The fear starts early these days...

[MrScorpio]

In Police State USA, Kids Playing Outside is a Crime: CPS to Mom “Don’t let them play outside.”

The message from the state is clear, either you keep your kids locked up in the house or you very well may be the one locked up. “You just don’t let them play outside.”

Austin, Texas – Children’s book author, Kari Anne Roy, received an unexpected visit from Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Austin Police Department recently. She was being investigated for allowing her son Isaac, 6, to play outside unsupervised.

Isaac and his eight-year-old sister had been playing outside at a park bench about 150 yards from their house, which is visible from their home’s front porch. When the sister came in the house the boy continued to play.

The child had been outside for all of 10 minutes when there she heard her doorbell ring. When she opened the door, expecting her son, there was a woman standing there that Roy didn’t know.

According to what Roy wrote on her blog, HaikuMama, the stranger asked,

“Is this your son?”
I nodded, still trying to figure out what was happening.
“He said this was his house. I brought him home.” She was wearing dark glasses. I couldn’t see her eyes, couldn’t gauge her expression.
“You brought…”
“Yes. He was all the way down there, with no adult.” She motioned to a park bench about 150 yards from my house. A bench that is visible from my front porch. A bench where he had been playing with my 8-year-old daughter, and where he decided to stay and play when she brought our dog home from the walk they’d gone on.
“You brought him home… from playing outside?” I continued to be baffled.
And then the woman smiled condescendingly, explained that he was OUTSIDE. And he was ALONE. And she was RETURNING HIM SAFELY. To stay INSIDE. With an ADULT. I thanked her for her concern, quickly shut the door and tried to figure out what just happened.

Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/police-cps-investigate-family-letting-kids-play/#IwT4svy00yU7OKr8.99

[malthaussen]

1. Said it before and I'll say it again.

If we'd had silly expectations like these when I was a child, my mother would be doing life without parole.

-- Mal

[get the red out]

2. My Mom would be with her

There would also be charges on my Mom for assaulting the condescending "woman at the door".

In the summer my Mom would call me to dinner by yelling across the neighborhood, which was the same way she called our free-range dog. We both liked food and we both came when called. Other families weren't any different.

[hifiguy]

3. Mine, too.

My buddies and I would check out around 9 a.m., disappear doing whatever it was we did until lunch, come home, eat lunch, and head out again until dinner time.

[tecelote]

4. Beat me to it.

My Mom sent me and my sister on errands to build our independence and to gain confidence while speaking with adults.

As you said, life without parole.

[malthaussen]

5. My father did that, too.

But not for those reasons. He did it because he was a lazy bum.

-- Mal

[Downwinder]

7. When I was 5, I had a horse and free rein over 160 acres.

[malthaussen]

8. Five's young for a horse.

Unless the beastie is an uncommonly even-tempered one. But you're still here, eh?

-- Mal

[Downwinder]

10. An old cow pony that they thought could not run.

I ran him to death.

How things change over time.

My mother used to tell about going on picnics at five with her six and seven year old sister and brother. They took matches and built fires to cook their lunches.

[Maedhros]

6. As a child, I would wander miles from home and spend an entire day without seeing an adult.

I got myself into trouble and learned to get myself out of it. Kids don't get to do that anymore.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. We left the house on weekends right after chores and stayed gone until dinner time. We roamed all

over the city, walked for miles, outside without an ADULT.

My Step monster would lock us out of the house just to make sure we stayed gone.

Want a drink of water....use the garden hose.....