I have grown up with both my parents and still live with them today, I have always been allowed to go out with friends and even trips up London without my parents for almost 5 years, but why is it that so many parents are so protective over their children. Is it because they're worried that their child may get kidnapped? Murdered?
Let us get to the point, you are more likely to have a car accident compared to the usual thoughts parents go through when letting their kids explore the world.
At the age of 11, I began going out with friends and this is when I began to see how overprotective parents are over their children going out to unfamiliar places, or to a location, which is more than a 2 miles radius away from their house. Of course, taking a trip down an ally at 2am in the morning is risky, but in broad daylight, taking a trip up London on the train, is that really going to cause much harm.
Parents with Transport
If their child is planning to travel on public transport, some parents might think 'Oh no, what if there is a bomb on the train. You are not going anywhere near trains son' Please, the chances of this happening are so rare, are you going to keep your children locked in doors all day and not see the world.
Yes, give them an X-box for Christmas then the problems with going out will disappear. No stress for you, perfect!
Don't think X-box is the new social skill, or daylight. It's a screen full of bad influences for your child. Do you think letting them play war games 24/7 is good for your child? Really? Of course not. Perhaps let them go out, adventure new places, meet real friends and give them the life they really want. Some children sadly think, it's going to be the X-box for the rest of their lives. However, it is not.
Of course, I understand what parents think and say, but I do believe there is a limit to all this over thinking.
There are many other situations where parents are extremely over protective with. For example relationships, driving, adventurous ideas etc.
At 16 I believe that going out to London or a big city should have already begun at least at 13 to 14 years old if not younger.
If your one of those parents who are very overprotective I have a few tips, which may help you:
- If your child is asking to go somewhere new make sure there are others going, at least 3 others I would recommend.
- Make sure your child brings their phone and ask them to notify you where they are or when they arrive at a designated location.
- Look up the location where your child is going. However, do not become paranoid.
- Remind your child to stay in a group and not to wonder of.
In addition, the rest would be common sense.
I am not saying all parents are like this, but I have noticed a growing number of parents who are becoming more protective. A key influencer would be the media and world topics. There will always be dangerous people in the world however there will always be good people too.
Let's give the next generation of teens more options on where they want to go, let them see the world more and stop preventing them from going out.