Don't you agree it's a shame that an adult and a kid can hardly be friends anymore?

There is nothing wrong with kids and adults being friends...that doesn't mean the adult has to do a lot of kid things or the kid do a lot of adult things necessarily (though sometimes there's nothing wrong in that either). Adults can be a mentor or role model for kids, and kids can help to keep an adult feeling young....they can definitely learn from each other when they are friends. However, in what you're talking about when it comes to women and especially kids, men are often automatically suspect in our society these days. There are a lot more dangers out there now than there used to be so that suspicion is understandable, but it is still often unfair.

No, I don't agree because generally speaking, it's never been acceptable for an adult to be friends with a kid.

It's fine to talk with your neighbor's kids. There's no stigma.