I found this great post on a blog called Zita’s Legacy.
It is about a call she got from the school principal because she allowed her daughter to walk home from school … which, by the way, is right across the street.
Anyway, her post got me thinking …
I don’t know how earlier generations ever survived. I personally walked to school for many years … all through elementary and middle school … winter, summer, rain, snow, or sunshine (No, it was not uphill both ways, and I did have shoes). But yes, I did drink water from a hose, ride my bike without a helmet, come home when the street lights came on, played Cops and Robbers, and Cowboys and Indians. I fought my battles with neighborhood bullies, and somehow, someway, I managed to survive.
If in today’s America, a child is not even allowed to walk home from school by themselves, even when that school is right across the street … then we are doomed to extinction! If we are raising a generation that cannot cross the street by themselves, how, as adults, will they be able to make intelligent decisions, survive any kind of challenge, protect their families, or fight off terrorists who wish to destroy our country?
It is a far cry from ideas such as …
Fall down seven times, get up eight.
Japanese Proverb
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.
Michael J Fox
The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.
Earnest Hemingway
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
Psalm 28:7
Nothing is more beautiful than the smile that has struggled through the tears.
Demi Lovato
Anyway, that’s enough philosophical waxing! If you’d like to read Zita’s post, click below.
I get a phone call from my daughters school on Monday, it was the principle, he had left a message for me. “I know that we talked about this last year, your daughter Skylar walking home by herself. We just think that she is to young to be walking home alone by herself. We want […]
WTF! — Zita’s Legacy
I think we have already raised far too many snowflakes! I am interested in knowing what you think …
D.C. Gilbert 
I agree with you, DG. There is no indication that this child is special needs which might require more attention than the normal child. The child is within visual sight the entire time, so why is the school so hypervigilant in her crossing the street Is this a high traffic area with a history of children getting injured when crossing the street? (That might be the other rational.)
There are always exceptions. Experts say we are pretty much who we are, character-wise, by age 8. If children aren’t learning age-appropriate life skills in those formative years, that is a real problem.
There is a crossing guard to ensure the safety of the children
You’re right Darren. The modern USA is ridiculous. As the parent of younger kids, I’ve struggled with so many of these things over the years. The bike helmets…..my gosh! Everyone needs to get a little tougher.
I got hit by a car once. Maybe we should pass a law saying all cars must be manufactured with soft feathery bumpers! 🤔
I’m a little weird but I get annoyed when all the players are told to take a knee when one kid gets hurt. Why? It’s attention seeking and ridiculous. I’m talking about really minor injuries too, like a kid gets hit on the head with a basketball or something. The coaches rush out to the attention-seeking kid and then everyone else has to take a knee. Oh please! When we were young, we were taught to not seek attention. It was more like “don’t show your weakness”. If you are in fact hurt, rush out of bounds and get a sub so as not to interrupt the game. So I tell my son to not take a knee. Why take a knee? Oh brother.
I am so honoured that another blogger reposted my posting.
As parents, we need to take back our rights to guide our children and not be dictated on what is right and wrong. We survived without a helmet; I think we can raise our children.