"Where are their parents?" The American saw children alone in the Moscow courtyard and made a scandal: after one conversation about the safety of her ideas about Russia collapsed
American Sarah came to Moscow with a familiar idea of Russia. She was most concerned about safety, especially how freely children could move around the city.
During the walk, she saw an ordinary Moscow courtyard. Children from about seven to twelve years old played on the court. There were no adults nearby, writes Zen channel “Talking about education”.
Sarah was amazed:
“This is crazy. Where are their parents? Why are they alone
It was unusual for her to see children walking around on their own in the yard, playing ball and safely returning home without constant parental supervision.
She explained that for many Russian families such independence from childhood is considered normal. The child gradually learns to walk independently, communicate with peers and be responsible for himself.
Sarah said that in her city, parents are much more likely to accompany children. Schools, mugs, shops and other places are often associated with travel by car. Walking by yourself can be perceived as a risk
The conversation then turned to security. She was shown the city video surveillance system and told about the work of emergency services. Cameras are used in Moscow to monitor the city situation and investigate incidents, but claims about specific performance indicators of the system require separate confirmation.
Sarah looked at the children in the yard again. They kept playing, arguing, laughing and paying no attention to adults
“We would call this irresponsibility. And now I think it can be trust.”.
That was the most unexpected thing for her. The usual picture of the Russian court has forced her to take a different look at her own ideas about security.
Sometimes the attitude to the country changes not after loud political statements, but after a simple walk in an ordinary courtyard, where children just play without their parents.
