Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 09:03:14 -0400

From: Wayne Glowka wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MAIL.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU

Subject: Re: New word? playdate



This is very different from my own growing up, where the kids left the house

in the morning and might not return home till dinner. Even though my kids are

10 an 12 now and we live in a very good suburb, my wife is uncomfortable if

she doesn't see the kids on the property every 15 minutes or so.





I live in the middle of hundreds of acres of woods and can't bear for my

child to be out of my sight while she is outside. But then I worry about

rattlesnakes, scorpions, fire ants, wild dogs, rabid raccoons, escaped

prisoners, . . . .



I think this has some economic basis given the size of families today with 1

or 2 children versus 4 or 6 40 years ago. In the past if something bad

happened to a child it was tragic, but there were other children to carry on.

This also explains how drug using yuppies are so hypocritically imposing

alcohol and tobacco restrictions on the upcoming generation which will

probably backfire.



There was an interesting report on NPR last night about the means parents

employ to keep their children safe from car accidents and drugs. Their are

monitoring devices you can put in the car. The drug test performed on

stolen hair can tell the frequency and level of use! These devices are

indeed used by yuppies who used to be hippies.





Wayne Glowka

Professor of English

Director of Research and Graduate Student Services

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, GA 31061

912-453-4222

FAX: 912-454-0873

Office: Arts & Sciences 3-04

wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]mail.gac.peachnet.edu