I grew up in a small village on the edge of farmland. I had to stay within the yelling distance of my mother's voice. I never really knew how far away that was but I don't ever recall being chastised for going too far. I explored fields, woodlots, anywhere I wanted to go. When I was older I got a horse and that allowed me to venture further afield. I'd often be out of the house at the crack of dawn, do what I wanted all day and would then return for supper. Now there are constant check-ins and touching base and there does seem to be a more urgent sense of stranger danger. The direction the world is taking too isn't boding well for kids in the future.
OMG: that is terrible. Having to teach something like that to what is really just a baby almost must be really scary.. I can't even begin to imagine how shocked you must have been on seeing your baby girl practising hiding from possible dangerous situations. Tootytwo and everyone keep safe. My new next door neighbour will not allow her grandaughter any technology whatsoever, nor will her parents.
Learning to hide from danger of whatever shape or form is nothing new in the world. Since the beginning of mankind kids have been taught to hide from something or someone who appears to be out to hurt or kill them. Climbing trees to get away from angry wildlife, hiding in the outhouse or attic from the enemy. Duck and Cover practice during tornado season (granted that is a drill that happens in only a select area of the U.S. but it did and does affect thousands of kids). My youngest daughter was taught at school to hide against an interior wall if the alarm was sounded meaning there was an intruder at her school. We taught her that if she was home, that she should exit through her bedroom window in case of fire or lock her door in case someone breaks into the house (and she was taught how to use a gun if it proved to be necessary). At least the children are being taught how to protect themselves the best they can instead of just sitting there. The child who doesn't learn anything about modern technology is going to have a hard time later in life. Putting a limit on the time spent using it is much more helpful to them than banning it completely. Many schools are beginning to require students to have iPads, doing away completely with text books, she is going to have a difficult time keeping up in the world without some knowledge of technology.
Kids here learn how to make themselves BIG and flap their coats at cougars (cougars are here), how to fall down and play dead should a bear approach and how to hide under desks in the event of an earthquake. Fire drills at their school also happens.
