How much should kids be protected?

**alaskaguy** · 03-18-2009, 09:33 PM

I grew up in a smaller Iowa community (Spencer, Iowa). I used to walk to school and ride my bicycle around town as a kid.

Reading the following story made me wonder if it is safe for kids to do these things anymore:

"My 10-year-old son wanted the chance to walk from our house to soccer practice behind an elementary school about 1/3 mile from our house. He had walked in our neighborhood a number of times with the family and we have driven the route to practice who knows how many times. It was broad daylight - 5:00 pm. I had to be at the field myself 15 minutes after practice started, so I gave him my cell phone and told him I would be there to check that he made it and sent him off. He got 3 blocks and a police car intercepted him. The police came to my house — after I had left — and spoke with my younger children (who were home with Grandma). They then found me at the soccer field and proceeded to tell me how I could be charged with child endangerment. They said they had gotten “hundreds” of calls to 911 about him walking. Now, I know bad things can happen and I wasn’t flippant about letting him go and not checking up, but come on. I live in a small town in Mississippi. To be perfectly honest, I’m much more concerned about letting him attend a birthday party sleepover next Friday, but I’m guessing the police wouldn’t be at my house if I chose to let him go (which I probably won’t)."

link:
A Mom Lets Her Son Walk to Soccer…And The Police Come Calling « FreeRangeKids

**whirlybirds** · 03-18-2009, 09:45 PM

id have no problem with a 10 year old making the walk (that is if it was a decent neighborhood) but i think the police have to inform the parent since we live in a society where it common to blame all of your problems on everyone else than it is yourself. id do the same if i were the cop just to avoid a lawsuit……

**kingcy** · 03-18-2009, 09:47 PM

Where was this. That is a little extreme.

**alaskaguy** · 03-18-2009, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by kingcy

Where was this. That is a little extreme.

The article said it occurred in a small town in Mississippi.

**IcSyU** · 03-18-2009, 09:55 PM

JUST a little bit weird. God, if the police in my hometown stopped all of us when we were 10 on our bikes, they'da never gotten anything else done!

**Cyclonesrule91** · 03-18-2009, 09:59 PM

Goof grief, when I was 10 I was doing field work and other chores driving tractors and vehicles 3 miles between farms all the time throughout the year. My parents would have had a record a mile long.

**SeattleClone** · 03-18-2009, 10:02 PM

Depends on if it was uphill both ways, or just one.

**cmoneyr** · 03-18-2009, 10:04 PM

When I was 10 I walked 7 miles to work in a factory for 8 hours and then had to go home and take care of my 3 kids.

**cybsball20** · 03-18-2009, 10:10 PM

I would go door to door to find out who called the cops... What a bunch of pansies... I grew up in a town that had a serial killer and we weren't that sheltered...

**Cyclonepride** · 03-18-2009, 10:13 PM

While I am admittedly overprotective of my child, and would hesitate to send my son by himself, if I chose to do so, and a cop showed up at my doorstep, I would tell him to kiss my ****ing ***.

**jaretac** · 03-18-2009, 10:14 PM

1/3 of a mile, seriously? I went on longer hikes in the wilderness by myself at 10. I don't believe the statement about hundreds of calls either, if it was really just a third of a mile, there was either 10 calls at most, or something else was going on that is not.

**cmoneyr** · 03-18-2009, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

While I am admittedly overprotective of my child, and would hesitate to send my son by himself, if I chose to do so, and a cop showed up at my doorstep, I would tell him to kiss my ****ing ***.

I do find it's best to mouth off to public servants who are trying to do their job.

**tman24** · 03-18-2009, 10:20 PM

i am sure the cops had nothing else to do so they took the calls i know many cops in my hometown that would pull you over for stupid stuff instead of going after the meth heads.

**kingcy** · 03-18-2009, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by tman24

i am sure the cops had nothing else to do so they took the calls i know many cops in my hometown that would pull you over for stupid stuff instead of going after the meth heads.

Thats in any small town. Kids are easier to pick on plus cops like to flirt with the HS girls. I had my car searched a few times while in HS, just because the cop needed something to do.

**Cyclonepride** · 03-18-2009, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by cmoneyr

I do find it's best to mouth off to public servants who are trying to do their job.

Since when is it a cop's job to determine when my child is ready to walk a short distance by himself? I believe his job is to make sure that it's safe for a kid to do so.