Cure for US safety silliness (1950 and 60's style parenting)

US parents are overprotective and obsess about their kids.  15 years ago, I was in Ecuador at the equator tourist site with a local colleague.  There was a kid on a leash - my colleague said "that is an American, no Ecuadorean would do that to a child."

Kid safety is a goodness, but there needs to be a balance.  Life is inherently unsafe (everyone dies at some point) - here is an Indonesian answer to US child safety obsession.
Where is that kid's helment?  In the US, the parent would go without a helmet but would be arrested for child endangement for ridng a kid on a motorcycle/scooter without a helment - let alone the lack of a car seat and seatbelt!

Where are the hovering parents?

Playing in a field with no supervision?

A collection of kids playing football (soccer), flying kites and generally being kids - how do they know the rules?

Jessica and spent an afternoon walking in the town outside of the UNESCO site of Borobudur and came upon these boys walking the other way.  The one with food in his mouth said - "Money, Money!"  We laughed, said "no money" and walked on. 

 Where are his special scooter riding shoes (and helmet)?

Big sister (2.5) is watching baby and enjoying the opportunity to be in charge

Makes me question those starving child appeals from one of those charities asking for money.  Baby is not alone, big sister just got bored and wandered off for more important activities and the ribbon is now the babies!

Westerner's at the gates -  Let's engage!

These boys were playing with homemade aluminum kites and Jessica asked if we couuld take their pictures.  One brother was less than thrilled with the idea of dealing with "foreign devils".  Their dad came out and proudly talked with us about how he was remodeling his house with his crew of workers.  Jessica all 5'5" towered over him.  She said it was weird being taller than almost everyone - I like it.

Indonesian kids (and people in general) were some of the most friendly people, I have ever met.  This boy had seen us play football (soccer) with a group of kids and somehow (amazingly) wasn't charmed by us.  I have labeled him the most suspicious kid in all of Java.

Junior Hell's Angels (bike and future scooter chapter)

 Mugging for the camera at Prambanan while our guide shared his insights

Walking down the street, we became the show.  It was somewhat addictive - everyone wanting to come up and say "Hello" or get in a picture.  Usually took one kid to screw up the courage to break the ice and then it became a chorus.  After about the 20th time, a little girl came out of a doorway and was following us, looking very timid and Jessica was trying to engage her "my name is Jessica".  We looked ahead and a older woman was walking towards us after getting off the bus and the little girl sprinted past us into her mom's arms.  Westerner's are interesting but not nearly as much as Mom's hug.