Wow, great article. This is one of many ways that the rapid urbanization, and population increases, of the last few decades have reduced the quality of life in the United States. In the fourties, fifties, sixties and even the seventies, kids took off in the mornings and went outside almost all day, playing and exploring the countryside.(at least we did) I feel sorry for these poor kids today who live in sterile urban, and sprawled out suburban areas, whose hovering parents won't let them out of their sight, for fear of abduction by some drooling pedophile.

Awesome article.

As a mom of 8 free-ranging kids, I heartily agree with this article!

The subject is dead on accurate, but where do the kids go to play? We have built every road into a four lane freeway, torn down and destroyed every grove of trees in favor of condos, or Walmarts, and someone please find an open field, at least on the west side, that isn't fenced with warnings that you will be arrested if you trespass.

About all we have left our kids, are these antiseptic playgrounds that the city thinks are wonderful ideas and requirements for all developments nowadays as a way to ease their consciences for wiping out yet more open space. You know the ones. Six foot thick rubber padding, slides that are about four feet high, and swing sets that barely stand up to any use. Nothing to climb on, because that might hurt someone, and no place to go off and use your imagination to conjure up good old home made fun.

The fault is not the children's. The problem is a government out of control, desperate for tax revenue, that keeps rolling in people and building homes in just about every open spot in the whole valley. There is NO place to go play.

I got broken bones, bloody noses, bruises, burns, scrapes -- and I wouldn't trade my childhood for a world full of video games and "approved" toys.

One sign that we've gone way overboard is the way the Texas kiddie gestapo reported that the kids they took from the polygamists showed signs of broken bones and bruises -- oh, the humanity!!!

If I may take the opposite tack: the prevalence of child murders and abductions is much greater than when I was growing up. Sadly, a lot of this is done by people who the children knew and trusted. Broken bones and bruises are one thing. We all had them. But deliberate abuse is common in our society. I don't remember the number of bullies and jerks in school when I was young compared to the ones my son had to put up with years later. The author of the story failed to mention one thing. The child was at risk. After service in Viet Nam, I know the feeling. Our society may seem safe, but it isn't.

Fear is our biggest enemy these days.

I would venture to say there were just as many if not more bad things happening to kids in your (my) day. Many went unreported.

I choose to freedom for our children in their own neighborhoods.