You know I’m with you on this one. I try to be rational in the things I protect my kids from and not respond to all the fear and hype. I want them to not only be free but to learn how to do things for and by themselves. They’ll never learn how to do that if I’m always hovering and bubble-wrapping everything for them. Yes, they may get some injuries along the way (hopefully none serious) but that’s how they’ll learn.
Kate, I feel like you are right on the money with this. I feel like I’m constantly bombarded with precautions, preventative measures, and safety plans, it’s overwhelming! Every single day that I send my daughter out into the world I worry (in some small place in the back of my mind,) today is the day she could have an anaphylactic reaction. My life is a constant game of balancing fear with reality and fear with freedom. I do not want my daughter to grow up being anxious, fearful or limited by her allergies. I take the safety jargon that is thrown into my life everyday and I balance it with cold, hard data. She will grow up being free, creative, and enjoying life, and I will do my best everyday to protect her with my safety aura, of course it will age me prematurely, but I guess that’s why they invented Botox 😉
I wonder about this constantly. I think that Sarah is right – it is probably due to the fact that we have CONSTANT access to information and hear about things that happen almost in real time. With regard to warning labels, I wonder if some of this is due, in part, to the fact that people have become lawsuit-happy and this is a company’s way to protect themselves?
Oh, yes, I’m sure those warning labels are in part to protect themselves ~ it’s sad we live in a society where THAT is a consideration too! Thanks for your sweet words, Dear Sister! ♥
I hear ya Sista!!.I totally agree!! I have read some good articles regarding this exact topic one of the articles is called something like: Americans have it all wrong on raising kids, & it talks about things like letting kids climb trees and use knives for cutting fruits and vegetables, another article I just read last night on Facebook something about three things parents do wrong.when leading their kids, basically keeping them in a bubble and not letting them choose their own path and make third own mistakes, as a mom out of 5 young kids my husband and I believe in letting our kids live.even if that means they get scrapes and bruises and it’s also for kids not to be spoiled so much and to let them be let down sometimes, and let them handle it and figure it out and we can guide them but they are your own person!!
I can’t tell you how many times other parents come to me while I’m at the playground and say is that you’re kid way up high on the monkey bars or on the baseball fence or in the tree, do you know that they are doing that?? and I reply by saying um yeah I’m right here and I see them:) we teach our kids to use knives to cut food, and to use the Army knife because really it comes in handy, peel apples…. climb trees explore on their own, yes we go over safety first but then we give the freedom to do what we taught them to do and they learn much better while doing rather than by listening & by being protected 100 percent.
I am with you. The funny thing is that society is statistically safer than it was when we were kids! Violent crime is DOWN. The difference is that we SEE it all now, thanks for the 24/7 global media. Horrible unthinkable things that happen halfway around the world where we only actually know half the story are plastered everywhere, and it of course makes us all think “what if”. I think, as you said, when kids know you trust them to do things that others may not deem “age appropriate” they’re less likely to get hurt and less likely to do things that ARE truly dangerous. I let my 4 year old use knives to get his own lunch and snacks all the time. He slices cheese and apples, pours juice, and climbs on the counter with a chair to get a plate. He is careful, and I am never even there to supervise. 🙂
Yay for you, Mama! I’ve been leaving my 8 year old at home in charge of my 5 year old for 20 minutes at a time lately, and while others would think they are too young, I KNOW my kids and I know they can handle this. Plus they have my number on speed-dail. 😉 (and now I’m wondering if this is one of the things I shouldn’t confess. Nevermind! I didn’t mean it!)
For me and my little family, we work on a combo of safety precautions and trust. I agree that our society has become more fear based. I mean when I was a kid my parents let us play all over the neighborhood for hours without checking in on us and I loved it. They knew generally where we would be and just let us play. People don’t do that anymore. However, I do think there are safety precautions that are logical like kids wearing helmets and people wearing seat belts. For us it’s about trying to strike a balance.
We played all over the neighborhood too as children! And I think seat belts are a good idea, I just don’t like that it’s a LAW. I think people should be in charge of their own safety. (But then I don’t believe in laws anyway. Left to our own devices, I think we could be a very trust-worthy species!)
