Posted by Peter Ceresole on February 01, 2010 at 21:27:58 user PeterC.
The BBC have just completed transmission of a series of four programmes on 'The British family: our history'. It was an excellent, intelligent series. The last one (tonight) was on the changing of family structures and the way family life is now dominated, far more than it was before, by children. The statistical example given was that in (I think) 1975, apparently every day children had an average of 25 minutes of direct contact with their parents; now it's over 90 minutes.
But they also talked extensively about the fears that parents had for the safety of their children- at a time when they are as safe statistically as at any time before. Again, intelligently discussed; no absolute statements; subtleties, or at least difficulties, sensibly acknowledged.
But what was the contrast? Of course, the setting out for the island in 'Swallows and Amazons' from the TV series. It was all rather like that long thread in 'Tarboard' not so long ago.
Good stuff.