I set my TiVO today, and the guide said that Thursday’s show was about “Rick Warren; recession and suicide.” So Friday actually sounds like a much better day for Free-Range Kids!
Congratulations Lenore! I am watching you on The View as I type this. I moved to Frankfurt, Germany in the mid-eighties when my son was 6 years old. It seems like we got there on Wednesday and he was speaking fluent German on Friday. It took him about 3 months to figure out how to get around the city, he wasn’t the only child using public transportation at such a young age, there were many children using it all by themselves. When we came back to the US he was 13 and very comfortable with using public transport, grocery shopping, paying bills, running errands, etc.
In my opinion it is not irresponsible to let a child explore and it is excellent parenting skills to teach them about responsibility and let them try to do things on their own.
I find it amazing at how much we limit our children’s responsibilities. I guess by the time they are 18 they will magically understand how life really.
Great job on The View, Lenore! I was cheering for you the whole time. They were pretty hard on you, but you held your own. And the wisest one of all, Whoopi, was on your side. As, I think, was the “smartest one”, Barbara. You go, girl!
The pencil thing was hilarious (sorry if that distracts, but it was…). You made your point. Ha ha…
I just caught the end of it and I keep wondering, when you say crime rates are down to 1970 level (forgive me if you’ve already answered this somewhere), could that be at least in part because of all the extra vigilance of parents these days? I’m definitely for giving kids as much freedom as possible, so this isn’t an attack; I’m just curious how you’d answer that question (y’know, in case I have to answer it, ha ha!)
Can’t wait to read the book (ordered it from amazon). I love your sense of humour with this stuff – so refreshing!
Hi Lenore,
I’m a 54-year old guy in Southern California who was unfamiliar with you until today. I’m writing to tell you how absolutely lovely you are (from what I saw inside & out), and to wish you my best! Your look is my absolute ideal. And I saw on Wikipedia that you wrote for MAD magazine. Talk about my kind of gal – wow! I am most envious of your exceedingly lucky hubby!
Best, Steve
I’m a 37 year old single male without kids, and when growing up on a surely bacteria-infested cattle ranch with 4 other kids up here in Canada we did the craziest things and all managed to survive.
America has an undertone of irrational fears… thanks to the media telling you about problems you never knew you had.
I wish you would have touched on international stats in this area: For ex, China, India, France, England, Spain, Italy, etc.
They have kids there too, and I’m very sure they have much more freedom to roam. The US is a small fraction of the world’s population;
U.S. 306,331,017
World 6,777,003,151
The solution for America: don’t rehabilitate “misunderstood” child predators/pedophiles through incarceration. Justice for these types of crimes should be similar to what it would be in Yemen. Swift & final.
El Deakin: The decline in crimes against children pretty much parallels the decline in crimes in general. Also, only a very small percentage of crimes against children are committed by strangers, and that’s all that smother parenting could have any effect on.
Jeff: The VAST, VAST majority of child sexual abuse is committed by people with NO prior records. Contrary to popular belief, the re-offense rate of child sex abusers who have been caught is nowhere close to the “near 100%” rate that you hear from actors playing cops on TV shows. Once again, those who molest multiple children almost always do it BEFORE they’ve been caught.
You might want to look up a movie called “Witch Hunt” and look up names like “Bernard Baran” and “Gerald Amirault” before you go further in advocating the death penalty for convicted sex abusers. And you might also consider that that would mean that every such case would have to go to a full-blown trial with the child victim being cross-examined by a defense attorney (if I were a prosecutor, I’d be tearing what’s left of my hair out at the thought). And you might also consider that in the majority of cases, the victim would have to truly want someone she regards as an authority figure to die in order for the case to even be prosecuted (in the real world, things don’t work the way they do on CSI; when child sexual abuse cases go to trial (and again, most don’t; they normally involve guilty pleas) there’s usually very little physical evidence and most of the case hinges on whose testimony is seen as the most credible).
In short, a mandatory death penalty for child sexual abuse would result in more innocent people being executed and more guilty people going free (or never being caught in the first place). Not what I call justice.
I was very excited to see Barbara Walters on The View today. Really exciting to get a positive book review from her! You did an excellent job and looked really great (and young). I’m going to pick up your book this weekend. LL
I didn’t get a chance to watch you today, but a friend of mine called me while watching you! She wanted to tell me all about you, because she was sure that I am doing most of the things you were talking about! We laughed and laughed when I told her I was very familiar with you and all you were advocating (and this was a positive conversation).
I saw your piece on The View today & thought it was wonderful! My husband & I have are expecting our second child in a few weeks, and we talk all the time about the freedoms we had as kids but don’t really see today. When I was a school teacher, the children didn’t even know how to play when they were taken outside for free time. What has happened to this generation of parents who are having kids today? I look forward to reading your book!
OK, perhaps a better way then is to be frank with kids about what to scenarios look for and what to avoid.
It’s a tough balance, since kids can be filled with so much fear after becoming aware of that they are scared to talk to any adult – for any reason. That’s not normal.
Predators, like all criminals, are generally lazy. I’d suspect that they seek shy and quiet kids who seem to lack confidence or self-esteem. Kids that avoid looking anyone in the eye. Or who appear to feel insignificant in the big scheme of things.
Why is there so much social & moral decay in America? Where instant gratification regardless of repercussions has become a priority? Not only sex, but consumerism also.
I’ve never seen The View in my life, but I went up to abc.com and sure enough, I was able to watch the entire segment (after sitting through an interminable shouting match over his-and-hers money). Hooray for modern technology. And hooray for The View! I’ll bet it led to a spike in sales, and I hope you can parlay it into speaking engagements as well. You’ve written the book…now it’s all about getting the word out.
