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03Lightningrocks wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2020 5:01 pm

Hoodasnacks wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2020 1:49 pm

LeonCarr wrote: ↑Wed Jan 08, 2020 3:31 pm What Montgomery said. Go with them to the park, and don't just sit on a park bench with your face in your phone like 99% of parents I see in the park.

Learning your surroundings and situational awareness can be fun. Ask your child questions. The man we saw walking up...what did he have in his hands? What is the license plate of that Gray Toyota? What is the address of the park we are at?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

The phone parents drive me nuts. If you are taking the time, might as well play with them and do it right. I feel the same way about parents at the pool...just get in an play catch, it is way more fun anyway.

It is not just while playing. I consistently notice entire families all on their phones when eating out. Not a word is being exchanged. Once in awhile one of them will laugh and then furiously begin to text. It is crazy how cell phones have destroyed social communication.

It is sad really--my kids are trained well in this regard. They point out the sad families every once in a while (then I have to teach them to not judge ). My teen-age son actually told his grandpa who was in town for a visit that we don't have our phones out at dinner while in a restaurant the other day. I told him that the rule doesn't have to apply to individuals over 70....grandpa put it away anyway. The man knows the value of a good example.

LeonCarr wrote: ↑Wed Jan 08, 2020 3:31 pm What Montgomery said. Go with them to the park, and don't just sit on a park bench with your face in your phone like 99% of parents I see in the park.

Learning your surroundings and situational awareness can be fun. Ask your child questions. The man we saw walking up...what did he have in his hands? What is the license plate of that Gray Toyota? What is the address of the park we are at?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

The phone parents drive me nuts. If you are taking the time, might as well play with them and do it right. I feel the same way about parents at the pool...just get in an play catch, it is way more fun anyway.

Grayling813 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:45 am "Is my wife really right?"

Of course she is...my wife told me so. Happy wife, happy life.

I agree with others who say use the time as awareness training with your son. The benefits to him are obvious, but you may also observe things you'd been missing about the park.

It's so true. We actually do awareness training. The sad thing is that I didn't think to do this with my oldest son. I guess we get better as we go as parents.

E10 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:52 pm 1. The El Paso shooter drove over 600 miles to select the El Paso Walmart he targeted.
2. and 3. If these are true about your locale you might think about moving to a safer place.

And yes, she's right. You don't say how old your son is, but ability doesn't always accompany size. Get off your duff and go to the park with your kid. Take a ball and your gun if you think you need to (if you have a license, o'course). I went with my three, and now they're going with theirs. It'll be good for both of you.

He did drive 600 miles--but we walked by where he lived all the time...bit of a crazy thought. The strange thing is that he wanted to kill immigrants. Due to a recent storm, there was a crew of roofers on every other roof in the neighborhood--they may have literally dodged a bullet.

And lots of harshness on the board about going to the park--I do it all the time, just not every time.

Pilgrim wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:10 pm Get a basketball goal? Have fun!

I wish--tiny lot with sloped driveway. It is a terrible thing. I have one in my pool, but it is a bit cold for that.

So my wife and I have had this argument quite frequently. It starts with one of my sons asking to go down to the neighborhood park or to the neighborhood basketball court. She says no unless his friends are going...or unless I go. If I have no desire to go, I am of course asked over and over again until I am annoyed enough to stop it. And then I turn to my wife and re-start the argument..."really, he can't just go? He could beat up child molesters and kidnappers. How unsafe is it really?"

I once found my wife's position absurd because, at least as of now, this particular son is nearly six feet tall and not exactly an easy target. Further, I live in a very nice neighborhood that is very safe. I thought my wife was just being silly until recent events:

1) the el paso shooter lived near (perhaps within walking distance).
2) random recent shooting of a kid on a bike in the city.
3) other random recent shootings in nearby apartments, etc.

--All within the last few months.

So my question to my esteemed wise CHL Board members--are we really to the point where she is right and we can't let teen-aged kids simply walk around in the neighborhood, or is it still that bad things randomly happen and it is so statistically improbable that we shouldn't baby the youth?

My wife's argument seems to get stronger by the day...