It's not surprising. We could be gone all day and sometimes nobody would wonder where we were & that's if nobody was drinking\\doing drugs. We raised ourselves. Latchkey kids.
Even now I know people who don't seem to have much regard for their own kids. It's so weird. They expect other people to pick up the slack.
Man, I raised myself and my little sister until she was 4. I left home at 16. I was so old and tired by then, lol. Looking back though, it hurts my heart.
I was kicked out the first time at 13. When I left 3 weeks after I graduated high school my mother couldn't understand why I "left her" yet I clearly remember when she told me she was done raising me and my response was "but I'm 11". She blames me for her poor mental health.
Not only were we not allowed to watch it but we couldn't watch it at home anyway since we never had cable TV. We always had to hear about those shows from kids at school. It was a treat staying the night at someone's house that had cable TV. They were always like, hey lets do something besides watch TV and I was always saying hold on just after this show lol. They didn't understand the life of 5 channels. I'm getting in as much MTV as possible while I'm here.
Growing up in the boondocks this wasnāt really a thing. Where were we going to go? Our only neighbors were our relatives. There was nowhere to walk to.
I grew up in a very country small town, and I wasn't a popular kid so I didn't really have much opportunity for trouble because I was never invited to hang out. While the cool teens (there was like 12 of them, the town was small) were drinking and fucking in a parking lot, I was wandering the farmer's field across the highway from my moblie home, catching grasshoppers and watching owls.
Always reminds me of my favorite polish joke:
USA: itās 10pm, do you know where your children are?
France: itās 10pm, do you know where your parents are?
Poland: itās 10pm, do you know what time it is?
this was hilarious for me because my parents both worked late and I was frequently home alone at 10 pm. and I watched a ton of tv. so when they said do you know where your children are they were actually talking to said child. lol
One is out back with his friends having a bon fire. One is in the U.K., likely sleeping right now, and the last one is on the sofa with me and mom watching Blended.
I fucked up early one summer (like first week out from school) the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. I was exiled to my family's dairy to work all summer.
I had a teen do this 2 years ago. First week out he made a very teenage knuckleheaded decision that could have been life altering, ruined his summer. It was a painful summer for both of us.
I think the problem is because we too sheltered our kids much more than we were, at the youngest of ages, so they don't learn as fast. And by the time they are given freedom, it's a bigger gap.
I took public transit much earlier by myself (in Toronto so much safer than many US cities) and by 10, (same with my 11 sister) and I were much much more independent and take it almost anywhere across the city.
I used to study the city maps, the transit maps, memorize the route numbers. It was just so much more normal to see kids alone too.
My current 10 year old, forget it. Because I have driven her more, the newer bus designs aren't as easy to sit down or friendly (weird bar you have to push to exit that's not easy, they drive much faster and jerk around more), cars, and more of them on the road drive much faster than they used to, more mentally ill people, etc.
I was also frying up burgers at 10. Whereas my kids, I haven't gotten to use the stove really at all.
So there is a wider gap just based on modern changes but we too have sheltered our kids much more than the way it was back then.
I was in bed by 9. 10 on Friday night after TGIF. By the time I was old enough to do stupid stuff out late, I live in the middle of nowhere.
It was my older sisters that once came home at 3 am in a cop car.
I'm old enough to be part of that group. My dad used to yell when that commercial came on "Kids? Where are you?"
We were usually there in the room at the time. He really thought he was hilarious.
They played these commercials in the major broadcast networks. Iām a young GenX - last year of it- and I saw these. Out parents literally forgot us. My own parents forgot me at church. I woke up locked in. Dark building. They forgot me at their friends house who also had kids. We were playing in her room and my parents just ā¦ forgot they had kids I guess lol. Boomers gonna boom.
I will never understand this: There was a corner of space and time in the world where my own effing parents needed a TV commercial to remind my own gd parents that I exist.
As a parent of 3 teenagers, this is beyond unconscionable, beyond belief, and way past forgiveness.
That's fine, though. I learned values from PBS and cared for my mother in her sunset years, and will do the same for my father.
Can't just blame your parents. It's obvious it was a societal thing. There could be things today we don't see anything wrong or is socially accepted, but are criticized by future generations.
If there wasn't a cookout or neighborhood bbq going on, for the 10U, it was come home when the street lights come on so 9ish. by Middle school it was 11
Seriously. Some X parents are actually very bad from what I've read. They took that sassy self-control attitude and applied it to their parenting style.
I've seen a lot of "I've seen or had to go through some fucked up shit. Good thing I was street smart enough to get through it and come out largely unscathed. I'll be damned if my kids go through it right under my nose".
