So I am not allowed to put a "It's a Girl!" sign up

I'm torn on the whole "give kids freedom" thing. On one hand, I know it will benefit them in the long run. On the other hand, I see just how incompetent children are at life and it makes me fear they won't live long enough to reap the benefits of all that early freedom.

Kids do some dumb ****.

 

The cars and cell phones comments are obviously true, but can you offer any supporting information about the attitude and gangs? Are there really more gangs and gang members now than there were 30 years ago, or do we just hear more about it?

 

Kids (as a whole) certainly have a much different attitude today then they did 20+ years ago, especially with signs of respect towards parents and teachers. Were you alive in the 60s? If you were, can you honestly tell me that children are just as respectful now as they were then?

Gangs have certainly become more prevalent in cities and towns.

Drug use and different types of drugs are more prevalent.

Population has increased so it stands to reason that the number of pedophiles has increased.

Sure, many of these same problems have existed throughout time, but there is more of it now.

 

If we're specifically talking about the time frame from 1980 to now, then I think it can be inferred. The drug trade expanded and urban criminal culture was more clearly defined and marketed through mass media; in the same way pre-marital love-makening was popularized by jazz and rock music and helped spur condoms, p*rnography, clothes-stripping theatres and singles' bars and apartments. Non-coastal, mid-sized and large cities with large minority populations/neighborhoods have formed Ganges. Not necessarily local affiliates of Latin Kings et al, just single-city organic stuff like UNLV or East Side in Baytown.

 

When I was born, I was a victim of baby snatching... then she returned me after she figured out I pooped truck loads at a time. It still holds true til this day
!

 

?

 

I wasn't alive in the 60s, so I can't comment on that.

This isn't really any more satisfying than when you made the same claim in your previous post. You haven't provided any proof that gangs or drugs are more prevalent, and I would argue that they may be less prevalent than they were about 25 years ago when the crack epidemic was at its worst.

Unless you're making the claim that the percentage of pedophiles in the population has increased, the total number increasing is irrelevant. It doesn't increase the likelihood of your child being a victim of one of them.

 

Gangs exist in cities and towns today where they did not exist 20 or 30 years ago. Do you find that hard to believe?

Google it. Here are a couple of quick examples of some gang news:

http://www.wwaytv3.com/growth_brings_increase_in_gang_activity/02/2008

http://www.examiner.com/christianit...rs-continue-to-increase-san-bernardino-county

A city has X pedophiles among its population. The population grows over a decade. It can be assumed that additional pedophiles are now in the city. Even if it is just one, that additional pedophile adds another person who will prey on your child regardless of percentages.

Did ecstasy exist 30 years ago as wide spread as it is now? Do you agree that it is easier to acquire drugs now than it was in the 60s and 70s?

As I said, drugs and illicit behavior have existed throughout time. In general, there is more of it today than there was in the 60s and 70s. Maybe crack use has gone down, but ecstasy, inhalants and other drugs have gone up.

Do you really think that it is just as safe today to be a child (let's say 6-12) as it was in the 60s? I don't.

 

This is ridiculous. The OP is absolutely right: put the balloon up. There is no raft of baby abductor kidnapping rings going around, on the lookout for telltale "Baby on Board" suction cup marks on Volvo windshields.

But that's entirely the point being made.

There may be more pedophiles (due strictly to population, perhaps, though I would argue that today's public awareness/hysteria about pedophilia, rather than turning a blind eye to the issue as in yesteryear, probably makes it much more difficult for pedophiles to operate without getting caught--see Catholic church, etc.).

But there are also lots more kids, also due strictly to population. So, unless you have evidence that today's pedophiles are somehow randier than their predecessors, the odds of your kids ever being attacked are as low or (due to public awareness/hysteria/willingness to engage the issue) lower than in decades past.

 

That one additional pedophile adds another person who will prey on children but there are more children as well. The odds that your child in particular will be a victim are not higher unless you think the percentage of pedophiles in the population has increased.

As I said before, I wasn't around in the 60s and 70s, but based on the info I do have, drugs weren't too hard to get back then.

