By Leonard Cassuto Note to readers: Cassuto is an English professor at Fordham University and Author of the just released, “Hard-Boiled Sentimentality: The Secret History of American Crime Stories.”   Today’s hyper-vigilant parenting is haunted by a figure behind the curtain: the serial killer.  He’s the boogeyman that slinks through every parent’s nightmares, the predator on [...]

Filed under: Eek! A Male! (and Stranger Danger), Media Madness, Studies and reports | 10 Comments »

So in England a woman named Susie Dent publishes a book, “Words of the Year,” every, well, year. The latest edition just came out and in addition to winners like “boytox” (Botox for men) and “momnesia,” defined as “a mother’s forgetfulness in the first year after a child’s birth,” (which isn’t nearly long enough), you [...]

Filed under: Fun, GOOD News | 15 Comments »

The old joke — never that funny, actually — is about a rich lady who takes her grown son on a vacation to Florida. When she gets to the hotel, she lavishly tips the bellhop to pull her son out of the limo and carry him upstairs. “Can’t your son walk?” the bellhop asks. “Of [...]

Filed under: Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 68 Comments »

Thanks for taking a look at this site. As you’ll see as you poke around, this is the place for thinking about whether we have gone a little overboard in trying to protect our kids. As I say on Dr. Phil’s show, we overestimate the dangers out there, and have forgotten how competent young people are. [...]

Filed under: Helicopter Effect on Kids, Media Madness | 104 Comments »

Hello, Free Rangers – This is just a note to say that on Monday, Sept. 29, I’ll be on Dr. Phil discussing this whole issue.  If you tune in, you’ll see that it’s about “Extreme Moms.” Naturally, I don’t think I’m extreme. I think letting kids walk to school, ride their bikes or go to [...]

Filed under: Miscellaneous | 47 Comments »

Not that I want this to be a Great Depression. I hope it’s not. But if it is, I see kids emerging from their dens when their X-Boxes break and their parents can’t afford to replace them. I see kids dropping out of travel soccer, when their parents can’t afford the gas. I see kids [...]

Filed under: Breaking news, Fun, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds | 42 Comments »

Now that school’s back in session – which, by the way, is how absolutely every parenting article that runs in September must begin, by law – but anyway, now that school’s back in session, you may be wondering: Dare my children walk there? Without me holding their hands and screaming at cars making left turns, [...]

Filed under: Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 53 Comments »

By Denise Gonzalez-Walker DJ, my 10 year-old, stood in the middle of his classmates, rigid and then sinking quickly to the soft grass. His eyes rolled back as he fell and he let out a sharp whimper. Sitting with a small group of moms, I watched the game from one side of the playfield. By [...]

Filed under: Guest Post, Helicopter Effect on Kids, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds | 26 Comments »

That’s what they think in England, as you shall see. Our guest blogger today is Sarah Ebner. She edits School Gate ( www.timesonline.co.uk/schoolgate ), a blog about all aspects of education for the London Times. She’s always interested to hear from other parents. Contact her at  sarah.ebner@timesonline.co.uk By Sarah Ebner   When I was gently persuaded to become [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Eek! A Male! (and Stranger Danger), Insurance repercussions, School and Zero Tolerance and Bullies | 34 Comments »

One of the many joys of watching “Mad Men” is seeing how worried — not — the parents were about their kids, at least in this fictional portrayal of the early ’60s. The kids are told to run off and play in another room so mom can have coffee with a friend. They’re put in [...]

Filed under: Fun, Other Places Other Eras | 42 Comments »