I agree with Mike. In general, we all want our children to have a better life than we had, and give them things that we never had. They than did the same with their kids and so on.
With regards to schools closing, park runs cancelled etc. Unfortunately we live in litigious society with Law Firms vying for your business in a "no win no fee", "where theres blame theres a claim" environment so all public bodies have to be risk averse or they risk being sued for 'allowing' someone to run in such conditions, and there is probably exemption clauses in their Public Liability Insurances forcing these decisions.