My big problem with these articles is that they invariably list activities that are NOT risky or dangerous. And what they end up doing is just ramping up sense of danger about non dangerous behavior. If you frame reasonable and safe activities as risk taking, then well, people will conclude those activities are risky.
And second issue is that they do NOT engage with other host of issues that limit outside play. For example, unsupervised playing kids are annoying to many unrelated adults - and adults who strongly dislike kids and want to exclude them from everywhere are very common. Or, simple fact that just meeting friends often requires in advance agreed upon play date and a drive by car. Or, simple fact that before you was bored in your room and outside had things to do, nowdays you have fun stuff at home (computer, tablet, phone) and outside has not much to do above the age of 7.
Half of this feels like fighting fear by adding new dangers and threats to the equation. Hey, not only you need to add risk, if you dont your kid will have serious mental health issues. Hey, lets worry simultaneously about risk taking while doing safe activities while also worrying they dont take enough risk.
And second issue is that they do NOT engage with other host of issues that limit outside play. For example, unsupervised playing kids are annoying to many unrelated adults - and adults who strongly dislike kids and want to exclude them from everywhere are very common. Or, simple fact that just meeting friends often requires in advance agreed upon play date and a drive by car. Or, simple fact that before you was bored in your room and outside had things to do, nowdays you have fun stuff at home (computer, tablet, phone) and outside has not much to do above the age of 7.
Half of this feels like fighting fear by adding new dangers and threats to the equation. Hey, not only you need to add risk, if you dont your kid will have serious mental health issues. Hey, lets worry simultaneously about risk taking while doing safe activities while also worrying they dont take enough risk.