What Happened to "The Good Ole Days"?

Introduction
Growing up in the South (U.S) "back in the day" was quite different than it is these days. The main difference is that we were outside more. The sun was no stranger to us. There were not many things to keep us entertained indoors. We'd spend hours upon hours digging a hole, playing in the dirt, and jumping on the trampoline. We had fun with anything and everything. There were no side safety nets on the trampoline. We'd bounce really high and sometimes get hurt. Bruises and scrapes were a part of daily life. From sun up to sun down, we'd be outside. We had friends that we actually talked to in person. We actually walked to their homes. Every Sunday everyone went to church. Life was so much different back then.

Socialization
Today kids spend a majority of their time outside. They have minimal socialization with other kids. The majority of their socialization takes place on social networking sites and in some cases text messaging. They keep well hidden from the world. The children these days stay inside playing video games and whatnot. But the parents of our generation overprotect the children. They worry about germs and dirt. In my opinion, they should let the children be outside and experience nature with all its miracles and yes... dangers. Have they forgotten the joys of childhood?

Education
School is becoming over important in the children's lives. Yes, education is important, but so is socializing with other kids and being outdoors. Their nose should not be stuck in book all day when they're still children. That's for when they're older and going to college. Another positive thing about letting the children play outside is, it doesn't cost anything. How/why are people still buying their kids expensive gaming systems with this recession?

Punishment
Timeout... I never got "timeout" as a child. Some parents even let their kids play games during "timeout". This is no punishment. When we were kids, we got spanked. It was not an evil or bad thing. It's human nature to punish our young with force. It's animal nature. The child needs to learn. The child should not fear you but he/she should respect you as a parent. I've noticed the less and less strict parents are the more likely that their child will grow up more disrespectful to them.

Conclusion
In conclusion, protect your child, but let your child be a child. Let him play outside. Let him get scrapes and bruises. Let him get stung by a bee. Let him learn about the world through personal experience. Let him learn how to interact with other children in person. I believe overprotecting children is only doing more harm than good. Let them have a chance to say "the good ole days".