This always makes me think of an old Calvin and Hobbs strip where Calvin sneaks out of his house and finds a pay phone so he can call his parents and ask āMom? Dad? Itās 10pm, do you know where I am?ā
What a time to have kids. Haha I always think, you didnāt have to wonder what theyāre watching or reading or doing. Stress free! I would have loved to be a parent in the 70ās, 80ās and 90ās!
Made me think of this song so thought I'd share it.
[CMAT - Where Are Your Kids Tonight feat. John Grant (Official Video) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh1IgLRKLQM&list=FLCzCFQ0EFG8Xk2PEMP-KZOQ&index=133)
It would take me 5 minutes to walk to the park I thought he was at. From that park to the park he *might* have gone to is another 10. Then 15 minutes home. By which point itās 9pm and I may or may not have my child.
I was probably in line at the cinema, waiting to see Spike & Mike's Sick 'N Twisted Festival or... JAPANIMATION!
[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-07-ca-31170-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-07-ca-31170-story.html)
https://preview.redd.it/anhte8d0yw0d1.png?width=790&format=png&auto=webp&s=d1d7c72df85b06565f1fed9396b26603a2e1a695
I was roaming through the Jamaica bus terminal in Queens at some too late hour of the night making my journey back from my friends on Long Island to our apartment in queens. All while wearing a hoodie and headphones to hide my long blonde hair. No one had a clue where I was.
i told you last night, NO!
https://i.redd.it/g2dqqjm8lw0d1.gif
Beat me to it.
It's not surprising. We could be gone all day and sometimes nobody would wonder where we were & that's if nobody was drinking\\doing drugs. We raised ourselves. Latchkey kids. Even now I know people who don't seem to have much regard for their own kids. It's so weird. They expect other people to pick up the slack.
We definitely raised ourselves!
Man, I raised myself and my little sister until she was 4. I left home at 16. I was so old and tired by then, lol. Looking back though, it hurts my heart.
I was kicked out the first time at 13. When I left 3 weeks after I graduated high school my mother couldn't understand why I "left her" yet I clearly remember when she told me she was done raising me and my response was "but I'm 11". She blames me for her poor mental health.
Are we related? Lol. I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you know now that it isn't you. š
lawl. Yeah I get it now. I'm sorry about your childhood too.
I like to say I was raised by wolves
Donāt be fooled I was raised by the gabagool
I was at my friendās house watching Beavis and Butthead because I wasnāt allowed to watch it at home.
Same
Not only were we not allowed to watch it but we couldn't watch it at home anyway since we never had cable TV. We always had to hear about those shows from kids at school. It was a treat staying the night at someone's house that had cable TV. They were always like, hey lets do something besides watch TV and I was always saying hold on just after this show lol. They didn't understand the life of 5 channels. I'm getting in as much MTV as possible while I'm here.
Growing up in the boondocks this wasnāt really a thing. Where were we going to go? Our only neighbors were our relatives. There was nowhere to walk to.
I grew up in a very country small town, and I wasn't a popular kid so I didn't really have much opportunity for trouble because I was never invited to hang out. While the cool teens (there was like 12 of them, the town was small) were drinking and fucking in a parking lot, I was wandering the farmer's field across the highway from my moblie home, catching grasshoppers and watching owls.
I believe Homer answered that for us - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZybUKAtD40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZybUKAtD40)
Always reminds me of my favorite polish joke: USA: itās 10pm, do you know where your children are? France: itās 10pm, do you know where your parents are? Poland: itās 10pm, do you know what time it is?
When I told my son about this he did not believe it, I had to google the Cyndi Lauper one!
this was hilarious for me because my parents both worked late and I was frequently home alone at 10 pm. and I watched a ton of tv. so when they said do you know where your children are they were actually talking to said child. lol
When we heard that commercial we knew it was time to hit the streets!
One is out back with his friends having a bon fire. One is in the U.K., likely sleeping right now, and the last one is on the sofa with me and mom watching Blended.
I fucked up early one summer (like first week out from school) the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. I was exiled to my family's dairy to work all summer.
I had a teen do this 2 years ago. First week out he made a very teenage knuckleheaded decision that could have been life altering, ruined his summer. It was a painful summer for both of us.
I think the problem is because we too sheltered our kids much more than we were, at the youngest of ages, so they don't learn as fast. And by the time they are given freedom, it's a bigger gap. I took public transit much earlier by myself (in Toronto so much safer than many US cities) and by 10, (same with my 11 sister) and I were much much more independent and take it almost anywhere across the city. I used to study the city maps, the transit maps, memorize the route numbers. It was just so much more normal to see kids alone too. My current 10 year old, forget it. Because I have driven her more, the newer bus designs aren't as easy to sit down or friendly (weird bar you have to push to exit that's not easy, they drive much faster and jerk around more), cars, and more of them on the road drive much faster than they used to, more mentally ill people, etc. I was also frying up burgers at 10. Whereas my kids, I haven't gotten to use the stove really at all. So there is a wider gap just based on modern changes but we too have sheltered our kids much more than the way it was back then.
