31 replies to this topic

[spud the mackem]

You never see any kids out playing after school these days.Years ago there would be about 30 of us playing in the back street or in the park after school.Are the kids all TV/Computer geeks nowadays ?,or have they too much homework.Are we bringing up a nation of kids  playing indoors on X-boxes,etc, which isn't a good way to grow up naturally and keep fit.I guess gone are the days of adventure.

[Lilly]

Kids go to organized events (T-ball, dance class, piano lessons, karate) then they come home and play video games and chat with their friends on facebook. The world has changed. I'm not so sure this lack face to face socialization time is such a good thing though.

[Still Waters]

When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get home from school so I could go out and play. Ball, swings, skipping rope, roller skates, anything really and the more of us there were, the better, girls and boys together. It was fun back then and if it was too wet to be outside I was bored in the house.

Sometimes around here there'll be one or two on skateboards, the same one or two, a local boy and girl. Also maybe a few on bikes will go past. I have seen more kids around the night before school holidays finish, that seems to bring them out more, their last day of freedom!  Other than that they're all glued to computers and games consoles I think.

[The Mule]

It also depends on where you're looking. The neighborhood I grew up in, almost everyone had kids. Now, the kids have all grown and left and its mostly older people. The one I live in now has some kids. In the past year, the old people across the street moved out, young parents with kids moved in....

[FLOMBIE]

I still see a lot of kids on the playgrounds or football grounds. But Berlin is a major city with a lot of public playgrounds and parks, while other cities do not have enough of them, or they are simply too far away for many. It's an issue that needs to be solved.

How is that in your city?

[Kazoo]

As a 14 year old kid I can tell you most kids prefer to hang outside. FB and text are just messages on where to meet up or having converstations with others as your hanging out where someone else.

People always prefer face to face interaction over typing and phones.

[Beckys_Mom]

My daughter  goes to the girls brigade and recently attending karate lessons..  From that she is looking to take up dance  and join the school choir...She can't sing a note, but she still wants to join ...  If she joins the choir and dance lessons.. she will STILL  find time for  angry birds !!!

Edited by Beckys_Mom, 18 September 2012 - 08:46 PM.

[spud the mackem]

Kazoo, on 18 September 2012 - 12:10 PM, said:

As a 14 year old kid I can tell you most kids prefer to hang outside. FB and text are just messages on where to meet up or having converstations with others as your hanging out where someone else.

People always prefer face to face interaction over typing and phones.

Hi Kazoo, I was 14 once !,but when you "hang" out with your mates do you sit in cafe's or stand around on street corners or have competitons,like bike races,skate/roller blade races or such,and keep yourselves fit,or just slouch about.Just asking as we used to keep fit,which is probably very good for you as you grow up.Cheers.(p.s I left school when I was 15, and went into the Brit Merchant Navy.) .

[Hasina]

Where have all the kids gone? Well... Don't check my white panel van, kay? ;D

Anyway, me and my friends still find it awkward to only 'hang out' or talk through just text messages or messengers online. It's one reason I don't use social networking, even my aversion to people doesn't make me a complete recluse. I prefer hearing my friends voices, seeing their expressions, knowing they're with me.

Nowadays, I feel that kids are missing out on being able to get scrapped knees with their friends, rough house, and get coated in poison ivy. -shudders- Okay, maybe not that last part...

[Taun]

Beckys_Mom, on 18 September 2012 - 08:46 PM, said:

My daughter  goes to the girls brigade and recently attending karate lessons..  From that she is looking to take up dance  and join the school choir...She can't sing a note, but she still wants to join ...  If she joins the choir and dance lessons.. she will STILL  find time for  angry birds !!!

I'm almost afraid to ask... What is a "girls brigade"?...  I think my mental image of "Brigade" and what this probably is are two vastly different things!

What do kids do here in OKC?  Most I see split their time between xbox and local sports leagues... I have no kids of my own but my brother and sisters kids all played multiple sports - at the same time - leaving my siblings with little time of their own as they were always taking them to practice/games and/or coaching... We also have a lot of 4-H club activity - raising/riding horses is a big favorite around here...

