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Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

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Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#81

Post by grugagag »

rootusrootus wrote: post #71
bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

I live in the US and my kids walk and bike to school. You're making wide generalizations across a large country.

Do they still play outside like previous generations used to?

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#82

Post by silisili »

crooked-v wrote: post #80
bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

My particular bugbear here is the absolutely insanity of truck and SUV heights, to the point that even full-grown adults are no longer clearly visible from inside new vehicles ( https://i.imgur.com/1dHWVxn.png ).

[flagged]

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#83

Post by ceejayoz »

sanex wrote: post #73
Loughla wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How? Other than it's by land instead of by sea? My immigrant grandparents came here seeking asylum from persecution in their home country. The other side all came seeking jobs. How is that different?

I think the mentality is different. Our great grandparents did their best to make sure the kids spoke great English and tried to get them to become American as possible. Today we encourage the kids to speak their mother tongue. Sure it's great for job prospects and to keep it's not about what language they speak as much as the mentality about becoming an American and leaving the home country behind.

Every new wave of immigrants in the US has had this criticism levied at them, from the Germans (https://www.history.com/news/anti-german-sentiment-wwi) to the Irish (https://www.history.com/news/when-america-despised-the-irish...) to the Chinese (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act) to the Indians to the Italians (https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2015/januaryfebruary/feature/...) to the Poles (https://www.nytimes.com/1976/03/25/archives/polishamericans-...).

Every one of those waves saw the second and third generation speak English and be heavily Americanized. It always happens.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#84

Post by swayvil »

overstay8930 wrote: post #36
bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

Most parents in Europe would not let their kids walk alone to school lol, maybe outside of large cities but it is not the norm anymore.

Is "lol" really appropriate in this context? Theses days it seems more like a nervous tic.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#85

Post by swayvil »

vsuperpower2020 wrote: post #43
peepeepoopoo75 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

[flagged]

He may or may not have a valid point. But he stated it clearly and politely. And has been censored for it. And that is a bit messed up.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#86

Post by tcfhgj »

rootusrootus wrote: post #71
bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

I live in the US and my kids walk and bike to school. You're making wide generalizations across a large country.

Where is this?

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#87

Post by Dalewyn »

bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

>Because in the US they would be roadkill,

Have you actually experienced Japanese drivers? They make American drivers look absolutely noble (and truthfully, we are) by comparison.

For starters, and this applies to both individual and professional drivers:

* They don't give way to emergency vehicles blaring the sirens.

* They don't wait for people to finish crossing intersections.

* They don't let other drivers into their lane.

* They drive absurdly fast.

* Most roads are very narrow.

Some particularly busy intersections require dedicated police officer supervision to shepherd the drivers because they're so unruly and disrespectful of pedestrians and other drivers.

There are many reasons Japan is more accepting of letting children be children, but most of that is social factors and motivators that are decidedly different from American ones. Cars are ultimately just a really small part, if any.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#89

Post by carlosjobim »

bedobi wrote: post #46
alfalfasprout wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're also putting Europe on a pedestal. In many urban areas (where the majority of the population lives) it's no longer safe for kids to walk + bike to school freely. Not necessarily because of cars but significant crime.

guess what kills the most children, criminals or cars?

At a certain maturity, kids have developed mentally enough for cars to not be a threat to them. Criminals are a whole different problem.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#90

Post by ThrowawayTestr »

bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

Neighborhoods haven't changed since I was a kid and I played outside plenty. It's those damn smartphones.
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