AdamH Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I saw something that Musicface said and it got me wondering. I know I'm out of touch with the yewts but where do children play these days? Do they have the same options for outdoor activity? Do they just prefer to be inside playing video games? Here's some things I used to do and if you're in touch with young folks tell me if they're still doing this: 1. Ride bikes 2. Play in the creek near our house 3. Go to the mall (I used to take those extreme rubber balls and bounce them from the Sherway Gardens Food Court) 4. Playgrounds 5. Sega Genesis on rainy days 6. Lawn Darts 7. Go to the corner store and get candy 8. Light smoke bombs and make mini-fires in public parks 9. steal someone's cigarettes and take a few drags until you puked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Well, I am a little out of touch as well, but it looks like our nieces and nephews are still doing the things I used to do when I was young. Thankfully, they havent really hit those teenage years yet, because as soon as they do, they are going to be rotten little assholes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I was mainly upset about the redhill creek expressway being built not for my own benefit, but for the kids... there's a big difference between playing in a forest by a creek than under a highway bridge... always been what I thought made hamilton a special city... truly believe kids need an escape route to nature while growing up to appreciate the planet and retain their sanity (I don't consider a lot of people on anti-depressents getting divorced with 2 kids at 35 sane) from my sister's kids I'd say they spend a lot of time on the computer, draw and make stuff, occasionally ride their bikes, go to the mall when possible and start partying around 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 As a kid I was always riding my bike to play in some creek/field/dirt hill, where we'd build forts or make up our own games. But I've noticed all these places where I played as a kid in Burlington have been turned into sub-divisions. Seems to me like kids are staying inside watching mtv and playing video games and being generally very sedintary. If you suggest they should go outside and play they'll probably tell ya to go fu©k yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 geez ahess...sounds like you and I could have been best buddies as kids! Add "make mud pies" and "baseball" to my list though....and of course "Lake Ontario Park" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hey thanks for asking this ahess, yeh I am very curious about this too! Thankfully, they havent really hit those teenage years yet, because as soon as they do, they are going to be rotten little assholes. Just like their uncle... Man, we used to bike EVERYWHERE. I grew up in the east part of Scarborough, and the range of my high school was about a 10 kilometre radius, so my friends were all over the place and we'd get on the bikes all the time so we could get together and hang out. We'd bike to the malls, bike to the Pickering flea market, bike through the Rouge Valley, you name it. I guess kids must still do all that stuff, things are even more spread out now so they'd sort of have to. I do see "kids" (tweens and teens really) out and about in my neighbourhood, downtown, in the malls, etc. so I don't know about the common wisdom that they're all inside on the computer. In fact, most studies show that time spent on the computer by kids and adults is almost all time they would otherwise have been likely to spend watching TV rather than going out. - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Huxtable Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Well my neices and nephew are still babies, so I have to say that they're doing the things that babies have done for centuries. Eat, poop and play with things that make noise. One of my neices is 6 and she lives in a sub-division in New Castle. She has lots of friends in the nieghborhood and they play in each others yards, swing sets and swimming pools. She's pretty good on the computer so I imagine she spends a bit of time on it. She's still pretty young so she can't venture too far from home on her own or with friends. I know my sister and brother-in-law take their children for walks quite often. Newcastle is still like things were when I was a kid, lots of creeks and trees around. Alex loves picking up stones and pretending their jewels, she loves collecting bugs (dead and alive) and she loves picking up beautiful leaves and bringing them home. So generally I think young kids are still the same, only probably a bit more tech-savy then we were at that age. But, as was said before, I'm sure that will change when the teenage years present themselves. Shutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooly Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 well hopefully they dont get hurt, watched on the news the last few nights about some teenagers that glued some broken glass to the monkey bars and the slides at a park here in gurlington. i used to love playing at the park, catching grasshoppers and crawdaddies at the cottage, frisbee was always fun too. i was a nerd and went fossil hunting at the creek by the cottage. always loved building a good ol tree fort too, dont see many kids outside in general anymore let alone building a heady treefort. i blame nintendo and TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Huxtable Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Holy cow Mr. Musicface. We did the same things at the very same places! I spent so much time in Rouge Valley and the Scarborough hoods. Wild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hey Ms. Hux! Yeh, I actually grew up right beside the Rouge Beach at the end of Lawrence Ave, you can see the lake from my parents front lawn and it's about 3 minutes walk down to the river. There's a bridge that goes across the river into Pickering, so we spent a lot of time on that side around Petticoat Creek, but we would also