[hondadriver]

Kids being kidnapped is not the first thought of Dutch (and Belgium?) parents.

Example: We were at the Zoo with friends from the US and one of their small kids was out of sight for minute at the very large playground.

My first thought: Will show up, but is there any water nearby? Their thought: he's kidnapped!

(kid did show up few seconds later)

I guess you're far more likely to drown than to get kidnapped in The Netherlands... (Most children learn to swim before they are 6 years old here)

Droppings were really cool by the way and in the eighties when I grew up we only got a compass or nothing at all (no gps or cell phone). I was no boy scout, it also happens at school trips and birthdays.

[wpietri]

I just got back from visiting a friend in Amsterdam, and it was a delight to see how much everybody just assumed kids would be safe on their own.

I'm pretty sure the US had the same attitude when I was growing up; I know I spent the bulk of my summer days roving the neighborhood. It's weird to me how much that has changed. Especially given that kids can be constantly tracked and contacted via cellphones, you'd think that they'd be roving farther!