I think it's just as safe today to be a child as it was when I was a kid in the 90s, and I don't remember parents being nearly as paranoid back then. For example, kids used to be allowed to play outside unsupervised back in my day.

 

Are things really this bad?

This reminds me of a few weeks ago when someone put their own house on Four Square. My immediate reaction was "do you really want the whole world to know where you live and when you're not home?"

Then I kinda ignored it. We have to keep some semblance of sanity I think.

 

I don't have a link but earlier this year there was an article about the top 5 things that parents are worried about vs the top 5 reasons kids actually get seriously hurt/killed. There wasn't a single thing common between the lists.

Parents are worried about things like pedophiles, terrorism, baby snatchers, etc.

Most kids are hurt due to car accidents as a result of mis-installed child seats, bike accidents with no helmuts, etc etc etc.

The moral of the story, we all need to take a deep breath and back off all this fear mongering. Lets worry a little bit more about the things that we actually can control ourselves rather than worry about the things we can do nothing about.

Hey America, be a little more reasonable (ala Jon Stuart)

I'd say put up the damn balloon. (of course if the father doesn't want it then you have to respect his wishes. But he's a new father so cut him a little )slack.)

 

MDMA (ecstasy) did exist 30 years ago and was actually legal in this country until 1985. I'd imagine it was much easier to acquire at that time.

I don't know how difficult it was to acquire drugs in the 60s and 70s, but I do know that I've never once been offered drugs by a random person while walking down the street. If your kids really want to buy drugs, they will find them. I don't think letting them walk to or hang out at a shopping mall is going to have any bearing on that.

 

You're worried about your son being beat by his husband? or from him being Bulimic?

 

I have to echo Harrisment and say that I also have never been offered drugs by random strangers while walking down the street. Actually, I have....but it was in Amsterdam.

As to drug use itself, it's cyclical. What's in vogue now might not be fashionable here in a few years. There are some constants....like weed and booze, but other drugs cycle in and out of favor.

As to whether or not it's easier to obtain them today, I don't know. I've always known where to get drugs so it's never been a difficult thing, and I've never really messed with much outside of weed. Alcohol usually required an adult; drugs have always been easy to get in my experience.

FWIW, I think drugs are an easy scapegoat for other societal problems.

 

You can tell who actually has kids and who has beliefs that will undoubtedly change with parenthood.

Edit: I'm referring to those who think allowing children to walk to and hang out at the mall unsupervised is okay. Not allowing the sign in the yard is ridiculous; but it is the parents prerogative.

 

Thanks for this post.

I would be extremely grateful if you could find this article? I understand if you can't find it, I would just be really interested in reading it, sounds like a very good one.

EDIT: Nevermind, I found it. It's based on a book (which you can find a link to in the article). Snippet:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/08/30/129531631/5-worries-parents-should-drop-and-5-they-should

 

I tend to think crime "waves" are overrated as a whole even. There's upticks in violence in many areas but its not PREVALENT.

If society was actually as bad and dangerous as people make it out to be, you'd be dodging gunfire at least once a week, you'd see old ladies getting mugged in the grocery store parking lot every month, every year you'd know several murder victims and maybe have witnessed a couple, in every outdoor event half the women would be getting raped. The whole boogeymen lurking in the bushes thing is overblown.

We do NOT all get GOOD LUCK. There are NO guarantees. It scares people, but life ITSELF is a risk.

 

According to DOJ statistics, compiled and posted at Wikipedia, crimes of all types are down over the last 40 years...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States

 

Well you certainly have to keep an eye out on it and have awareness of it. The drug TRADE CERTAINLY has brought on higher indicents of crime, no doubt about that. Drug USE, probably so within the harder end drugs and an unsympathetic drug industry not out for customer safety. (Who cares if you robbed a store or household to support your habit, f- you PAY me)

People involved in drugs are more likely to do dumb or dangerous stuff. But it does NOT mean the people involved are even PLENTIFUL in number to worry about.

Its affects don't really reach down to the institution of parenting where you have to scare the the crap out of your kids to near paralysis, agree with that.