One of the greatest things I remember about being a kid was the buckets of free time I used to have. Before the crippiling endurance test of GCSEs kicked in, my lengthy long weekends were spent anywhere but inside. Instead my parents would hurl me outside to face the world and all its wonders of scrapes and scratches, penny sweets and creepy crawlies. In fact I clearly remember my father repeating the same phrase every Sunday when I droned boredom, 'oh amy, go and play with the cars'. And this is how I toughened up as a kid.

However now days, saying this to any child would cause outrage. How can you possibly send out your child with all those strangers, dangers and bird flu hiding round every corner?! I read somewhere early this week that 70% of children had never played outside unsupervised. When I was young I can remember days on end when I wouldn't see a parent in sight unless it was a meal, causing a wave of excitement to retreat home or a visit to Grannies, causng the opposite effect.

What I wonder is, what has the nationwife fear of 'letting small children loose' stemmed from? Is it from the media reporting cases such as the McCann's and increase in paedophiles? Or do we simply not trust each other anymore. I have to say personally I worry when even my small brothers play on the street (although thats because I know what they are capable of with a small stick...)

Nowadays kids spend their holidays cooped up in front of the tv fearing the outside world, bashed with the terrifying warning of 'stranger danger'. Not learning the wonders of discovering an ant hill or chucking a ball about in the middle of the road.

Is it just me or have we become a fearful nation who have forgotten what it's like to play on the pavements?

Amy Lobl

10:04am Monday 14th April 2008

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