I don't thing so. Maybe some of the technology and information available today makes some things a little easier but over I think the answer is definitely not.
Each 30 years I recon it gets harder from what I can see. My parents did a good job in the late 1960, I had a go just before the new millennium and now my son and his partner is just starting out on there parenting journey.
It is interesting to try and compare the differences but I think it is much harder nowadays. Less time to get things, done more competition and just endless choices.
Me a long time ago.
I used to get the "be back before dark for dinner" thing and the whole street and neighborhood was our play ground.
I don't think I ever said that to my son, I tried to give him and his mates as much freedom as possible but I needed to know where they were at all times.
I remember one time my son had this big argue with his mother, shouting and banging the doors. then out of the corner of my eye I saw him take off up the street. The argument would have been over next to nothing but I would be the one left to sort it out. Of course after a few minutes I was told in no uncertain terms to go find him.
I knew the neighborhood pretty well, most of the families and young peoples hangout spots. It came as a bit of a shock to me that I could not track him down straight away. I would not dare go home without him. After deciding just to recheck the most likely spots in his direction of travel, I hear and see a motorized buggy doing some laps in a back yard. This place was not on my radar but I knew the old man there that liked tinkering around old motors.
My son before he grew up
My son must have seem him in his yard on the way home from school and gone back there. The old man was happy for the company and my son was testing out one of his rebuilt buggies that he was working on for his grand children.
