Independent mobility: a necessity for children, a resource for the city

Independent mobility is one of the main objectives of the «The city of children» project, that is, allowing children to experience the city with the greatest possible freedom: leaving home without being accompanied, meeting friends and playing in the open spaces. public of the city.

Why is it so important to give the child the ability to move independently again?

First of all for the effects on their physical and psychological health: an active lifestyle helps prevent overweight and obesity, contributes to a healthy development of the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system and reduces the probability of developing some serious diseases (diabetes type II, colon cancer, heart attack and osteoporosis). Furthermore, the possibility of experiencing experiences of autonomy in public space affects more intense neighborhood relationships, a stronger sense of community and the development of evolutionary skills.

The main reason that prevents children from leaving home is the dangerousness of the streets. The fear of traffic and car accidents is indicated as the main cause that hinders the granting of autonomy, but what has had the greatest impact on the collapse of autonomous mobility are social fears and the interpretation of the parental role.

Today the parent considers it his duty to always accompany his children, supervise and protect them, even at the cost of an expensive family organization, this exposes parents to dangerous educational errors and children to risky developmental deficiencies; Not having the opportunity to live real experiences of autonomy, children do not acquire the relational rules and cognitive tools that allow them to manage relationships with their peers and deal with real situations.

However, denying autonomy to children is not only a detriment to their education, it is also a social detriment: the presence of children on the streets makes them busier, increases communal control, intensifies exchanges, relationships and the social fabric and therefore it increases safety.