[ekianjo]

Another aspect for sure is that parents did not think as much before too. Kids were given much more freedom while parents should probably have kept an eye on them a little more. I knew of countless domestic accidents that would probably not happen nowadays. Sure that made kids experiment more and all but we ended up with more dead kids too.

[swiftcoder]

The data doesn't necessarily bear that out. Yes, childhood accidents have declined, over a similar time period that childhood freedom has declined.

However a hefty portion of that accident reduction is attributable to other safety improvements. Cars are far safer now than in the 70s, so are kitchen appliances, electrical outlets, playground design, etc.

And at the same time, child suicide rates are way up, which research attributes directly to the decline in independence.

[ekianjo]

> However a hefty portion of that accident reduction is attributable to other safety improvements.

very hard to differentiate between product safety improvement and attitude change of parents, because both are co-factors. There is no good way to dissociate one from the other.

> child suicide rates are way up, which research attributes directly to the decline in independence.

and brainwashing

[freehorse]

> and brainwashing

Kids are brainwashed to commit suicide at scale? Could you elaborate?

[ekianjo]

If you keep telling kids there is no future, climate change will cause mass starvation and whatever of course you increase the propensity towards despair and suicide.

[breezybottom]

What data measures "childhood freedom"? That sounds more like conjecture.

[swiftcoder]

You can lookup the studies on loss of 3rd spaces and the relation to mental health in adolescents (and adults, albeit to a lesser degree). This is pretty well-trod science

[breezybottom]

Well trod doesn't mean good. Social science is notorious for bunk. How many can actually support a causal relationship?