tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post2430198964729618972..comments2024-03-20T02:18:58.950-07:00Comments on Crazy Days and Nights: Your Turnent lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08658046190988387228noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-76260892598511361732014-08-04T21:37:16.729-07:002014-08-04T21:37:16.729-07:00You know what? It's really not a "differe...You know what? It's really not a "different world now". The only difference is that thanks to the internet, every single time something happens to a kid (or anyone else) you know about it. We live too far from the public school my kids attend, but I wish we didn't because they'd absolutely have walked. My son is now walking home from jr. high. I should bloody well hope so - he's 12!OKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04485452090706289038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-62761852778406736232014-08-01T09:33:22.400-07:002014-08-01T09:33:22.400-07:00I'd be afraid to let them walk to school, only...I'd be afraid to let them walk to school, only because there's a crapload of parents that have been arrested for stuff like this. One recently let her kid go to the park alone, along with several other moms who let their kids play in their own yard! These aren't little kids, either.Zeeky_Boogy_Dooghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08803573725233862575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-60261128290453785362014-07-31T21:01:24.167-07:002014-07-31T21:01:24.167-07:00Walked with my sister who was 4 years older until ...Walked with my sister who was 4 years older until she went off to junior high, then walked on my own, a mile each way. But no busy streets to cross. Took the bus later - one day a guy tried to offer me a ride from a block from my house - I'm still wondering if that's when Ted Bundy was en route from the West coast to Florida. Luckily a neighbor had her eye out. Another guy driving through exposed himself while our neighborhood gang of kids was out playing on the street. This was a nice suburban DC neighborhood. So I wouldn't let my kids walk on their own for the longest time. Every time I get more relaxed about something like that, something new happens. I text my daughter to make sure she's on her way home, but then I worry someone will see her phone and jump her for it. <br />It's really tough balancing letting them learn street smarts with worrying about their safety. Drives me absolutely crazy. Trashaddicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12842324281630440226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-61449750862519217342014-07-31T20:03:48.483-07:002014-07-31T20:03:48.483-07:00I totally agree with you, just more info out there...I totally agree with you, just more info out there now!rosetramehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10452307458050582894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-68069618091798784492014-07-31T19:31:41.371-07:002014-07-31T19:31:41.371-07:00My eldest walked to and from school with friends f...My eldest walked to and from school with friends from about grade 3 on. I was working full time so I didn't have time to hang around and worry about the details. It had to be done and so it was. My youngest was born in 1989. We lived fairly close to the school, and she told me at the beginning of grade four that I wasn't allowed to walk her to her class. I could stay at the corner and pick her up there. The following summer she negotiated the terms of her walking to school with friends. Sometimes kids want to grow up way before you want them to.audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11098941530226228456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-41998864814631669952014-07-31T18:20:55.767-07:002014-07-31T18:20:55.767-07:00The past is the past. Hell, when i was a kid, i li...The past is the past. Hell, when i was a kid, i literally "walked a mile" uphill (and downhill - both ways) to the bus stop on a very remote but public road. <br /><br />Hell, no. I have girls that are 19 and 24 and did *not* let them walk alone for any length until they were around 15/16. Too many creepers out there.Kassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07133852099407094773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-16300636435907209362014-07-31T17:32:44.060-07:002014-07-31T17:32:44.060-07:00When I was a kid, my Mom made me walk a mile or so...When I was a kid, my Mom made me walk a mile or so everyday to and from the same school where she taught from kindergarten on. My kids walked when school was fairly close, although I felt safer when we lived in Okinawa than Virginia Beach even though by that time they were teenagers.Jennmcnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03843845430141547437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-46628613586957858862014-07-31T14:33:55.088-07:002014-07-31T14:33:55.088-07:00Phew! Violet, once again I agree with you complet...Phew! Violet, once again I agree with you completely. I raise my kids to be independent and can't stand seeing my friends baby their 10 year olds. Ugh. Not speaking of the walking thing, everyone does what's best for them.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14892791650246806072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-36407721873607304572014-07-31T14:21:21.335-07:002014-07-31T14:21:21.335-07:00Kit the Younger is 12, and we're negotiating t...Kit the Younger is 12, and we're negotiating this now. She wishes to walk. Her mom says yes. Her grandmother says no. I am ambivalent but understand the ask. School is 10m walk down sidewalk of 4 lane major street. Other kids do it. As guardian, I may say yes and stalk her in the car...kithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017989534757920411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-90387994719178786312014-07-31T14:01:28.534-07:002014-07-31T14:01:28.534-07:00These days? I honestly and truly dont know, as my...These days? I honestly and truly dont know, as my kids are grown. Mb with a crowd of buddies. auntliddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03772566205262926673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-11289948549374054952014-07-31T12:51:32.165-07:002014-07-31T12:51:32.165-07:00Rusty. That's sweet. But honestly? 13? V jr 2...Rusty. That's sweet. But honestly? 13? V jr 2 is 13 and would be laughed out of the playground if I still walked her to school. <br />The world is no worse a place than when we were children. Whatever the media might have us think. IMO children need to learn to be independent. <br />No judging though honestly. We all do the best we can. (And as I tell the V jrs it's the best you're going to get so suck it up). Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17594220282275567217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-26801711069106989192014-07-31T12:37:09.196-07:002014-07-31T12:37:09.196-07:00I am way too paranoid. I walk my daughter still an...I am way too paranoid. I walk my daughter still and she is about to go into grade 7. I walked my son most of the time up until grade 8 but, I was dropping off/picking up my daughter too so he just came along, I let him start going to the store, to school and to friends houses by himself in the second half of grade 7 when he was 13. I see it as good exercise for me and we can talk about school issues, I can meet their friends and I know they are safe. RustyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08443570484209701252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-32506139240680260762014-07-31T12:07:30.087-07:002014-07-31T12:07:30.087-07:00We're on the same block as the school (it'...We're on the same block as the school (it's literally behind my house,) and my biggest fear is that as soon as Princess Grace starts 1st grade and is set loose in the big playground, she's going to be up and over that fence before the yard duty teacher knows what happened. I can see that damn IKEA circus tent that's lying sideways against the fence everyday when I pick her up from day camp, so can she.Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-24731242228668265942014-07-31T11:54:19.863-07:002014-07-31T11:54:19.863-07:00We live just two blocks from our elementary school...We live just two blocks from our elementary school. I will never forget my son, right before he entered the third grade, informing me that I would no longer be walking him to school. <br /><br />Made me sad. I would peek out the window every afternoon waiting for him to show up.Paint Chipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03237428436527273144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-74768795573007584722014-07-31T11:41:01.198-07:002014-07-31T11:41:01.198-07:00Baby Lurker walked with a group of kids when the e...Baby Lurker walked with a group of kids when the elementary school was less than a half mile from my house. Now it's all central campus in another town and she goes by bus. I live in a rural area though and everyone is always up in everyone's shit, so nothing would happen around here without 90 people knowing about it in 2 seconds<br />Lurker Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05235841521499414900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-77574308337159981762014-07-31T11:35:59.890-07:002014-07-31T11:35:59.890-07:00We always walked to school, but no way would I all...We always walked to school, but no way would I allow my kids to walk to school. It was different then. No ones mother worked so there were a million nosy moms in the neighborhood. Now kids are walking through neighborhoods where no ones home to be on the look out for pervs. witwritergirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06362653216170344772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-58671068913002161302014-07-31T11:35:52.141-07:002014-07-31T11:35:52.141-07:00We always walked to school, but no way would I all...We always walked to school, but no way would I allow my kids to walk to school. It was different then. No ones mother worked so there were a million nosy moms in the neighborhood. Now kids are walking through neighborhoods where no ones home to be on the look out for pervs. witwritergirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06362653216170344772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-46008678842238408762014-07-31T11:29:38.383-07:002014-07-31T11:29:38.383-07:00Steven's brother, Cary, is the one who killed ...Steven's brother, Cary, is the one who killed Carol Sund and her daughter and other girl.Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-56201238607402305682014-07-31T11:27:24.346-07:002014-07-31T11:27:24.346-07:00"July 15, 1976,"
I remember it screwing..."July 15, 1976,"<br /><br />I remember it screwing up my summer school bus schedule. We had an awesome bus driver, Alfie, and after that happened they canceled bus service for the rest of the summer because they were afraid of copycats.Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-45932876898258655862014-07-31T11:25:20.176-07:002014-07-31T11:25:20.176-07:00SoCal parents? Try having Central Valley parents....SoCal parents? Try having Central Valley parents. All those buses picking kids up out in the country, I saw a lot more of my grandma after school after that.Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-17421342173628368032014-07-31T11:24:50.708-07:002014-07-31T11:24:50.708-07:00Two middleschoolers in this household and they can...Two middleschoolers in this household and they can't go anywhere without the other and their cell phones. I was nearly kidnapped a few times as a kid walking to school. Call me overprotective, but I'd rather be a nervous nelly than a parent on the news begging for their child's safe return or worse.Oopsy_Daisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18206319355716190586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-77370486117070106732014-07-31T11:23:39.178-07:002014-07-31T11:23:39.178-07:00I think as kids, we didn't really feel the imp...I think as kids, we didn't really feel the impact of it (not the way our parents did.) Then the kids were found so quickly, less than 24 hours, I think. <br /><br />As an adult, I can only imagine what those poor kids went through and how it affected them, but as a 9-year old I was more interested listening to the newscasters butcher Chowchilla.<br /><br />Merced County isn't usually a hotbed of kidnapping. Mostly, it's almonds and boring. ;-)<br />Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-29768556747322315922014-07-31T11:23:02.194-07:002014-07-31T11:23:02.194-07:00I started walking to school alone at 6 or 7. Fir...I started walking to school alone at 6 or 7. First my mom or dad walked me--then they would practice looking both ways crossing streets with me, then I got to go by myself, or ride my bike. I remember catching my mom following me a block behind me to see if I followed the rules.<br /><br />I was allowed to go to the park by myself by 8 and to the swimming pool in the park after I passed my swimming lessons.<br />It was a much easier time.car54https://www.blogger.com/profile/08917655110224786571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-23486327079223025672014-07-31T11:17:50.372-07:002014-07-31T11:17:50.372-07:00OK that is terrifying Gayeld. Both stories. I didn...OK that is terrifying Gayeld. Both stories. I didn't realize Steven died. So tragic. Jessihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13609878615328287196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37309174.post-33604710497207130922014-07-31T11:09:52.244-07:002014-07-31T11:09:52.244-07:00The thing I remember most about that was how freak...The thing I remember most about that was how freaked out my mother was when I got home from school five minutes late one day. I'd never seen her that upset before.<br /><br />It still breaks my heart what he went through. Everything he survived and when he's just starting to get his life turned around, he's killed by a drunk driver. He left behind a widow and two small kids.<br /><br />Then there's his brother, Cary. Gayeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679348553476811727noreply@blogger.com