By default, all of the child characters I write about are latchkeys. Because the stories are supposed to be about THEM, not their parents. I got fed up of too many half-assed one-dimensional parents who exist only to show the kid has parents in media. And none of their parents are helicopters: they are extremely intelligent people who know their children can fend for themselves (working as superheroes, they have to, anyway).
The proper place for adults in child-centered literature is just in cameos and walk-ons, so that's how I do it.
In my schooldays I was like that, yes. School let out before my parents could get home from work most days, and my parents were more than trustworthy with me about my ability to get home on time and in one piece.
If you had two parents working, it was largely the norm. And, as I said, it was about trust between parent and child that nothing of severity would occur as much as possible. The advent of the technology of the 21st century has completely eroded that trust.
Gen X, Millennial and Gen Y parents seem to think of Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World" as instruction manuals for parenting- never mind Dr. Spock...
I wasn't a textbook definition of a latchkey kid, but I remember we had lots of autonomy back when I was growing up. I'd get home, and as long as I was done with homework, my friends would typically show up at the doorstep and ask if I could come out and play. And then we'd be playing all sorts of outdoor games in the neighborhood, including cops and robbers on nearby streets and houses, etc. We only had to be home by a certain time (typically for dinner). No cell phones or monitoring, etc.
But it looks like the Danish school system builds some "controlled independence" into the school planning. My son will be 10 next year, so he'll be starting in the so-called "club", which is a place where they go after school where they can do activities, etc. before it's time to go home. The kicker is that, unlike the first three years of school, they are not kept track of or chaperoned by school adults - they're in principle free to just go home. It's a nice way to nudge the more hesitant parents into letting go. I'm personally very happy for it, but a few mothers expressed concerns when they were told their kids wouldn't be closely watched from next school year on.
I like that sort of compromise, where you don't really get everything you want (EG, total independence vs total control). We need more innovative solutions like this as everything changes around us and trust continues to erode.
It's not just parent/child trust that has eroded, of course. The world is now much smaller and more crowded in a way, so all sorts of trust has gone the way of the dodo's doodoo.
Cinnamon toast is sooooo good, I still make it once in awhile. I tried to make donuts once out of biscuit dough. Remember the pillsbury dough boy stuff packed in those cardboard tubes that pop open? My sister wasn't around for this one and I didn't know what to do with the leftover oil so I yeeted it out the back door and that screen still has an oil stain to this day
Oh yeah, those can-tubes would pop right open. I only baked those biscuits myself a few times, but I certainly understand the desire to transform them to donuts. I applaud your young Andrew ingenuity.
By default, all of the child characters I write about are latchkeys. Because the stories are supposed to be about THEM, not their parents. I got fed up of too many half-assed one-dimensional parents who exist only to show the kid has parents in media. And none of their parents are helicopters: they are extremely intelligent people who know their children can fend for themselves (working as superheroes, they have to, anyway).
The proper place for adults in child-centered literature is just in cameos and walk-ons, so that's how I do it.
Did you grow up like this too, David?
In my schooldays I was like that, yes. School let out before my parents could get home from work most days, and my parents were more than trustworthy with me about my ability to get home on time and in one piece.
It seemed pretty normal, right? I didn't think it was weird at all.
If you had two parents working, it was largely the norm. And, as I said, it was about trust between parent and child that nothing of severity would occur as much as possible. The advent of the technology of the 21st century has completely eroded that trust.
I agree. We used to say "I trust you." Nowadays, we say "I'm watching you."
That's kinda true everywhere.
Gen X, Millennial and Gen Y parents seem to think of Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World" as instruction manuals for parenting- never mind Dr. Spock...
I wasn't a textbook definition of a latchkey kid, but I remember we had lots of autonomy back when I was growing up. I'd get home, and as long as I was done with homework, my friends would typically show up at the doorstep and ask if I could come out and play. And then we'd be playing all sorts of outdoor games in the neighborhood, including cops and robbers on nearby streets and houses, etc. We only had to be home by a certain time (typically for dinner). No cell phones or monitoring, etc.
But it looks like the Danish school system builds some "controlled independence" into the school planning. My son will be 10 next year, so he'll be starting in the so-called "club", which is a place where they go after school where they can do activities, etc. before it's time to go home. The kicker is that, unlike the first three years of school, they are not kept track of or chaperoned by school adults - they're in principle free to just go home. It's a nice way to nudge the more hesitant parents into letting go. I'm personally very happy for it, but a few mothers expressed concerns when they were told their kids wouldn't be closely watched from next school year on.
I like that sort of compromise, where you don't really get everything you want (EG, total independence vs total control). We need more innovative solutions like this as everything changes around us and trust continues to erode.
It's not just parent/child trust that has eroded, of course. The world is now much smaller and more crowded in a way, so all sorts of trust has gone the way of the dodo's doodoo.
I was, but I had my older sister and we wouldn't make grilled cheese, we would make cinnamon toast and it was delicious
Dang! Sounds awesome. I was an only child, so it was home ec or learning from friends.
One time, a friend and I nuked some candy and he burned himself really badly. Good times!
Cinnamon toast is sooooo good, I still make it once in awhile. I tried to make donuts once out of biscuit dough. Remember the pillsbury dough boy stuff packed in those cardboard tubes that pop open? My sister wasn't around for this one and I didn't know what to do with the leftover oil so I yeeted it out the back door and that screen still has an oil stain to this day
Oh yeah, those can-tubes would pop right open. I only baked those biscuits myself a few times, but I certainly understand the desire to transform them to donuts. I applaud your young Andrew ingenuity.