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catbyte

(37,752 posts)

17. Free range, totally.

Tue Aug 12, 2025, 10:51 AM

Aug 12

We wouldn't come home until it started to get dark or, in the summer, one of the kid's parents started yelling that dinner was ready. Then we'd all head home.

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debm55 mwmisses4289

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Thank you Midnight Rider for the suggestion. As a kid, were you a "free range kid" out of the house and doing whatever [View all] debm55 Aug 12 OP

Free range until age 18. no_hypocrisy Aug 12 #1

Oh wow, thank you very much for sharing, no_hypocrisy. That seems different. debm55 Aug 12 #6

semi. mom had free reighn though. AllaN01Bear Aug 12 #2

Thank you very much, Bear. debm55 Aug 12 #7

Definitely free range. Glorfindel Aug 12 #3

True, Glorfindel,, When the sun was directly overhead I knew it was noon, time for lunch and when the Steel Mill whistle debm55 Aug 12 #10

I was free range. Out after breakfast, home for lunch, gone again, then home for dinner. Polly Hennessey Aug 12 #4

Thank you very much, Polly Hennessey. That was my schedule too. debm55 Aug 12 #11

Free range, nature was my savior! Clouds Passing Aug 12 #5

Same here, Clouds! SheltieLover Aug 12 #9

Woods, crick, bike, wild berries, fruit trees, treehouse, fort, sleds, snowpeople, tree climbing, swimming..... Clouds Passing Aug 12 #13

Mine too, Clouds Passing, Mine too. Thank you. debm55 Aug 12 #12

Especially in the PA country.....millions of lightening bugs in the meadow Clouds Passing Aug 12 #15

Thank you , Clouds Passing I loved the lightening bugs. too. But when it was dark, I stayed in the yard or in the alley debm55 Aug 12 #16

Free ranger... SheltieLover Aug 12 #8

Thank you, my fellow free ranger, SheltieLover. debm55 Aug 12 #14

Free range, totally. catbyte Aug 12 #17

HAHAHHAHAHAH. Oh yes, I remember. Thank you very much catbyte. debm55 Aug 12 #20

Yes, we all were..late 60s/ early 70s. The whole family had no contact all day Demovictory9 Aug 12 #18

That's is so right. Thank you Demovictory9 debm55 Aug 12 #19

I think I had a pretty good combo .. FirstLight Aug 12 #21

Thank you very much, FirstLight. You did have a wonderful childhood. debm55 Aug 12 #27

downright feral. mopinko Aug 12 #22

Thank you very much, mopinko. I can remember neighbors watching out for other kids that got hurt or one was bullying the debm55 Aug 12 #28

btw, my kids were pretty free range, too. mopinko Aug 12 #42

Thank you, mopinko. I'm afraid that my son was not free range. debm55 Aug 12 #45

well, i have a son who def wasnt. mopinko Aug 12 #53

Thank you mopinko, debm55 Aug 12 #54

Free range. MIButterfly Aug 12 #23

You are so right, I was never asked "what did you do today" I was nothing really dangerous and it was skates, bikes, debm55 Aug 12 #29

Free Range and happy in Philadelphia Oppaloopa Aug 12 #24

Thank you very much, Oppaloopa, I bet that was fun. debm55 Aug 12 #30

Free range with some MuseRider Aug 12 #25

That sounds like a wondeerful neighborhood to grow up in. Thank you so much for sharing with us.MuseRider. debm55 Aug 12 #35

Definitely free range Cloudhopper Aug 12 #26

Thank you very much, Cloudhopper. Bikes were magic and could take you anyplace. even if it was in your own Neighborhood. debm55 Aug 12 #36

Farm Topomi Aug 12 #31

Thank you very much. You did a lot of work. I bet you really enjoyed the time of being free range. Welcome to DU debm55 Aug 12 #37

Totally free range genxlib Aug 12 #32

I did have my Keds shoes, But I understand completely what you mean. For me, it was the slag pit from the Steel Mill. debm55 Aug 12 #38

Free range nuxvomica Aug 12 #33

Thank you nuxvomica. It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood, debm55 Aug 12 #40

Free range LogDog75 Aug 12 #34

That's very interesting. Thank you LogDog75 for sharing with us. It sounds like fun. debm55 Aug 12 #39

Completely feral, but with accurate and explicit instruction on how not to die. hunter Aug 12 #41

Thank you hunter, Yes, you were beyond free range. debm55 Aug 12 #46

Sort Of ProfessorGAC Aug 12 #43

Yep , ProfessorGAC, You were free range. debm55 Aug 12 #47

Free range and latchkey, especially during the summer. mwmisses4289 Aug 12 #44

Thank you mwmisses4289 for your free range memories. debm55 Aug 12 #48

Free range within limits, depending on where we lived. When we lived in base housing, I was young enough I was pretty Dorothy V Aug 12 #49

Yes, Dorothy V, times have changed. I agree debm55 Aug 12 #50

Mostly free range... WestMichRad Aug 12 #51

hahahaha, thank you, WestMichRad debm55 Aug 12 #55

we were totally free range mike_c Aug 12 #52

I love it, You are mike_c a true free ranger. debm55 Aug 12 #56

FER CHRIS'SAKES HAVEN'T YOU KIDS GOT ANYTHING TO DO OUTSIDE?!? NBachers Aug 12 #57

Hahaha Thank you, NBachers, debm55 Aug 13 #60

I was raised in a farm. When not doing chores, I was parented with a system Ziggysmom Aug 12 #58

Thank you very much for your post, Ziggysmom. I hope you didn't get hurt with no one watching you. debm55 Aug 13 #61

'Free Range' doesn't even begin to describe my childhood. OldBaldy1701E Aug 13 #59

Thank you OldBaldy1701E. I agree the absolute feeling that one had on a bike was great as a child. I too miss it. debm55 Aug 13 #62