 2006, and the help of some basic math:

% of children reported missing: 0.96%

% of children involved in a family abduction: 0.25%

% of children involved in non-family abductions: 0.07%

% of children involved in a stereotypical kidnapping: 0.0000014%

 

The odds of a child being randomly kidnapped by a total stranger is so miniscule, isn't it okay to loosen the reins a little a let a child play and explore within a pre-determined boundary out from under Mommy's watchful eyes?  Or is any risk, no matter how miniscule, too much for you to let your kid(s) roam your neighborhood as a free agent?

 

[EireLass]

Good for you!!  I have had similar posts like this because it disturbs me how lazy most parents are, and that is exactly what it is a mixture between stupidity and pure lazy.  Its sad that parents don't step up.  I have posted before that my daughter is 6 and has never had more than a handful of bruises, she has never had a broken anything or even a skinned knee and do you know why?  Because accidents can be prevented 90% of the time.  From the time my DD was born the house was "truly" babyproofed.  And from their I took the time to teach her right form wrong, just as you said with no jumping from the beds to wearing knee pads when she rides her bike and so on...

I have tons of friends who's kids look like they have been to war, and its because they do not take the time to teach their children nor watch their children's actitivites.  Sadly, they will end up paying for it one day.  And the few that escape trouble are the ones who will call us overprotective.  I could debate this topic for days on end, but most parents just don't get it.  My DD is a healthy, active, well adjusted 1st grader and I am proud of the job I am doing as a mom!!!

This also makes me wonder if you were a child or did you just jump ahed in time to become a parent? And do you hate your parents this much to say that when a kid gets a "boo boo" it's caused by parental laziness?

[anxiousschk]

Quoting Wyldbutterfly:

Quoting anxiousschk:

Hold on...a parent who has a kid who falls is lazy?

Am I reading that right?

Nah...I'm just lucky.  My 6 (almost 7) y.o. has had maybe 1 scraped knee...maybe? Some bruises...no broken bones..but heck..I barely had any broken bones...and it wasn't for lack of playing hard.

Some kids are just klutzy!

Case in point:  We were all sledding (whole neighborhood, parents and children) during our one real snowfall.  Everyone is fine the whole time....however, the neighborhood klutz manages to somehow twist his sled and curve in a way that no one else ever managed to in hours of sledding....somehow hits concrete and bam, head is cut open...stitches. 

He's also the kid that fell down the stairs TWICE in my house in 30 min when DD had already lived here for a year and never fallen down them once.

Not so coordinated.

Don't judge a parent by the bruises and scrapes a kid gets....I mean, really.  That's absurd.

I had to chuckle at this. For a few summers I had the Orthopaedics doctor on speed dial. My daughter had her first break when she was 3. She tripped in our backyard and broke her arm. The following year in pre k she fell off the balance beam and broke her other arm. My son oh sheesh where do I even start? He's such an active boy and always has been. His first break was his Clavicle bone from falling off his bike riding it in the quarry with his dad. His second break was his wrist he fell skateboarding and broke it. Then once again his wrist from skateboarding. Then once again his Clavicle bone playing football.  And lets not forget the finger he broke when he got into a fight with another boy over something so trivial.I was actually wondering what kind of parent the Ortho thought I was.  Not to mention all of the bumps, bruises, scraped shins and knees in between.  I must be the worlds laziest Mom. LOL

Kids will be kids and both of mine are into sports and very active. All of those breaks does not make me a lazy parent. I can't possibly stop every injury a child will incur over their life time. Then again at the same time I call myself a protective Mom because I really don't allow my children to do  a lot or so they seem to think.

For instance my 17 y/o thinks I am the meanest Mom because I will not just allow him to jump in a car with any kid he knows. And my daughter thinks I am the meanest Mom because I will not allow her to go over to the park that is four blocks away from home without a parent. And if they ride their bikes a helmet is a MUST!

I make them both check in with me all the time. They both have their own cell phones and I will not allow sleep overs if I do not know the parents of haven't directly spoke to the parents. I was surprised by how many parent actually allow it.

For the record..I don't view the above as "overprotective."  I view it as "common sense parenting"...which I know not all parents have.  I believe overprotective parents don't allow their children to ride in cars with other teen drivers, AT ALL.   A helmet? Again, common sense.  As for the park thing...it would depend on the age of the child and the area in which you live...DD is only 6 1/2 and there's no way she's going 4 blocks over without a responsible adult or teen. 

However, I'd let her at 10.