Did you ever stand up on the park swings?
If you were a latchkey kid like many children in the 70s and 80s, you probably didn't have a hover-parent to survey your every move on the jungle gym, which means you definitely pushed the boundaries of safety on that swing set. Kids back in those days were totally feral, allowed to run at full speed into danger and return to school like war heroes with an arm cast and a couple of signatures from their homeroom classmates. That's why we stood up on the swing set–because we could.
Besides, it was always an epic challenge to try and see which neighborhood kid could go all the way over. That's one way to get your first and last name engraved on the playground Wall of Fame…
Alas, those moments of childhood are long past and the kids of today have made it clear they have no interest in sandlot challenges, imaginary games, and playground lore–kids nowadays only want their parent's credit card info so they can purchase fictional currency in their favorite mobile game.
At least our generation will always get a little nostalgic over those glorious moments where the swing made you feel weightless and the excited cries of your classmates could be heard all the way down the block.
