posted on November 3, 2007 09:22:09 PM new
LOL Otteropp- my GRANDMOTHER did something juicier than that! (I believe she was accused of flirting with a fellow on stage at a convocation, they said she waved at him - she denied it to her dying day). She was expelled, nonetheless. Harsh punishment even for circa 1912. I was no hooligan, but had far more freedom (to make bad choices) than my 12-year-old. I went through a brief period of bullying in the first grade (I'm deeply ashamed to admit it). Certainly grounds for expulsion or suspension in my son's school!
I wax nostalgic for the wonderful childhood I had but believe the world was not a safer place then, parents were just blissfully ignorant of the dangers. My lightweight kid still has to ride in the back seat- my baby brother was seated in a baby-launcher in the front seat. We had some VERY scary babysitters as kids, including a sitter who came with her convicted felon husband (he was very creepy and wanted to tuck us in). I only left my son with relatives or at a well-supervised child care center.
Even the 1950's-60's main street America was riddled with child sex abuse - from good families and not-so-good families. I didn't pick up that a bed-wetting family close to us was being abused (Neglus pieced that together). My best friend in the 7th grade hinted that her brother was trading her favors to his buddies, and admitted that her father got drunk and would wander into her room and mistake her for her mother. (It took years for me to figure that out).
What I'm trying to say is that structure/ritual is very reassuring to children, but is no indication that they lead structured/orderly safe lives. They need good peripheral vision and need to be empowered if they sense danger.
