Today’s kids aren’t the kids of 30 years ago

To the editor:

While I agree in principle with most of your Thursday’s editorial (“Weighty issues”), I have a couple of comments.

I agree that it is most certainly a parent’s job to ensure that his children are taught to eat healthy and exercise. It is also our job to make sure that the television and X-Box aren’t raising them. What I will respectfully debate you on is the overly romantic spin the editorial took.

You long for days when kids could “play hide and seek” after dark and pedal their bikes to the “corner market.” Yes, you are right, these activities were common 30 years ago when I was young. But it’s not 30 years ago.

Most families have both parents at work or are run by a single mother. Long-term day care is a reality — parents and kids both are exhausted at the end of the day.

As far as parents “cocooning” their kids, we are barraged daily with story after story of some monster raping and killing a child who was taking that “ride to the corner market.” As a father, I know that I would not survive 24 hours if my son were taken from me, so I may “cocoon” from time to time.

I am proud to say that I have a happy, healthy, athletic little boy who loves being outside away from the TV. There are thousands upon thousands of parents just like my wife and me across the valley. Cut us a little slack, please.

Ruben Hood

Las Vegas

Power control

To the editor:

It amazes me how Republicans can attack a candidate because he is a Tea Party activist. Just like at the GOP convention when they submarined Ron Paul, they will do anything to destroy Scott Ashjian instead of debating him on an intellectual level.

The elitists in the Republican Party will try to keep any working Nevadan down so they can control power in the state.

Andrew Brothers

Boulder City