This is so interesting because my perspective is so different. I live in a small "village" of about 19,000 north of Chicago, and while kids are very busy and "programmed", a lot of young teens have at least some unprogrammed time during the week or weekend. Other surrounding areas are similar. Young tweens/teens (as young as 4th grade) b…
This is so interesting because my perspective is so different. I live in a small "village" of about 19,000 north of Chicago, and while kids are very busy and "programmed", a lot of young teens have at least some unprogrammed time during the week or weekend. Other surrounding areas are similar. Young tweens/teens (as young as 4th grade) bike or walk to the "square" and shop at Walgreens, Starbucks, the library, the ice cream place, and a few other places without adults. There are often "mother's helpers" who start babysitting around 12 with parents in the house, and around 14 without parents there.
My own oldest daughter (16) has been babysitting since she was 12, and many of her friends babysit. They often are involved in multiple extracurriculars as well, and their jobs include working at after-school care for the elementary schools and working at local summer camps. I'm realizing that we must be very lucky to have this culture that encourages some independence at younger ages than elsewhere!
This is so interesting because my perspective is so different. I live in a small "village" of about 19,000 north of Chicago, and while kids are very busy and "programmed", a lot of young teens have at least some unprogrammed time during the week or weekend. Other surrounding areas are similar. Young tweens/teens (as young as 4th grade) bike or walk to the "square" and shop at Walgreens, Starbucks, the library, the ice cream place, and a few other places without adults. There are often "mother's helpers" who start babysitting around 12 with parents in the house, and around 14 without parents there.
My own oldest daughter (16) has been babysitting since she was 12, and many of her friends babysit. They often are involved in multiple extracurriculars as well, and their jobs include working at after-school care for the elementary schools and working at local summer camps. I'm realizing that we must be very lucky to have this culture that encourages some independence at younger ages than elsewhere!