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big kids, Children, kids, National Take Your Kids to the Park and Leave Them There Day, postaday, toddlers, tweens
Did you know that today is apparently “National Take Your Kids to the Park — and Leave Them There” Day? Yes, this is a real thing. No, I don’t think it’s a good idea, and here’s why.
While I agree that children can be overly supervised (hello, helicopter parents!), I have to say I don’t agree with just dropping your kids at the park for a couple of hours, especially not with announcing it to the world. As my niece said, “Does this day coincide with ‘Pedophile Day at the Park’?” The children in question are not even tweens. The intent is for parents of toddlers and “big kids”, you know the 6 to 10 set, to partner up and plan an outing with a large group of children in this age group. They should pick a park, a “safe” one I believe, set a time to meet up, drop the kids off, and leave for an hour or two. Supposedly, this will allow the children time for independent play which will lead to independence in other key areas, such as thinking and working. Personally, I think there are better ways to promote independence than planning a very public event where large groups of children are left unsupervised and are therefore ripe to be attacked and kidnapped.
I’ve heard plenty of people lately speak about how much more freedom they had as children than they afford their own kids. This may be true. Really though, I think it was more that there were more kids around, and therefore none of us was really ever alone. If we did spend the entire day in the summer out and about in our neighborhoods, it was because everyone else did too. Our moms knew each other, our dads worked together, and a neighborhood was an actual community where everyone knew each other and it was therefore safer for kids to roam. I also personally remember there always being older kids around when I was the six year old. Never did my mom tell me to just wander freely. Our yard wasn’t fenced at this point, but I knew not to leave it alone. And you know what? By the time I was 13, I had grown independent and mature enough to be the “Big Kid”, the one who could take the younger guys to the park down the street. There’s a big difference between six and ten and 13, and I think people need to remember that.
As the mother of a six year old boy (and the four younger ones too), I could never imagine dropping him off at the park and walking away. He’s not emotionally ready for that. He’d be scared. And it has nothing to do with me supervising him too much. It has to do with the fact that he’s six. What I can do (and do most days) is let him be the big kid and keep an eye on the 20 month old, in my sister’s back yard, that’s fenced in, and safe. I think independence needs to grow slowly over time and not simply be thrust upon children who aren’t ready for it.
Another part of this day is the belief that the world isn’t any more dangerous now that it was 30 years ago, but that we’re just more aware of the dangers. I have to say I disagree wholeheartedly with this. Yes we are more aware, but there is also a great deal more to be aware of. Saying that there is safety in numbers is only somewhat true when those numbers are made up of small children.
So, what do you think? Are you a supporter of this idea, that we should give children more independence by leaving them in public places unattended? Obviously, I’m not, but I’d still love to hear what you think about it.
Life at Le. Rheims 
having worked as a Safe Environment Trainer and Coordinator in my parish, this concept of the kids at a public park with no supervision is a huge opportunity for predators. VERY bad idea. Those who think this is a good idea would be the first to complain if the kids at a school were let loose in the gymnasium at the same age with no teacher or teacher’s aide there. And that is with supposed controlled access to the building.
Exactly. They are also most likely the same people who have issues with children, even well behaved children, in places deemed “adults only”, such as certain restaurants or theaters with or without supervision.
When you and I were children, most moms were at home so if a child needed help, they could knock on a neighbor’s door and feel safe.
my husband and I both think this is the stupidest thing ever, or as my husband calls it “National Pedophiles in The Park Day.”
1. If your child gets hurt, they are supposed to go to an adult in the park (hello? aren’t the adults all supposed to have left?) for help. So my 11 yo is supposed to go to an adult they don’t know and trust them to drive them to the hospital if needed? (Wow, pedophiles don’t need candy or puppies on this day.)
2. As an adult, I know waaay better than to put a child that is neither my child or my child’s friend into my car and bring them to a ER , which will not treat without parental consent. Great way to get accused of kidnapping.
3. These are your kids, yet you are depending on strangers to “keep an eye on your children”, who might or might not obey? Sorry toots, I wouldn’t get involved, unless it got bad, in which case I wouldcall 911 on my cell and the absent parent would be getting a visit from Children’s Social Services, as they deserve.
4. Attacks/abductions etc might be at a 40 year low, but why? Because parents are more aware and on their guard. Society realizes that parents must work full time and most dont want their kids coming home to and being in an empty house so the schools have responded with programs and clubs for just about every day of the week. When I went to school, there were no where near that many clubs.
I’m glad you wrote this. I’m writing a blog on it too because I think it is a terrible idea, and I’m sick of the positive responses and accusing viligant parents of being a helicopter parent.
Thank you! There is a huge difference between hovering over your child’s every move and being alert and cautious.
Not only were the moms home, we all knew each other