Reader says the crime rate today is lower than anytime since the 1950s. Children should be free to roam as they did then
One of the reasons I moved to Ridgewood is that we are better at this than most communities. Kids still ride bikes around town together and you see kids hanging out in town unaccompanied. We need to be vigilant in protecting this culture in our community.
As is pointed out in the article, despite shows like Law and Order, the crime rate today is lower than anytime since the 1950s. Children should be free to roam as they did then. Just think of all the things you learned when no adults were around. Most of them are more important in life than anything learned under supervision.
Yet there are still problems which almost always start with a busybody. It is a tough line because children truly are raised by a village BUT that means talking to kids not calling the cops. It is not the cops’ fault but it is technically illegal to leave your kids at home alone at 12 even though that is an age when kids traditionally stated to babysit. Involving the cops in these issues creates problems it doesn’t solve them.
I encourage everyone to check out the blog https://www.freerangekids.com which delves into many of these issues.
Total agreement, kids need to be left alone so they can learn how to get by in this world. Those who disagree will probably follow there children around forever.
Is it really illegal in NJ to leave a 12 year old home while you are out locally? What is the age it is officially OK? 13? 14? 15?
Another stupid law;
New Jersey’s child passenger safety law requires:
Children under 8 years of age who weigh less than 80 pounds to ride properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle. If there is no rear seat, the child may sit in the front seat, but s/he must be secured by a child safety seat or booster seat.
How many 7 year old’s do you see getting out of baby seats when they are dropped off for second grade? AND I know we have a lot of fat kids but a lot of second graders don’t weigh 80 pounds.
At least they took off the height restriction. I used to tease my wife that she was so short and also close to the minimum weight, that she needed a booster seat according to NJ MVC
Another misguided concept: Children are raised by a village.
Children should be raised by their parents
Many of today’s problems arise from ceding parental responsibilities to the “village” (school, government, peers, etc.).
#3 I agree. What I mean is that when I was growing up, when you were walking to school you knew some of the neighbors along the way. You also knew that if you were in trouble or causing trouble, either way, there were adults who wouldn’t hesitate to tell you to knock it off or to help you if you fell and got hurt.