go through Highland Creek a lot, as well as occation trips up north around Twyn Rivers and the zoo, or out toward the Morningside Valley. A trip to the convenience store near Morningside Mall which was the last known retailer of the original Gator Gum was also a favorite quest! Mmmmmm, Gator Gum... - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 This has been a big topic lately for me. My bosses little girl is 10 and they are so worried about her growing up too fast. As her other 10 year old friends are worried about carbs and tanning nude so they don't have tan lines, and experimenting with sex! MY GOD!! kids are growing up way too fast. Their plan is to teach her as much self respect, and to keep her youth...they are upgrading her play area outside to make it a survivor theme to try and keep her "playing". When I was a kid my brother and I entertained ourselves well with dinky cars, action figures, spent tons of time outside in the fields, bush, and mud. Oh ya - Air bands was a fun game too!! I just hope parents these days are taking time for their kids! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 God, does anyone remember that movie "Kids"? Sunshine's post reminded me of it. I remember watching it thinking "is this sh!t for real?!?" I'd still like to think it's the exception rather than the rule. - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Huxtable Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Sunshine, you just reminded me of something my sister told me about Alex. She borrowed her friends glittery, thong underwear. Why would a company even make thongs for children? It's disgusting if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 There is a LaSenza Junior now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Experimenting with sex at the age of 10?? sh!t! I shudder to think of the draconian measures I'll have to take with my daughters if this kind of behavioural pattern keeps up with kids growing up tomorrow. I fully place the blame on such sluts like Britney and Aguilera, the horribly lewd hip-hop videos that kids are bombarded with on a daily basis, and Saturday morning cartoons being replaced by those stupid high school drama shows. Just listen to me. I sound like old man Booche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Sunshine, you just reminded me of something my sister told me about Alex. She borrowed her friends glittery, thong underwear. Why would a company even make thongs for children? It's disgusting if you ask me. That's so wrong! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 What kinds of lives did you guys have? Jesus, I was mackin' the broads when I was 5 and they were in Grade 3........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I fully place the blame on such sluts like Britney and Aguilera, the horribly lewd hip-hop videos that kids are bombarded with on a daily basis, and Saturday morning cartoons being replaced by those stupid high school drama shows.here here.[color:"purple"] its like the television networks just don't care and are only in it for the money those children aren't innocent, what they are, is not buying enough product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Fake IDs and repeating the third grade just to "mack the broads" ain't nothing to brag about Booche. "I get older, but they all stay the same age" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPhish Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I see huge changes in the places and the ways in which kids play nowadays. I can remember going off to the partk for hours at a time, comming home when I was hungry. Now it is rare to see kids at a park without supervision. I know that it's hard, with all the stroies and things you see on T.V to just let kids go off on their own, but I think it severly changes thier way of play when there is a parent around constantly. Adults tend to intereven in every little disbute on the play ground which does'nt help the kids learn to work things out on there own at all. Parents freak out when kids are pushed too fast on the tire swing or hang upside down on the monkey bars, leaviung little room for adventure. Parents also don't have the time to spend all day at the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Roller, would you shut up. Dont give away the secrets I have bestowed upon you. You were lucky I drunkenly babbled them in the first place, but I guess that isnt hard for me to do. Remember, dazzle them with smoke, mirrors and plenty of booze. A three course meal at KFC and 4 Bacardi coolers does the trick as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 well hopefully they dont get hurt, watched on the news the last few nights about some teenagers that glued some broken glass to the monkey bars and the slides at a park here in Burlington. Original story from the Toronto Star can be found here. Follow-up, including arrests, can be read right here . Nasty stuff. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPhish Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 yup thats the kind of stuff I mean when I said that I know it's hard to let them go to the park alone. It's a friggin shame beacuse like I said it turns childhood into a whole different experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 breaks my heart.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted October 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Well I can collectively assume that the offspring of those here will likely do some or all of the following: 1. Fall down and cut themselves regularly 2. Get in fights 3. Put things in their mouths that they shouldn't 4. Explore places that some grownups say they shouldn't 5. Have a place to go to that is just theirs 6. Eat when they are hungry, and not when they're told to 7. Experiment and learn throughout their lives Why will they do all of these plausible and commendable things? Because their parents did..or still do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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