Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
Wow, I think you're out to lunch on this. There must be something else at play. Like perhaps when you travel you are doing holiday-type things where you are likely to run into families who are also travelling. People bring their kids on vacation and have a lot of time to just hang out and play with their kids. It's a primary reason why people like getting away.
Do you have kids? If not, that would explain why you aren't running into them at the office, or at university, or when you're out at the pub.
I have kids and my life revolves around them, their friends and randoms from the neighbourhood. If I go to the park by my house, I know the little kids that live around there will show up. I know their names and I've never once met their parents. Same thing when we go to the lake by our house (in Calgary) - we always meet a random kid that hangs out with us.
Kids are everywhere so I have no idea what you are talking about. And Calgary is wicked kid friendly. Just got back from San Diego and it is, too. No matter where I go on this continent there are playgrounds and activities for kids.
|
As a parent, of course I'm around kids all the time. But before I was a parent, I would go days without seeing a child, and often months without speaking with one.
My experiences of other countries (around 30 outside North America) are from before I had kids. And I saw kids and families everywhere. The people running restaurants usually had their kids there with them, helping or just hanging out. All public places - not just schools and playground - had kids in them. In the evenings, the streets and parks in the centre of cities were packed with families strolling. How often do you see kids on Stephen Avenue Mall at 8 pm?
In North America, we segregate single adult life and family life in a way that other cultures don't.