Freecycle and the Younger Generation

I have resisted my addiction to Freecycle for a long time now, but today I gave in. Once more I am glued to
its advertisements, and I am finding it more fascinatingly revealing about the community I live in than ever.

For instance, someone has put up these two listings:

"Hi all
We have been given this fabric reward chart:

but it's not really our parenting style - (one can almost smell the self-righteousness) -so thought I would pass it on to someone who believes in this kind of thing.

Also, does anyone have kneepads to suit a 3yr old boy? My son refuses (quite sensibly!) to use his scooter without some. Can pick up anywhere."

A 3-year-old who refuses to use a scooter without kneepads? How precious will he be by 12?


Meanwhile, this request appeared:

"Hello, I have a strange request but our son would like springs large enough to attach to his shoes to try running in. A visit to the hardware shop failed to find anything large enough so wondering if any Freecyclers could help"

While this also reeks of over-indulgent parents, rushing to fulfil their child's every whim, at least the great god Health and Safety does not seem to have ensnared their household.

It won't be long though, judging by the swift rap over the knuckles the poster received from the Freecycle administration, who spoke of their shock about 'the Danger of such a request from one of our members' and pointed out 'the liability of any Freecycle member who supplies you with the means to injure yourself, your children and/or any other third person.'  

Absolutely right, of course.

But awfully dull. 


To conclude, if I were the child of these desperately caring parents, I think one day I would find myself parroting my brother's immortal question to my mother: 'Why don't you hit us?'