Generally if you homeschool, it feels safer. Since your kids are with you most of the time, you can be sure your eyes are at all times. If my kids are walking with me and fall behind they hear about it - loudly. I insist they walk with me or somewhat ahead so I can see them. While others practice serious attachment parenting, we haven't except that our kids are almost always with us. Rarely do they get watched by friends, babysitters or even relatives and it is never more than a few hours. It isn't that we don't trust them, but that we predominately feel that kids of younger ages belong with one of their parents (either is fine).
This week I had an interesting conversation with a few mothers who had fears of their kids being kidnapped. Some even had some close calls. I think that the fear is natural. They believed, despite the one having close calls, that their smaller town environment with the large amount of privacy protected them because there were fewer strange people. My observation is that they are not alone in their view. If anything that view probably dominates.
I certainly have significantly more strange people in my city neighborhood. There is no doubt about it. I think the difference is that at the same time over 90% of the people in my neighborhood are good and providing watchful eyes. While they thought it scary that my neighbors can see right into my house when the blinds are open and lights on as well as the side door less than ten feet from their windows, I believe that it provides a huge level of protection. Scream really loud in the yard and for sure someone will be around to hear from a nearby house or business. The strange people know that if they aren't being watched that they could be. Out in the country, you could have a run-in with one of the rare strangers without anyone to hear your cry for help or prevent an incident in the first place.
This is a tremendous advantage in more densely populated healthy city neighborhoods that is not perceived accurately in my view. This idea is not new, but discussed in detail in The Death and Life of Great American Cities. I highly recommend the book for city dwellers or those considering raising kids in an urban environment.
If you are a city dweller, do you feel this way? What do you think of the dominate view?
Great post, Liz. I used to feel a lot of fear of things like kidnappings and random acts of violence and then I read Lenore Skenazy's book, Free-Range Kids, and it challenged many of the current assumptions about violent acts against children. I also feel, as do you, that in the city, with many eyes and ears and watchful neighbors, we are safer than it might at first seem. Still, like you, I keep a close eye on my little guys!
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