Four in a Family

[Lucky Star]

I began to take the bus to school at the age of about 9. There were quite a few of us kids on that 7 mile journey. It saddens me a little to see kids of 11 and 12 being driven to and from the school gates, there were quite a few good times had on that bus journey. Kids today miss out on all that.

I always have to chuckle a bit at the childrens mother in The Faraway Tree series. She takes completely in her stride the procession of fairies, peculiar people and talking animals that show up on her doorstep. In the last book (I think) she even takes some medicine that the children bring back from a magic land at the top of a tree. I would personally be a bit wary of the possible side effects of such pills.

[Anita Bensoussane]

In one of the Holiday Annual stories about a boy called Ronnie who refuses to help his mother around the house, the mother arranges for a motherless boy called Dan to stay with them.

Dan, of course, is very helpful, and even chops up the wood with an axe! I should think he would be about 10yrs old.

Today, the Health & Safety police and social workers would be on the doorstep within 2 minutes!

Bob Kent in The Six Bad Boys, also aged ten, chops wood as well. On hearing him, his neighbour Mrs. Mackenzie merely remarks, "What is Bob doing, chopping away like that? What a good boy he is to be sure!"

Anita

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

When I visited St Vincent 8 years ago, I was amazed to see 5 year olds taking the bus to school by themselves.

I first used an axe on Guide Camp aged 11. It didn't occur to me that I couldn't do it - having read Blyton!

Viv

[Comerscroft]

Also at the age of about eight, during the summer hols, I would leave the house at 6.30am and go down to the dairy to help Old Harry the milkman with part of his round.

This involved riding on the milk-float with him, and carrying empty and full glass bottles.

I don't think my parents knew much about this.

Can you imagine the hue and cry nowadays---and what would be said about Old Harry?

[Moonraker]

Dan, of course, is very helpful, and even chops up the wood with an axe! I should think he would be about 10yrs old.

I was chopping word, setting off fireworks, walking to school alone (not at the same time!) at the age 0f 8. Obviously, the chopping of firewood and firework night operations were under supervision, but kids of my age were taught to be responsibile and act in a safe manner.

There has been a commercial on TV recently, showing a group of junior school children berating motorists for driving more than 10 mph past their school. When I was at school, it was the children who were taught road safety, and not to run across the road in front of traffic. These days, if a motorist is in collision with a cyclist or pedestrian, even if that cyclist rides straight into the motorist, the driver of the car is automatically responsible.

Whatever happened to Tufty?

It was also not unusual to see young children helping milkmen. I was a milkman 25 years ago, and several young kids used to help on the rounds, often roundsmen's kids. Unfortunately, Nanny State stepped in and banned it just as my son was old enough to help. He and I were gutted!

[Rob Houghton]

[

quote="Moonraker]There has been a commercial on TV recently, showing a group of junior school children berating motorists for driving more than 10 mph past their school. When I was at school, it was the children who were taught road safety, and ot to run across the road in front of traffic. These days, if a motorist is in collision with a cyclist or pedestrian, even if that cyclist rides straight into the motorist, the driver of the car is automatically responsible.

[/quote]

Hurrah!! Someone that agrees with me. When i was at school it was the green cross code man, and I remember Tufty from when I was much younger, but nowadays there are more lorries, cars and vans on our roads than ever before and yet children don't even seem to know how to cross the road safely!

Why is the blame always laid firmly at the feet of the driver? I know SOME drivers drive dangerously, but nothing is ever said about children running into the road, playing 'chicken' and generally being irresponsible. That's the one thing children don't learn nowadays: that they must ultimately be responsible for their own well-being.

Ok - rant over - sorry to move the thread off topic!

[Comerscroft]

I agree that some children don't know how to cross the road safely, but what about adults---who should be setting a good example to children?

I always cross at the green man AND wait for the signal before stepping out, yet day in, day out, I see adults dashing across in front of cars and buses, all for the sake of 2 seconds.

It's even worse, and such a bad example, if there are children patiently waiting at the kerb for the green man as they have been taught, to see these adults diving across. No wonder, as the children get older and are unaccompanied, they too opt to take risks!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Whatever happened to Tufty?

The Tufty adverts used to scare me when I was a youngster, especially the one where Willy Weasel steps out from behind the van after buying an ice-cream and gets hit by a car. Viewers were told, "Never go near an ice-cream van without your mummy." That made such a lasting impression on me that, since I live about five hours' journey away from my mother, I haven't had an ice-cream in years!

Anita

[Moonraker]

Not wishing to appear too much of an old relic, but why should anyone want a green man to get them across the road? Far better to teach kids how to cross the road safely, in my opinion, than to rely on a coloured light bulb. It is not that uncommon for traffic - especially cyclists - to run over a red light. It would be interesting to hear how many people were knocked over crossing the road, because they had their eyes on the traffic light and not looking out for traffic.

I have managed quite well so far in life to cross the road without coming to any harm. Of course, controlled crossings can make life easier on really busy roads, but in normal circumstances, they are quite superfluous.

I believe the Salisbury Council must have shares in a traffic light manufacturer. Years ago traffic light controlled junctions were scrapped at great cost to be replaced by roundabouts. We still have the roundabouts, but now traffic is controlled on these roundabouts by traffic lights. One cross roads in Salisbury is controlled by two roundabouts and no less than 24 traffic lights.

Madness.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Whatever happened to Tufty?

I think Timmy got him

[Petermax]

When I visited St Vincent 8 years ago, I was amazed to see 5 year olds taking the bus to school by themselves.

During a visit to Japan back in 1996, I was equally amazed to see children of similar age travelling on the buses or walking to school alone. Younger children were generally conveyed by their mothers on sturdy bicycles known as Mama Chariots.

Back in the 1970s, I remember using buses from the age of about 7 or 8 and trains from 11. I do not recall any of my friends being allowed this freedom though, which did not bother me that much as I preferred my own agenda!

There seems to be a tendency at all levels nowadays to extend childhood to the age of 18 instead of granting independence at the first opportunity.

[Comerscroft]

Moonraker---

Don't get me on to the subject of cyclists and red lights! Or cyclists on the pavement! They are a damned nuisance.

I remember walking along a nearby pavement when I became aware of a cyclist (lycra-clad, on racing bike) coming up behind me. My dog who was on the extending lead, was snuffling along by the wall so, quick as a flash, I moved over to the kerb so that the lead blocked the cyclist's progress! I then continued walking, VERY slowly. He was furious and swore at me. I was furious and swore back at him 'Get on the road, you xxxc!' It was great!

About crossings etc, the traffic is so heavy here in central Edinburgh especially with the congestion caused by the tramways roadworks, that really it is wiser to cross at the lights. But if cyclists can't cope, they should be walking on the pavement.

[Lenoir]

Even Nelson slept in a cot!

The Hardy boys, Frank and Joe, also slept in cots.

I only read The Enchanted Wood for the first time last year. Very imaginative. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it as a child as I don’t remember reading anything similar back then except Noddy (which I liked).