505
‘It went nuts’: Thousands join UK parents calling for smartphone-free childhood
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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So what of the kids going to do instead? People like this always demand that children go outside but there's literally nothing for them to do.
When I was a kid we used to sellotape each other to the swings and other wholesome activities. But we can't do that anymore because the park activities have been removed apparently due to "vandalism" i.e normal wear and tear that took place over 10 years has occurred, but we cannot afford to fix it because central government hasn't given us any money since 2014.
My neighborhood has the same problem. There's absolutely nothing for the teens to do. But all they do is complain in the forums about how the teens are wandering around causing trouble. They're on the playground, they're biking on the sidewalks, they're playing chicken with the cars. Yeah, they're f****** bored. The last thing you want in your neighborhood is a bunch of bored teenagers.
You forgot about angry mothers. They are scarier. That's why youtube isn't banned in russia yet.
Kids stood around and stared at their feet before swings were invented, I imagine.
I think hoops and sticks were big for a while
"we're children! we're children! we're children!"
"Pay no attention to Wimp Lo, we purposely trained him wrong... as a joke."
I think many worked. On the farm, in mines, in factories. Farmers would intentionally have many children just for extra labor. School hours and breaks are, in part, the way they are to let children work on the farm.
Kids go outside and get run over by monster trucks
We do have new playgrounds, but the problem is that they're very sanitized and only really suitable for preschoolers. Tweens usually just wander around without any exact place to go.
Even back when I was 9 and playground near my home was replaced with plastic shit for toddlers I knew it was plastic shit for toddlers. On the other side there was stuff for training though. Still nothing for 10-30 or not physically fit.
You just hang out and do fun and stupid shit, it's nice to have special place for it but a construction site and under the bridge is good enough. Problem is modern parents are extremely anxious.
I was with you until the "construction site and under the bridge" bit. It definitely takes a bit of imagination, but I'm not sure not wanting your kids to play on a site which requires the use of hard hats classifies as being "anxious"
Alternative would be garages roofs, which can be more dangerous.
Under the bridge is where the junkies hang out and you're a shit patent if you want your kids messing around construction sites lmao
what fun and stupid shit?
Like play games (like war or something), roam around, make fires, have "gangs", play other pretend stuff (basically role playing but without any real rules ) - ask your parents and grandparents what they were up to when they were kids.
make fires?!?
Yes, more a country side thing, you go to a secluded spot and make a fire.
And aerosol cans, don't forget the aerosol cans
Let's don't.
That sounds like an American problem. We in many countries in Europe don't have that problem, but our kids still waste their time on smartphones.