I do know though that a lot of kids spend almost all of their free time plunked down in front of a game console or TV - cheap babysetters for their parents I'm thinking...

[sarah_444]

We live around the corner from a boys and girls club (rec center) with a big playground, so a lot of the older kids go straight there after school for swimming and other various activities or just to hang out with their friends.
My son is too young to go there alone but he has a few friends that usually come over after school.  They'll play on the swings, tag or zombie games outside for a while but it isn't long before they are asking to come in and play on the Wii.

[Beckys_Mom]

Taun, on 19 September 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

I'm almost afraid to ask... What is a "girls brigade"?...  I think my mental image of "Brigade" and what this probably is are two vastly different things!

They belong to their local church... The correct title  ( the one my daughter belongs to )  is -  Seagoe Church Girls Brigade ...kind of like the brownies or girl scouts, only with a religious theme to it Becky's dad was once in the Seagoe boy's brigade ...  They play games, listen to a bible story, paint things and mess about  ....  She goes to that on a Monday evening, right after karate lessons, which is twice a week.

I formed my own club..it was the -  House Cleaning Brigade...................Becky of course was not interested in becoming a member... But see, she will be a member  lol

Edited by Beckys_Mom, 19 September 2012 - 03:11 PM.

[Kazoo]

spud the mackem, on 19 September 2012 - 07:56 AM, said:

Hi Kazoo, I was 14 once !,but when you "hang" out with your mates do you sit in cafe's or stand around on street corners or have competitons,like bike races,skate/roller blade races or such,and keep yourselves fit,or just slouch about.Just asking as we used to keep fit,which is probably very good for you as you grow up.Cheers.(p.s I left school when I was 15, and went into the Brit Merchant Navy.) .

No one in this neighborhood owns a skateboard. or rollerblade. Or anything with wheels frankly.  My town is much more sports centered. Basketball courts and football(american) and things of that nature.

But yes they do sit around sometimes. But I'm sure you did too.

All older generations look down on the newer generations way of doing things. My great grandma still thinks my grandma's generation was spoiled. Its just something that happens.

Edited by Kazoo, 19 September 2012 - 07:20 PM.

[Purplos]

Everything for kids (around here anyway) is WAY too organized and scheduled. Kids don't go outside and meet up with their friends, they have play dates. They attend soccer and baseball clubs instead of just kicking a ball around in a backyard. They take dance, gymnastic lessons instead of putting on music with their girlfriends and singing into hair brushes in the basement. There is no time for them to figure out what to do on their own, which turns kids into "I'm boooorrreeeeddd" monsters, in my opinion.

My neighbor's 8 yr old daughter takes piano, ballet, gymnastics, art classes, and cheerleading of all things after school for up to 3 hour each day. I think it's absolutely awful. I've watched her a few times when my neighbor had to go out. The little girl has NO clue what to do with herself. She can't entertain herself at all.

The rest of the time they are plugged in to some electronic contraption: TV, laptop, phone, video game, etc.

[spud the mackem]

Kazoo, on 19 September 2012 - 07:19 PM, said:

No one in this neighborhood owns a skateboard. or rollerblade. Or anything with wheels frankly.  My town is much more sports centered. Basketball courts and football(american) and things of that nature.

But yes they do sit around sometimes. But I'm sure you did too.

All older generations look down on the newer generations way of doing things. My great grandma still thinks my grandma's generation was spoiled. Its just something that happens.

  Hi again Kazoo, In the age of dinosaurs (when I was a Lad), we didnt have T.V's,cell phones any electonic games, so indoors you either listened to a radio or read a book, our small village didn't have any football/basketball courts, so we spent a lot of time beachcombing,or cave exploring,or climbing 100 ft cliffs,apart from Brit football,roller skates,etc..we used to light fires on the beach and have cook-ups with any shellfish you scavenged from rockpools, I'm talking about when I was about 10/12 yrs old,pinch a few potatoes from the local fields and roast them, magic days.... we didnt have time to sit around a lot as you were ordered to bed at 8 pm.........cheers