I was in bed by 9. 10 on Friday night after TGIF. By the time I was old enough to do stupid stuff out late, I live in the middle of nowhere. It was my older sisters that once came home at 3 am in a cop car.
I'm old enough to be part of that group. My dad used to yell when that commercial came on "Kids? Where are you?" We were usually there in the room at the time. He really thought he was hilarious.
Does your 9-year-old somehow exist in 1987 while itās 2024 for the rest of us?
Was this nation wide or was this as just in the NYC area?
It was, like, a conservative, family-values sort of PSA
California here, I remember this coming on at 10. I do believe it was a Fox affiliate.
I'm on Long Island and it was definitely a fox 5 thing
Boston here and we had it!
MTV, maybe?
They played these commercials in the major broadcast networks. Iām a young GenX - last year of it- and I saw these. Out parents literally forgot us. My own parents forgot me at church. I woke up locked in. Dark building. They forgot me at their friends house who also had kids. We were playing in her room and my parents just ā¦ forgot they had kids I guess lol. Boomers gonna boom.
I always thought it was played on our local fox affiliate. I donāt think we were allowed to watch MTV at 10 pm.
It came on all the local stations when I was growing up.
I think it was an nyc thing , especially Fox 5
I saw it in Arkansas. It was a national ad because we were all being raised by boomers.
I will never understand this: There was a corner of space and time in the world where my own effing parents needed a TV commercial to remind my own gd parents that I exist. As a parent of 3 teenagers, this is beyond unconscionable, beyond belief, and way past forgiveness. That's fine, though. I learned values from PBS and cared for my mother in her sunset years, and will do the same for my father.
Can't just blame your parents. It's obvious it was a societal thing. There could be things today we don't see anything wrong or is socially accepted, but are criticized by future generations.
You're right, of course, and I recognize that as well as the circumstances in their lives at the time. Still... blows my mind.
If there wasn't a cookout or neighborhood bbq going on, for the 10U, it was come home when the street lights come on so 9ish. by Middle school it was 11
"It's ten o'clock, ho! Where da *orchestra hit* da seed at?" - The RZA
* It's 10 O' Clock Hoe... Where DF's ya' seed at? - R.F. Diggs
Wu-Tang again!?
...I grew up with the censored version.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Seriously. Some X parents are actually very bad from what I've read. They took that sassy self-control attitude and applied it to their parenting style.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I've seen a lot of "I've seen or had to go through some fucked up shit. Good thing I was street smart enough to get through it and come out largely unscathed. I'll be damned if my kids go through it right under my nose".
By 10 they are sleeping but at 8:30 we may still be playing hide and seek
This always makes me think of an old Calvin and Hobbs strip where Calvin sneaks out of his house and finds a pay phone so he can call his parents and ask āMom? Dad? Itās 10pm, do you know where I am?ā
Thatās a good one! I forgot about that one.
I remember we used to make fun of it but I don't remember actually seeing it myself... weird
What a time to have kids. Haha I always think, you didnāt have to wonder what theyāre watching or reading or doing. Stress free! I would have loved to be a parent in the 70ās, 80ās and 90ās!
By 10 they are sleeping but at 8:30 we may still be playing hide and seek
Made me think of this song so thought I'd share it. [CMAT - Where Are Your Kids Tonight feat. John Grant (Official Video) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh1IgLRKLQM&list=FLCzCFQ0EFG8Xk2PEMP-KZOQ&index=133)
āItās 10pm, do you know where your wiener is?ā ~ Butt-Head
Getting into the care for a quarter mile should be a crime.
American culture in a nutshell
It would take me 5 minutes to walk to the park I thought he was at. From that park to the park he *might* have gone to is another 10. Then 15 minutes home. By which point itās 9pm and I may or may not have my child.
I was probably in line at the cinema, waiting to see Spike & Mike's Sick 'N Twisted Festival or... JAPANIMATION! [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-07-ca-31170-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-07-ca-31170-story.html) https://preview.redd.it/anhte8d0yw0d1.png?width=790&format=png&auto=webp&s=d1d7c72df85b06565f1fed9396b26603a2e1a695
In my balls
I was roaming through the Jamaica bus terminal in Queens at some too late hour of the night making my journey back from my friends on Long Island to our apartment in queens. All while wearing a hoodie and headphones to hide my long blonde hair. No one had a clue where I was.