Hey up there! What are you trying to do to us Americans? Spread mayhem and terror with Kinder Surprise candy? Sure looks that way to us. For years you’ve been blithely manufacturing chocolate eggs filled with toys as if you’ve never even HEARD the word, “Litigation.” Fortunately, according to this news report, this year United States [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Infantilizing young folk, Insurance repercussions | 88 Comments »

Hi Readers! Here’s a little note from a mom of three named Nina: Dear Free-Range Kids: First of all, thank you.  I have been increasingly Free Range over the past 4-5 years but I didn’t have a name for it until I found this website.  I am glad to know that  I am not the [...]

Filed under: GOOD News, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car, Worst-First Thinking | 40 Comments »

Hi Readers – As of yesterday, 50 million sets of blinds and shades are being recalled — “virtually every Roman blind and roller shade on the market,” according to this report on Good Morning America, following the deaths of five children. I cannot imagine how sad the parents of those five children must be. It’s [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Insurance repercussions, Uber Safety | 49 Comments »

Hi Readers — If any of you are Free-Ranging in southwest Oklahoma (and I know you’re out there!) please drop an email to reporter Billie Hill — bhill@lawton-constitution.com . She’s looking for your stories to write about the Free-Range idea, locally. Thanks! — L

Filed under: Miscellaneous | No Comments »

Oh I am so glad a reader named Abe sent this in. A Saturday Night Live classic: http://bit.ly/4Egetr

Filed under: Fun | 14 Comments »

That, my friends, is the question I ask today in my alternate life on ParentDish.com. I am really getting sick of all the warnings about dangerous toys. On a very related note: Today there was a report about all the hideous dangers of holiday  ornaments. I agree: You probably don’t want to put a hand-blown crystal [...]

Filed under: Insurance repercussions, Stupid Advice, Uber Safety | 42 Comments »

Hi Readers — Here’s the latest story of a guy, a camera, a warm little Santa scene at the mall…and an arrest. Apparently Scott Rensberger, an award-winning news photographer who has covered conflicts as far away as Bosnia, was at his local mall in West Virginia with the camera he always carries with him. He [...]

Filed under: Photography issues | 74 Comments »

Hi Readers — Here’s a letter I got yesterday. It hit me in the gut because this woman just went through the same process I think a lot of us go through daily: Trying to deal, calmly, with the knee-jerk response of, “That’s too dangerous!” to any suggestion that kids can do anything on their [...]

Filed under: Bikes and cycling, Crazy Parents, Other Places Other Eras, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 40 Comments »

Hi Readers! Let’s give this woman some good ideas. She needs them — as do we all! Dear Free-Range Kids: My name is Shaylene Haswarey, and I want to share a story with you today. This morning, my doorbell rang, and two police officers were present.  They asked me if I am the mother of [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds | 169 Comments »

From a reader named Delicate Flower: “The closest my kid has ever come to losing a finger in the Maclaren was while I was trying to install the stupid hinge covers.”

Filed under: Fun, Insurance repercussions | 36 Comments »