Just a couple of decades ago, it was perfectly fine for children to play outside completely unsupervised. They usually played with friends on the street on which they lived, and would have to be called back in by their parents when dinner was ready. However, if you take a look at streets across the country these days, you will notice that they are a lot quieter than what they used to be. That’s because more and more parents are reluctant to let their children play outside unsupervised. Sure, they will leave them in their garden, but not many parents are happy about children playing out on the streets these days.
Is that really the right attitude to take? Here are some arguments for and against.
No: Stranger Danger
You will have no doubt heard about the case of Madeleine McCann, who went missing when on a family holiday in Portugal in 2007. Even though she has never been found and no one knows what happened to her, the case has sent shockwaves around the world, as many parents now worry about their own children being abducted. As a result, many parents are now focused on keeping their children safe, and would rather they played in their sight at all times.
Yes: Imagination Inspiration
Some people believe that children spend too much time in front of their screens these days. As a result, they have poor imaginations and have a hard time trying to entertain themselves without computers and game consoles. So, a few parents make their children spend some of their free time outside as it can be great inspiration for the imagination. Kids can come up with lots of fun games outside and can also reconnect with nature.
No: Increased Chance Of Accidents
Not everyone believes that children are safe when playing outside out of sight of adults. And that isn’t only because of stranger danger. Children can easily end up in accidents and getting injured whenever they are playing out of sight of their parents. In fact, some parents have even ended up visiting the Law Offices of George Salinas after their child was a pedestrian victim involved in a car accident. And as there are now more cars than ever before out on the roads, there’s no wonder why more parents are restricting their children’s outdoor time to in their own garden.
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Yes: Teach Resilience
Of course, getting scraped knees and tripping over is all part of growing up, right? Sure, no parent wants their child to be seriously injured, but minor scrapes like these are all normal with kids of various ages. And they help them to build resilience. It teaches kids that even though they might fall down sometimes, they will still be able to brush themselves off and get back up as if nothing even happened.
So, where do you stand on this debate? Each side has some very convincing arguments, so there is no wonder that a lot of people find it hard to make a decision.
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