Should we encourage our children to play in the street?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-104566 7/Council-bosses-threaten-children-prosecution --playing-football-street.html

Or are the days of Whip & Top, Snobs, Hop-Scotch, Tick & Hit and a game of Football was played with a tennis ball, if one was well off, or rolled up newspaper, bound together with elastc bands over.

Those were the days when the streets were mainly empty of vehicles, the ball was not a full sized match ball, play was play, and did not include graffiti, other un-lawful damage and parents took responsibility for their children's behavour.

[New Judge]

The Act referred to in the article has been on the books since 1980.

As you say, many years ago when children played in the street they were controlled by parents and neighbours and any excessive nuisance was curbed. In short, the children knew where the line was drawn and respected it. If they did not, they had their parents to answer to.

Today the situation is a little different. Many parents (or very often just the one) seem to have little concern what their children do or what effect their behaviour has upon their neighbours. Very often when the children are chastised by people whom they annoy the parents (miraculously) manage to take an interest and side automatically with their children, regardless of the circumstances.

The street is not the place to play football. There are gardens, windows and vehicles to consider. If the children are unfortunate enough to have nowhere suitable to play ball games (and few of them are) then that�s one of life�s lessons that they must learn.

[Ethel]

Yes, and in the 'good old days' the neighbours wouldn't think twice about dishing a cuff round the ear for children misbehaving.

Complain to mum, and get a slap on the back of legs from her for upsetting the neighbours.

Women used to see outside their front doors, shelling the peas or polishing the shoes, keeping an eye of the kiddies at play and indulging in a bit of gossip with the neighbours.

Those days are long gone.

[anotheoldgit]

You paint a good picture Ethel, I do love a trip down memory lane.

Shelling peas eh! how did they afford them? Have to make do with Tesco's frozen finest now.

Polishing shoes, I remember Cherry Blossom, Black and
****** Brown shoe polish.

Remember also how one would whiten their pumps (plimsolls) with Blanco and leave them in the sun (yes we even had sun in those days) to dry.

[rov1200]

Yes but only if you can get them away from their Nintendos and X boxes. This electronic age has turned kids into robots.