Here's an article on free-ranging kids, though the author doesn't call it that

[conuly]

It's unusual in that the comments are worth reading.

One that stands out starts thusly:

Teaching in a comm. college, I find that younger students are typically unable to describe the neighborhood they grew up in. Some say they still don't know their own neighborhoods beyond the back yard. Older adults have strong sensory memories of their childhood neighborhoods, and usually enjoy recounting those places, people, and games.

That? That is terrifying.

The kids on this block aren't growing up like that, most of them, which is a great relief to me. Annoying as the local kids are at times, I'd rather see them outside playing than stuck inside all day.

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

I don't have children currently, but that is a big concern for me as well. I have a friend who was investigated for letting her kids go to a park (one block away in a safe neighborhood) by themselves. I don't remember whether it was when I was 6 or when I was 7 that don't cross the street without an adult turned into you can go this far in the neighborhood by yourself, but I definitely remember in early Elementary school arranging to meet up with a friend to play at her house. She lived kind of far away and I never could remember how to get to her house on my own, but we both knew how to get from our own home to the docks (one of the few interesting places in my neighborhood) so we would meet there and then she'd escort me to her house.

I had to let my parents know where I was going, but by 6 or 7 I was pretty much arranging my own social life, often including the transportation there. Usually my father would pick me up when it was time for me to go home, as often it'd get dark fairly early and he'd be home from work by then. It always saddened me that my other really good friend at that age didn't live somewhere I could get to by myself.

My boyfriend (and if I have children the person likely to be the father) also grew up with vast amounts of independence as a very young child. He grew up in Germany where children are expected to learn the local transit systems and know how to get around places. When he moved to the US he was really upset to be in an area that required cars to get anywhere. He had far less independence and mobility as a young teenager than he did as a young child.

While I feel both of our childhoods could be improved upon, I definitely don't think mobility and independence were bad things. And as Conuly often points out, children are even safer these days. And it's not like we were in horrible danger then. At least, not from strangers. And not because we had mobility. It's when you can't leave bad situations that you're most likely to have problems. Like at school or on school buses where you're trapped.