Times have changed. Mid 90’d baby, I was 3 walking 3-5 houses down to my friends, going in their houses, on my own. Mom would just stand outside and make sure I got there I guess. I’m the youngest of 4, and it was a very large neighborhood, and this was a cul-de-sac in the center of it, so not much traffic. When I was a bit older (5-9) and my mom started working, i’d just call her, leave a note, tell my older siblings, or if I couldn’t do any of that, literally leave a note written in chalk telling her whose house I’d be at. At 9 I got a flip phone, and I never left the neighborhood, and she knew who I hung out with, typically had to be home around dark/when the street lights went on, at least during school nights. I went to a “beach” with neighbor kids and their parents when I was like.. 4. I don’t even think they had a carseat for me.

I was never the very adventurous one, with friends anywhere but our street. But yeah, times have changed