Having grown up a risk-taker I find my increasing and irrational caution very irksome. The latest murder attributed to Graeme Burton reinforces a decision I made after Kate Alchemer was murdered by the Hutt River. I decided not to take the kids (then quite young) walking in isolated places anymore. The eastern hills firebreaks for instance, which we'ed been up previously.
I know, I know. What are the chances?? Probably safer there then in the car or at home. But I just don't feel at ease walking the reserves and hills now so the pleasure has gone.
Earlier in the year my son and I cycled out to Pencarrow on a week day. It is very remote. A motorboat appeared just offshore and I made a game of hiding us behind some rocks. My boy thought I was being funny. I was...and I wasn't. Neurotic? Probably.
Not long ago I had to haul some mongrel off my dog. It was deadly serious and it took repeated thumps on its muzzle, with me straddling it, to get the animal to release her. All the while the stupified owner gaped on. I'm over that episode and back to regarding other dogs as innocuous beasts once more. Griffy can have a decent walk, off the leash and free to roam the beach.
It's just a struggle sometimes finding the right balance between being carefree and over-careful.
Anyway, off to the garden centre. Should be out of harms way there I reckon.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan, 1982.
I am obviously not of "the good" then:-)
The 'Good' here don't have access to real self-defense.
Ronnie's people have access to Mace, tasers, stunners and handguns.
A .45 dispels a fir bit of fear...
I do think we are over-protective of our young.
And I do think that this removes a significant amount of learning from their upbringing.
As an 8-12 year old growing up in the early 60's in a rural town i basically could come and go as I pleased and as long as I turned up for meals and bathtime/bedtime all was sweet/cool (in current day parlance :) )
I am the step father of an 8 and 10 year old now and their mother is probably less protective than most but I raised her ire the other day when I suggested she was over-reacting when she was upset when their grandmother, who was looking after them at the time, rang and let slip she didn't know where they were.
Times have certainly changed but I don't believe the risks are any greater in real terms than they were.
Post a Comment