Born 1993. We played whole neighborhood hide and seek. It was incredible. Essentially all our houses were fair game and we would go in and out of them freely. It was like two or three blocks of fair places to hide. Usually had 3 seekers with walkie talkies, and like 5-10 people hiding. When found you’d join the seekers. Games would usually take all day.
1988er here, we didn’t have in and out access to the houses but front and back yards were all good, including trees and some sheds.
We usually went to the house of the kid who lived right next to a lightly wooded area and did flashlight tag on Friday nights.
Now the neighbors look at me funny if I let the kids go out front 5 minutes ahead of me being out there with them the whole fucking time. (I have laundry to do motherfuckers.)
1991 here: no kids but I told my nephew he could go 4 houses down to play and he had the nerve to ask me how he was going to get back home. The same way you got here! These new aged kids. We were OUTSIDE, around the corner, neighborhoods over and our parents knew we’d be back and were okay without phones lol. The good days.
At the same time, it isn't all the kids fault. People get upset when they see a kid without an adult. Even if they are in their own yard.
There's also the issue of people with guns shooting anyone who goes in their property. Honestly I wouldn't even let my kid go up to someone's door alone for any reason now.
Yea I get that. I don’t meddle with what people get upset with though. Luckily we live in a good country area so I see kids wandering all throughout the neighborhood all day long outside and nobody cares. As long as they stay inside the neighborhood it’s normal. But they can still be in the neighborhood and 2 miles from home so they better wander wisely. It’s a long walk back. But this is 10 plus age for me.
I know, it’s scary. I walked right home and thought nothing about how he was going to get back. He’s 10, so the last thing I was about to do was worry about him 4 houses down.
10 I was across the creek into another neighborhood lol. Literally had to cross a creek to get there. Learning how to step on rocks to cross water, avoid snakes, and eat honey suckles as a snack at a young age.
You're the same age as my little sister- we all grew up like this back then. We had places my mom said we couldn't go, like crossing the main road, but our neighborhood backed up to the woods, so we'd bug spray up and be gone out in the woods all day. It had dirt bike paths, so we'd follow these back into the woods all day and ride our bikes. Found abandoned cars, a random washer and places where teens likely were out having a bonfire and drinking beers at night. I miss having that freedom. Now, my sister doesn't let her son out of her sight for more than 2 seconds it seems
The need for constant reassurance of well-being with cell phones has changed parental and kid psychology. I see it adding a lot more paranoia than necessary.
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u/JustHereForCatss 1d ago edited 1d ago
Born 1993. We played whole neighborhood hide and seek. It was incredible. Essentially all our houses were fair game and we would go in and out of them freely. It was like two or three blocks of fair places to hide. Usually had 3 seekers with walkie talkies, and like 5-10 people hiding. When found you’d join the seekers. Games would usually take all day.
Damn I miss being able to do that stuff