I saw this photo today and it amused me, and then got me thinking! You can see above this image from the 'good ol days' when kids were kids and could get up to ALL sorts of mischief. If they were caught a copper (policeman) would give the kid a good clip around the ear! These days the kid would get the police arrested for doing something like that! Oh how times have changed!

Can you even IMAGINE this happening today? What changed? Was everyone just a bit crazy back in the good ol days? Were kids getting killed every day in crazy accidents and dangerous adventures. Well who can say really for sure, but here is what i think:

When you over pamper you also stop kids learning.. It's ONLY when you've climbed a huge tree when you were a kid that you can learn the agility and balance you need to accomplish it. My dear friend Ula who was only 8 when i used to see her climb 100 foot trees with NO SHOES! AMAZING. She is so strong and fearless and never once got hurt!

It almost seems like kids these days have a HARD time learning so many essential skills, like just basic things like balance, adventure, cooking, and so on. This overprotection by state seems to me to be the new way to control everything and make it all so predictable and 'safe'. Kids these days seem much more sensible these days than they were in this photo, and being honest, it seems VERY dull and sad in comparison.

When i was a kid i used to get up to ALL sorts of mischief! Mostly on my bike playing out in the streets all day, going here and there.. even when i was just 6 years old. I think many parents would call that irresponsible, and I'm sure in some countries the CPS would turn up and take your fucking child away for letting them play unsupervised!

Well, whatever the reasons one thing is for sure.. I will not be over pampering my kids if i EVER get around to having them!.. I will teach them to be adventurous, and take risks, and to be careful! In that way I think my kids will be all the better and in so many ways.

How do we say NO to people who SOUND so logical in their reasoning? How to we defend ourself to do what we thing is healthy for our kids? How do we remain guilt free when we are doing things so differently to the rest of society? There are many ways of course, but for me the simple answer is to remove your self and family from cities where these rules are enforced and join smaller communities in remote places where people can live as they wish without the imposition of State and the system to tell YOU how to live your life! It may not be an easy option, but it is the ONLY sensible one! ;-)

Id love to hear from you if you let your children run free, and how you see them benefitting from it!