That title should be the rallying call of all sensibly minded parents up and down this once proud and fine country.
In recent years we have seen a rise in the English nanny state which has been hell bent on removing our children's childhood. No playing football in the streets or down alleyways. No ball game signs put up everywhere in any space large enough to fit a ball let alone a group of chidren with one. Games were frowned upon and in some cases barred from the school week of lessons. Places we almost 50's once played have long since been either built upon or fenced off.
Children today are not allowed the freedom we had as children. Government, Health organisations, teachers and parents have caved in to their own fears which has resulted in strangulation for todays children.
Schools have in many cases been taken over by headmasters and headmistresses and teachers who have ensured boys and tomboy girls are not allowed to tune into their aggressive side. Play with toy guns is a punishable offense by exclusion in some pre schools and primary schools.
We got over the rubbish ideas of the 80's which dictated that individual sporting talent was bad and that team work was the holy grail. Even the though of winning was frowned upon. We got passed all that bullshit only to have those in a position to change the rules make it so very hard for todays children to play as we did in the 60's with toy guns as cowboys and indians or taking a few sandwiches and a drink plus a football or two, a rugby ball, cricket stumps, ball and two bats to spend all day Saturday in the park 1/2 mile away from our home. We came home as darkness fell. On a Sunday we would all get on our bikes with our pack lunches and ride for miles on country roads. Sometimes we would ride the 60 miles from Hull to Scarborough. Spend and hour or so on the beach eating our packed lunches before beginning the journey home. Our parents never worried about us as there simply was nothing to worry about unless we got home after dark in which case we would be banned from partaking in the following weeks events. We numbered 12 children aged from 7 to 12.
Todays children are shielded from such activities because their parents have been bombarded with fears from every corner imaginable. The truth is that there are no more nor less child stalkers now than there was in the 60's. There are more vehicles on the roads but there are specially prepared cycle tracks which they could merrily ride along. Country roads are more of a challenge but with proper awareness of their surroundings they could still be ridable and enjoyable whilst riding. The dangers we 60's children surmounted we surmounted because we learnt as we went.
And it is that learning as you go, learning from previous mistakes as children, the freedom our parents gave us to enjoy life that made us the most successful generation today. In fact the most sucessful generation ever to walk this Earth.
And it is that chance we as todays parents are denying our children. Through misplaced fears over things that simply are not any worse than they was in the 60's.
Give us back are children by removing all the obstacles that have been placed in front of them over the last 40 or so years.
Give us back our children and let them play as we played.
Give us back our children.
In recent years we have seen a rise in the English nanny state which has been hell bent on removing our children's childhood. No playing football in the streets or down alleyways. No ball game signs put up everywhere in any space large enough to fit a ball let alone a group of chidren with one. Games were frowned upon and in some cases barred from the school week of lessons. Places we almost 50's once played have long since been either built upon or fenced off.
Children today are not allowed the freedom we had as children. Government, Health organisations, teachers and parents have caved in to their own fears which has resulted in strangulation for todays children.
Schools have in many cases been taken over by headmasters and headmistresses and teachers who have ensured boys and tomboy girls are not allowed to tune into their aggressive side. Play with toy guns is a punishable offense by exclusion in some pre schools and primary schools.
We got over the rubbish ideas of the 80's which dictated that individual sporting talent was bad and that team work was the holy grail. Even the though of winning was frowned upon. We got passed all that bullshit only to have those in a position to change the rules make it so very hard for todays children to play as we did in the 60's with toy guns as cowboys and indians or taking a few sandwiches and a drink plus a football or two, a rugby ball, cricket stumps, ball and two bats to spend all day Saturday in the park 1/2 mile away from our home. We came home as darkness fell. On a Sunday we would all get on our bikes with our pack lunches and ride for miles on country roads. Sometimes we would ride the 60 miles from Hull to Scarborough. Spend and hour or so on the beach eating our packed lunches before beginning the journey home. Our parents never worried about us as there simply was nothing to worry about unless we got home after dark in which case we would be banned from partaking in the following weeks events. We numbered 12 children aged from 7 to 12.
Todays children are shielded from such activities because their parents have been bombarded with fears from every corner imaginable. The truth is that there are no more nor less child stalkers now than there was in the 60's. There are more vehicles on the roads but there are specially prepared cycle tracks which they could merrily ride along. Country roads are more of a challenge but with proper awareness of their surroundings they could still be ridable and enjoyable whilst riding. The dangers we 60's children surmounted we surmounted because we learnt as we went.
And it is that learning as you go, learning from previous mistakes as children, the freedom our parents gave us to enjoy life that made us the most successful generation today. In fact the most sucessful generation ever to walk this Earth.
And it is that chance we as todays parents are denying our children. Through misplaced fears over things that simply are not any worse than they was in the 60's.
Give us back are children by removing all the obstacles that have been placed in front of them over the last 40 or so years.
Give us back our children and let them play as we played.
Give us back our children.
6 comments:
you wouldnt be the "jeepsterQCC"
that i knew many moons ago
from DaddyQCC
I have always been plain Jeepster since T.Rex came out with the song and one of my brothers pinned the moniker on me. That must have been in the middle 1970's. My other main handle is slider but that one is rarely used.
I do seem to remember the QCC thing from years ago but cannot remember what it stood for. Can you enlighten me?
Hi jeepster the qcc stood for "quake cheaters club" in my little world anyway...years ago when i first got a computer and played quake online i got to know a chap who went by the name jeepster and introduced me to quake bots...he lived in hull and was a linux user...i lost contact with him when i got bored with quake but i was browsing your blog...(which is very true and struck a chord as im a similar age.)...and i wondered if you were jeepster i knew..but sadly not..never mind, keep up the blog and thanks for the reply
Hmm, I did play quake years ago but had the handle of Jeepster[linux] as many of use Linux users did.
Tom is my name but as I said I think whoever you know while similar in most online regards is not me as I never cheated and never had qcc on my nick.
Thanks for the comments about the blog. Perhaps you could help spread the word for me.
Hi Tom
My name is mike and will be happy to help spread the word...
pity your not the guy i thought but never mind ...i do remember the linux prefix on names...they were proberly the ones that flooded me or disconnected me for cheating...but we were open about it just making mischief on all the(far to) serious players..
cheer tom look forward to your next instalment
Hmm, now here's a thing. I knew a chap called Mike from those days and yes we all knew how to kick people off.
Oh well. While I may not be the person you are hoping to find I thank you for your contribution.
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