[eddaross]

When kids grow up with parents hovering over them all the time, they miss out on those classic childhood adventures — like riding bikes with friends or exploring the neighborhood till the streetlights come on. When I was a kid, if my bike chain fell off or I needed help with homework, I had to figure it out on my own or ask a friend for help. Now, most kids I know speed-dial Mom or Dad for instant rescue, so no wonder they will be not ready for real life as adults.

[orwin]

On the other hand, mom and dad on speed dial means camping trip, kayak hike, and a lot more freedom to explore if you are enclined to. I did stuff around 2008-2012 my father couldn't do without an experienced adult in his group at the same age.

Granted, it was mostly kayaking/roaming in Eastern Europe (and he was the same age between 87-91, so yeah, geopolitical stuff did not help)

[izend]

As a parent we are constantly worried about road safety, I feel like the roads are more dangerous than when I was playing street hockey in the streets back in the 80s. Honestly, I've noticed EV drivers are typically driving over the speed limit.

[AtlasBarfed]

EV drivers skew young/employed. Retired people drive slow. The young/busy? Speed,

[lookdangerous]

Unclear how to recreate that for the next generation. Taking away cell phones isn’t likely. More camping trips? Explicit trust extended to go dark?

[AndrewDucker]

Just let them go explore.

Make sure they can contact you in case of emergencies, make sure they know your address/phone number, and wave goodbye.

(Obviously if you live near poisonous/venomous things then warn them about that, and set some boundaries.)

[AtlasBarfed]

Fundamentally, why wouldn't cell phones ENABLE more wandering? You can call help a lot more easily with them. That's the crazy thing. They have built-in tracking as well.

Of course we now know that pervasive access vector has been enshittified by Google/Apple and the associated social media mafias to assault children's minds with the unrestrained/unregulated full arsenal of the advertising psychological manipulation playbook.

Parents are simply regressing/withdrawing from the sheer assault of unyeilding economic stress/disruption, negative news floods, information intrusion, dual incomes, etc. That passes on to the kids.