Unrelated BUT just to say, there is a new facility on substack now called ‘Notes’ which is a bit like tweeting.
So if any of you don’t fancy posting anything long or don’t see yourself as a ‘writer’, you can just post little thoughts or pictures. I’ve been using it and it’s like an intelligent person’s Twitter, albeit a little lonely 😂
That said, I’m gradually making it less intelligent by posting pics of herbal tea and shit.
I’d love to see some of you guys on there though :)
I was a 70’s child - we moved to a housing estate that was still being built, we played on the site and it was great. I would disappear on my bike all day in the summer holidays and my mum didn’t worry … those were the days ! Totally agree with this piece, ‘safety’ has robbed us.
This brought back such great memories. Out all day during the school holidays, made easier because of bigger families and Mum knew we were all out together and looking out for each other. I feel so sorry for the kids today who have been made so fearful and have not experienced the freedoms and independence we had, making your own risk assessments (including warnings given by your parents) which served you well in the future.
Our culture of mimic and imposed limitation has syphoned the mystery right out of children's imaginations. It is bananas to me - as a nanny who helped to nurture a robust handful of amazing kids for many years - that the freedom of exploration and the building of self intimacy through navigating the spectrum of emotion while facing the unknown has been stripped from kids day to day life. This false idea of safety is more a prescription of predictability and sadly requires conformity. Such a bummer - but there are rogue families out there that GIVE their children spaciousness to BE exactly as they are, and grant them the gift of learning about life by LIVING.
I agree - manipulation seems to be the tool of our time. Disguised as MANY things and sold in some cases as a "for your benefit" ideal. I cast myself a bubble of spaciousness that maintains my human integrity and chooses to dance and play in the mystery. Nature is my bestest friend and greatest teacher, creativity my chosen path, and playful celebration through devotion to Wholeness my potent journey.
Thanks for offering your words and helping folks to remember.
Yes i am the same, am drawn to abandoned buildings and stuff. I love those abandoned theme parks the best and abandoned old psychiatric hospitals. i sound crazy now i know but ive seen threads on social media about stuff like that and its fascinating to me, so sort of eerie.
Julie, I tried to reply to your video posted today but it says ‘error’.
Just to say it was lovely to see you in the flesh so to speak 💖
I cannot understand how a doctor can possibly assess your autistic son wearing a mask. Children need to see facial expressions just in every day life let alone for an assessment. The world has gone crazy.
Even before I started at infants school I was out playing on my little three wheeler bike with a boot that held my guns and caps. I was encouraged to ride around the streets by my grandparents and only to come home for drinks and the toilet!
Unrelated BUT just to say, there is a new facility on substack now called ‘Notes’ which is a bit like tweeting.
So if any of you don’t fancy posting anything long or don’t see yourself as a ‘writer’, you can just post little thoughts or pictures. I’ve been using it and it’s like an intelligent person’s Twitter, albeit a little lonely 😂
That said, I’m gradually making it less intelligent by posting pics of herbal tea and shit.
I’d love to see some of you guys on there though :)
I was a 70’s child - we moved to a housing estate that was still being built, we played on the site and it was great. I would disappear on my bike all day in the summer holidays and my mum didn’t worry … those were the days ! Totally agree with this piece, ‘safety’ has robbed us.
Building sites were my favourite thing of all to play on. I bet many of us have similar memories.
Safety is over valued to the point of silliness, and risk is not celebrated at all. But it should be. It serves a function.
It does, risk taking builds confidence.
Wow! Thank you. That resonates very deeply for me. 🙌🏻💚
Yes, those were the days!
It’s a shame what our own kids have lost to this ‘wolf’
This brought back such great memories. Out all day during the school holidays, made easier because of bigger families and Mum knew we were all out together and looking out for each other. I feel so sorry for the kids today who have been made so fearful and have not experienced the freedoms and independence we had, making your own risk assessments (including warnings given by your parents) which served you well in the future.
Yes you make a good point there, bigger families did make that set up work better, siblings looking out for one and other.
Glad it brought back some good memories for you x
Our culture of mimic and imposed limitation has syphoned the mystery right out of children's imaginations. It is bananas to me - as a nanny who helped to nurture a robust handful of amazing kids for many years - that the freedom of exploration and the building of self intimacy through navigating the spectrum of emotion while facing the unknown has been stripped from kids day to day life. This false idea of safety is more a prescription of predictability and sadly requires conformity. Such a bummer - but there are rogue families out there that GIVE their children spaciousness to BE exactly as they are, and grant them the gift of learning about life by LIVING.
Great observations.
You’re right re the families. There are families who break the mould and allow their kids the freedoms to grow and learn from mistakes.
Fear has been harnessed as a tool of manipulation and kids have sadly been targeted.
I agree - manipulation seems to be the tool of our time. Disguised as MANY things and sold in some cases as a "for your benefit" ideal. I cast myself a bubble of spaciousness that maintains my human integrity and chooses to dance and play in the mystery. Nature is my bestest friend and greatest teacher, creativity my chosen path, and playful celebration through devotion to Wholeness my potent journey.
Thanks for offering your words and helping folks to remember.
Wonderful stuff Julie. It’s crept up on us absolutely.
It has. Many of the changes have happened simultaneously and scaffolded each other.
So true. So sad. So planned.
We deserve unsafe spaces😊
Risk allows us to make mistakes, which is how we grow
Similar thoughts here Julie. My most thrilling childhood moments were always away from adults, doing things in places we'd never have been allowed.
Even as an adult, give me a deserted building and I'm like a moth to a flame :)
Yes i am the same, am drawn to abandoned buildings and stuff. I love those abandoned theme parks the best and abandoned old psychiatric hospitals. i sound crazy now i know but ive seen threads on social media about stuff like that and its fascinating to me, so sort of eerie.
Julie, I tried to reply to your video posted today but it says ‘error’.
Just to say it was lovely to see you in the flesh so to speak 💖
I cannot understand how a doctor can possibly assess your autistic son wearing a mask. Children need to see facial expressions just in every day life let alone for an assessment. The world has gone crazy.
How strange! Yes it doesn’t show in my lists of posts. Not sure why.
Yes my son is 11 now so he understands the idiocy still operating but for younger ones particularly, it’s just criminal isn’t it?
Even before I started at infants school I was out playing on my little three wheeler bike with a boot that held my guns and caps. I was encouraged to ride around the streets by my grandparents and only to come home for drinks and the toilet!
Bless. Yes , I loved my bike and my rollerboots too. Loved going making dens in the field and woods too. Most kids today don’t get that, sadly.
Thank you for reminding me
A life without risk is not worth having x
So much more freedom back then and it really is character building in the true sense of the expression.