[SamBam]

Regardless of Eastern bloc vs West, or anywhere else, I think the biggest issue might simply be era.

Parents in the States were much more permissive in the 80s, and to a certain extent the 90s. That started to change in the 2000s, with far greater "helicopter parenting."

So are these descriptions of idyllic life in ex-Yugoslavia five years ago, or twenty?

I grew up in central Europe in the 80s and was given plenty of freedom, but I don't know whether kids there have the same amount as before, or if it has been changed like in the US.

[mcv]

There are plenty of countries where kids can still live in freedom. I can let my 8 year old son play outside with his 7 year old friend, and trust they'll be alright. I see lots of kids around their age go to their judo lessons on their own. This should be completely normal.

For police to come and arrest parents for trusting their children with some basic freedom is unbelievably oppressive. It's bizarre to hear this coming from a country that once claimed to be the "land of the free". And this is hardly the first story like this.

[sasawpg]

My experience ends in mid-90s, but from what I understand it is still far more permissive than US/Canada. In Finland for example, kids go to school alone starting in grade 1 (walk or public transport). That is definitely not something you will see often in Canada. I do absolutely agree though - anecdotally speaking of course, parents today are far less permissive than "back in the day".

I have no issue with my kids (8 and 9) playing outside alone provided they don't venture out onto the thoroughfare street. My concern is with irresponsible and inattentive drivers, including residential construction traffic.

[greedo]

I walked to school for Kindergarten and 1st grade. Roughly a mile each way. This was in the early 70s, and though I see some kids walk to the nearby elementary school, the majority are dropped off by their parents in their huge SUVs...

[marton78]

My 7yo daughter goes to school alone, by subway. Not every day, and it's only two stations, but still. Nobody bats an eye. This is in Berlin, though not in a dangerous area.

[BitwiseFool]

I feel like the fear around "stranger danger" played a huge role in normalizing the idea that children shouldn't be unsupervised and that the police needed to enforce truancy laws with more urgency.

[mgarfias]

I was just thinking about my childhood and how much freedom I had at that age. Car rides from parents for when the weather sucked