Overheard at the park today.....

[Thinker]

Scene: family of 4 walking across the grass near the lake. Mother, father, 2 kids approx 3 and 4 years old.

 

Dialog: Father says, 'No, no, son....don't run....you'll fall down.'

 

*******************

Now, I must confess that I'm not a parent, but I DO have plenty of experience as a son. I am SO glad that my parents encouraged me to run, play, climb trees, swim in the lake, hunt, camp, and live a full live. I can not even begin to imagine what life for those 2 kids will be like for the next 15 years.

 

My question today is, does the way we were raised REALLY affect the way we live life today?

 

One could assert that many of us (climbers) who choose to participate in activities deemd more 'risky' by society were likely encouraged to such things in childhood.

 

Q#2: Is there a significant number of people who were raised by overprotective parents and who broke free of that mindset and now climb?? I'd love to hear your story.

[specialed]

My mom gave me rattlesnakes and razorblades to play with.

 

... that is when she let me out of the box, of course.

[EWolfe]

My folks understood that kids are resilient, and I am thankful for the freedom that allowed.

 

Once in Yosemite in the late 60's when we would go as a family to climb and work (my folks) and me to play, this story happened.

 

I was playing on the rocks, running up, tumbling down (about 4 years old), and generally out of control.

A woman was sitting next to my mom, just watching me with fear and amazement as I did various activities she obviously deemed dangerous.

 

My mom noticed the woman, but ignored her. She concentrated on her knitting for about 15 minutes, and could feel the womans tension build, until finally:

 

"I can't believe it!" the woman shouted, " I have been sitting here for the last 15 minutes watching this child run around, out of control, with no sign of his mother even caring if anything happens!"

 

She turned to my mom, who happened to look very young for a 24- year old, and said: "Do you know whose child this is?!?"

 

Very quietly she said, "He's mine."

 

The woman left in a huff, certainly sure of her being an irresponsible "young" mother.

 

Thanks, Mom.

[fenderfour]

"kids bounce"

 

I was crying once after falling off of my bike. My dad said to me:

 

"If you scream like that again, you better be bleeding to death, or there better be a bone hanging out of your arm, because if there isn't, there will be!"

 

Thanks dad.

[jkrueger]

Ah, fun and danger. Of course the two are often one and the same, so the line between them is sketchy at best. There is much to be learned from direct experience and living with the consequences of one's actions. But then again, trips to the ER are never fun. As in all things, it's a matter of finding a balance which is unique to every ankle biter (until they get old enough to scare the shit out of themselves and wise enough not to tell you about it).

[griz]

yeah, I'm not a parent and don't want to be but you have to admire the ones who let their kids explore and do crazy, stupid shit so they can live and learn. It takes guts cuz you know they still worry...something kids don't get, ya know? Now I'm older and have more of a parents view of the world, I'm pretty grateful for being allowed to climb trees to lethal heights, go solo canoeing at a young age on local rivers, play WAR with bottle rockets and happily shoot friends with them or split my chin wide open on a half pipe w/o a lecture after the ER visit. It builds character(and scar tissue).

 

Those poor little twits will probably grow up to be really boring shits who live their life through a TV.

Edited June 10, 2004 by griz

[EWolfe]

It builds character(and scar tissue).

 

Dru's Favorite Band, Poi Dog Pondering:

 

"You should wear with pride

the marks on your skin

they're a map of the adventures

and the places you've been"

 

[JoshK]

Kids should be encouraged to run around and shit. I am sure glad I was.

[chucK]

I was letting my kid (4 year old) climb in a tree that was sideways. It had fallen down. Perfect rungs. His feet were about 4 feet above the ground. A branch broke and he fell, headfirst onto a concrete driveway. Fractured skull, bleeding in the brain. He almost died.

 

You high and mighty smart guys seem pretty dumb sometimes.

[JoshK]

Running around is different than hanging from a broken tree over concrete.

[Dan_Harris]

If you weren't encouraged to shit than you would get very big and I'm sure uncomfortable. Seriously, I'm glad my parents took us camping and we (my siblings and I) were allowed to run and jump and fall and get bruised and stitched up.

[Dru]

I was letting my kid (4 year old) climb in a tree that was sideways. It had fallen down. Perfect rungs. His feet were about 4 feet above the ground. A branch broke and he fell, headfirst onto a concrete driveway. Fractured skull, bleeding in the brain. He almost died.

 

You high and mighty smart guys seem pretty dumb sometimes.

 

This is a good example of something Darwin described.