Societal parenting does children no favors

Ian Gecker, Las Vegas

Thursday, May 28, 2015 | 2 a.m.

I couldn’t agree more with George Will’s column “In childhood, risk is inherent — and many are stuck in it” (Las Vegas Sun, May 18), wherein he reflects upon and laments the state of contemporary child-rearing and the bureaucratic interference when Maryland children, who were walking home from school by themselves with their parents’ permission, were whisked off the street by police and turned over to Child Protective Services for their safety. Today’s children live a life of planned play dates, organized activities devoid of imaginative spontaneity and “helicopter parenting” that leads to the phenomena of college students being excused from exams because they have been “traumatized” by the news or given “trigger warnings” that a controversial speaker is appearing on campus and they might want to stay away to spare their delicate sensibilities. Will correctly draws a direct line between contemporary parenting and the passivity and dependence it breeds.

Contrast today’s contemporary and societal parenting with my own childhood. I grew up in the ’50s in a tough west Philadelphia working-class neighborhood where you learned through experience to take responsibility for and learn from your decisions. My parents gave me room to grow, explore and be spontaneous. We played outdoors till the streetlights came on and made up games that occupied our hours. We dealt with the neighborhood bullies and grew into mature and productive adults.

I am retired after 50 successful years in my chosen profession and attribute my success, in some measure, to my childhood lessons. The common sense and street smarts gained from being allowed to experience the world enabled me to accumulate the perseverance, confidence and strength of character necessary for survival. Quite a contrast, I would say!