CT Working Moms 
You know I’m with you on this one. I try to be rational in the things I protect my kids from and not respond to all the fear and hype. I want them to not only be free but to learn how to do things for and by themselves. They’ll never learn how to do that if I’m always hovering and bubble-wrapping everything for them. Yes, they may get some injuries along the way (hopefully none serious) but that’s how they’ll learn.
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Kate, I feel like you are right on the money with this. I feel like I’m constantly bombarded with precautions, preventative measures, and safety plans, it’s overwhelming! Every single day that I send my daughter out into the world I worry (in some small place in the back of my mind,) today is the day she could have an anaphylactic reaction. My life is a constant game of balancing fear with reality and fear with freedom. I do not want my daughter to grow up being anxious, fearful or limited by her allergies. I take the safety jargon that is thrown into my life everyday and I balance it with cold, hard data. She will grow up being free, creative, and enjoying life, and I will do my best everyday to protect her with my safety aura, of course it will age me prematurely, but I guess that’s why they invented Botox 😉
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lol! Love this whole comment, especially the last line! ♥
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I wonder about this constantly. I think that Sarah is right – it is probably due to the fact that we have CONSTANT access to information and hear about things that happen almost in real time. With regard to warning labels, I wonder if some of this is due, in part, to the fact that people have become lawsuit-happy and this is a company’s way to protect themselves?
You are too cute. Love your video posts.
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Oh, yes, I’m sure those warning labels are in part to protect themselves ~ it’s sad we live in a society where THAT is a consideration too! Thanks for your sweet words, Dear Sister! ♥
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I hear ya Sista!!.I totally agree!! I have read some good articles regarding this exact topic one of the articles is called something like: Americans have it all wrong on raising kids, & it talks about things like letting kids climb trees and use knives for cutting fruits and vegetables, another article I just read last night on Facebook something about three things parents do wrong.when leading their kids, basically keeping them in a bubble and not letting them choose their own path and make third own mistakes, as a mom out of 5 young kids my husband and I believe in letting our kids live.even if that means they get scrapes and bruises and it’s also for kids not to be spoiled so much and to let them be let down sometimes, and let them handle it and figure it out and we can guide them but they are your own person!!
I can’t tell you how many times other parents come to me while I’m at the playground and say is that you’re kid way up high on the monkey bars or on the baseball fence or in the tree, do you know that they are doing that?? and I reply by saying um yeah I’m right here and I see them:) we teach our kids to use knives to cut food, and to use the Army knife because really it comes in handy, peel apples…. climb trees explore on their own, yes we go over safety first but then we give the freedom to do what we taught them to do and they learn much better while doing rather than by listening & by being protected 100 percent.
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lol, oh yes! I’ve seen those parents come up to you on the playground! You are one impressive, trust-worthy Mama!
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I am with you. The funny thing is that society is statistically safer than it was when we were kids! Violent crime is DOWN. The difference is that we SEE it all now, thanks for the 24/7 global media. Horrible unthinkable things that happen halfway around the world where we only actually know half the story are plastered everywhere, and it of course makes us all think “what if”. I think, as you said, when kids know you trust them to do things that others may not deem “age appropriate” they’re less likely to get hurt and less likely to do things that ARE truly dangerous. I let my 4 year old use knives to get his own lunch and snacks all the time. He slices cheese and apples, pours juice, and climbs on the counter with a chair to get a plate. He is careful, and I am never even there to supervise. 🙂
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Yay for you, Mama! I’ve been leaving my 8 year old at home in charge of my 5 year old for 20 minutes at a time lately, and while others would think they are too young, I KNOW my kids and I know they can handle this. Plus they have my number on speed-dail. 😉 (and now I’m wondering if this is one of the things I shouldn’t confess. Nevermind! I didn’t mean it!)
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For me and my little family, we work on a combo of safety precautions and trust. I agree that our society has become more fear based. I mean when I was a kid my parents let us play all over the neighborhood for hours without checking in on us and I loved it. They knew generally where we would be and just let us play. People don’t do that anymore. However, I do think there are safety precautions that are logical like kids wearing helmets and people wearing seat belts. For us it’s about trying to strike a balance.
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We played all over the neighborhood too as children! And I think seat belts are a good idea, I just don’t like that it’s a LAW. I think people should be in charge of their own safety. (But then I don’t believe in laws anyway. Left to our own devices, I think we could be a very trust-worthy species!)
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