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Earlier quoted context omitted.
>New York has a walking and transit culture similar to Tokyo. That's more or less where the similarities end
Yes. The comment I replied to said that "culture of walking and transit use" is key. And I'm arguing that it's not, using New York as an example.
Not only we drive kids all around in the car to get things done, we also need tell them "not talk to strangers" etc if they happened to be walk home from nearby school.
And the school always need more parents to be lunch helpers or recess watchers, of course PTAs etc, all the way so kids entering college are still treated like a baby to some extent. no wonder many of them live with their parents at adult age after they graduate, we just blame the economy for that though.
In addition, soon we may need armed guards on k-12 campus to keep them safe? for some colleges they will need learn how to carry a gun to stay safe.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>New York has a walking and transit culture similar to Tokyo. That's more or less where the similarities end
Even in the rough and tumble NY of 40 years ago, parents allowed kids to roam freely up until the tragic disappearance of Etan Patz in '79. [1] Seems like that event and the subsequent media fearmongering is what really spurred the cultural shift towards helicopter parenting and a reduction in youthful independence in the US. [1] http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/hey-pare...
For more information see http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2402/how-many-kids-...
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A lot of this is because of assumptions made by other people & law enforcement. A couple friends of mine had DSS called on them for letting their two daughters, ages 10 & 5, walk to a park a block away, with a cell phone, within shouting distance, while their mother was at home. The charges were eventually dropped, but it's not really a hassle that any parent wants to go through. The assumption in many parts of the U…
I agree that there seems to be a state of constant paranoia, but could you elaborate on this: > In many cases, they're not safe because that's the assumption.
If you do it in New York, you'll probably get a visit from Child Protective Services.
And this is in stark contrast to my neighborhood in the USA, where parents will wait with their children for the schoolbus pickup... not even a block from their own house. Now granted, we occasionally have reckless drivers speeding down the street. There isn't as much respect for pedestrians in the USA, so I guess that's a factor.
I would advance that there isn't much respect, period. Part of the American mentality of everyone for themselves I guess. It's frustrating. You can lose something expensive in Japan like a watch and be relatively assured that no one will touch it for hours/days unless it is to safe keep whereas if the same thing were to happen in the US, it's pretty much a goner. =(
Honestly - a large amount of crimes in Japan go unreported. Many murders are written off as suicides (which contributes to the high suicide and low murder rates reported by the government...). I don't really trust crime statistics coming from a country that's heavily influenced by Yaks. This has to do entirely with public perception (as user alexleavitt also mentioned). In Japan, I feel safe to leave my bag on a benc…
Getting in trouble with CPS over letting your kid be independent is as unlikely as any of the other horror stories the media (and your friend's cousin's hairdresser) pushes about childhood. CPS employees are stretched thin on full-blown abandonment and horrifying abuse cases, and don't care if some kid walks down the street alone.
OP here - just my own thoughts: I've lived here 13 years & am raising 2 girls who both have been able to live in the manner described in the article. 1) The number one reason why we feel comfortable is the number of "safe" people constantly around. In Japan, every apartment building of size has maintenance people who stay several years and know all the children in the neighborhood, and recognize strangers. Every supe…