By the way, Jeff Harrison, Lenore’s book does have a wonderful chapter comparing the U.S. to the rest of the world.
JUST SAW YOU THE OTHER DAY ON “THE VIEW”. I WAS STANDING UP CHEERING YOU IN MY LIVINGROOM. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP FOR THE SANITY OF CHILDREN. SO MANY OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE IN THERAPY THEIR WHOLE LIVES BECAUSE THEIR LIVES ARE ALL ABOUT FEAR.
You did a great job on the View! My book came on Friday, and I’ve really been enjoying it! Of course I happened to be reading Commandment 2 about Turning off the TV, while the Weather Channel (of all channels) was doing a story about kids who were stranded in a bizzard. I guess we’ll have to worry about being caught in a blizzard now too. (Good thing summers coming) 🙂
I made sure to watch the View, just to see you. I think you did great, but I wanted to smack Elizabeth for you. Although, most days I want to hit her for being dumb anyway. 🙂
Saw your segment on the view and looked at the graphics — when did you go from being “America’s Worst Mom” to “America’s Most Hated Mom” (or was that about the mom who dumped the two bickering girls?)
I set my TiVO today, and the guide said that Thursday’s show was about “Rick Warren; recession and suicide.” So Friday actually sounds like a much better day for Free-Range Kids!
Congrats Leonore that is great news!
Actually that is great for me! I would have missed you yesterday, but will be able to watch today.
Can’t wait to see! I ordered the book the other night, while they are still in stock! 🙂
Congratulations Lenore! I am watching you on The View as I type this. I moved to Frankfurt, Germany in the mid-eighties when my son was 6 years old. It seems like we got there on Wednesday and he was speaking fluent German on Friday. It took him about 3 months to figure out how to get around the city, he wasn’t the only child using public transportation at such a young age, there were many children using it all by themselves. When we came back to the US he was 13 and very comfortable with using public transport, grocery shopping, paying bills, running errands, etc.
In my opinion it is not irresponsible to let a child explore and it is excellent parenting skills to teach them about responsibility and let them try to do things on their own.
I find it amazing at how much we limit our children’s responsibilities. I guess by the time they are 18 they will magically understand how life really.
Great job on The View, Lenore! I was cheering for you the whole time. They were pretty hard on you, but you held your own. And the wisest one of all, Whoopi, was on your side. As, I think, was the “smartest one”, Barbara. You go, girl!
The pencil thing was hilarious (sorry if that distracts, but it was…). You made your point. Ha ha…
Lisa
Saw you on The View. Your ideas are refreshing in this world of over-hyped EVERYTHING!
I just caught the end of it and I keep wondering, when you say crime rates are down to 1970 level (forgive me if you’ve already answered this somewhere), could that be at least in part because of all the extra vigilance of parents these days? I’m definitely for giving kids as much freedom as possible, so this isn’t an attack; I’m just curious how you’d answer that question (y’know, in case I have to answer it, ha ha!)
Can’t wait to read the book (ordered it from amazon). I love your sense of humour with this stuff – so refreshing!
Hi Lenore,
I’m a 54-year old guy in Southern California who was unfamiliar with you until today. I’m writing to tell you how absolutely lovely you are (from what I saw inside & out), and to wish you my best! Your look is my absolute ideal. And I saw on Wikipedia that you wrote for MAD magazine. Talk about my kind of gal – wow! I am most envious of your exceedingly lucky hubby!
Best, Steve
Hi,
I’m a 37 year old single male without kids, and when growing up on a surely bacteria-infested cattle ranch with 4 other kids up here in Canada we did the craziest things and all managed to survive.
America has an undertone of irrational fears… thanks to the media telling you about problems you never knew you had.
I wish you would have touched on international stats in this area: For ex, China, India, France, England, Spain, Italy, etc.
They have kids there too, and I’m very sure they have much more freedom to roam. The US is a small fraction of the world’s population;
U.S. 306,331,017
World 6,777,003,151
The solution for America: don’t rehabilitate “misunderstood” child predators/pedophiles through incarceration. Justice for these types of crimes should be similar to what it would be in Yemen. Swift & final.
I turned on The View just long enough to see your segment. You made good, clear points and came across really well. Great job!
El Deakin: The decline in crimes against children pretty much parallels the decline in crimes in general. Also, only a very small percentage of crimes against children are committed by strangers, and that’s all that smother parenting could have any effect on.
Jeff: The VAST, VAST majority of child sexual abuse is committed by people with NO prior records. Contrary to popular belief, the re-offense rate of child sex abusers who have been caught is nowhere close to the “near 100%” rate that you hear from actors playing cops on TV shows. Once again, those who molest multiple children almost always do it BEFORE they’ve been caught.
You might want to look up a movie called “Witch Hunt” and look up names like “Bernard Baran” and “Gerald Amirault” before you go further in advocating the death penalty for convicted sex abusers. And you might also consider that that would mean that every such case would have to go to a full-blown trial with the child victim being cross-examined by a defense attorney (if I were a prosecutor, I’d be tearing what’s left of my hair out at the thought). And you might also consider that in the majority of cases, the victim would have to truly want someone she regards as an authority figure to die in order for the case to even be prosecuted (in the real world, things don’t work the way they do on CSI; when child sexual abuse cases go to trial (and again, most don’t; they normally involve guilty pleas) there’s usually very little physical evidence and most of the case hinges on whose testimony is seen as the most credible).
In short, a mandatory death penalty for child sexual abuse would result in more innocent people being executed and more guilty people going free (or never being caught in the first place). Not what I call justice.
I was very excited to see Barbara Walters on The View today. Really exciting to get a positive book review from her! You did an excellent job and looked really great (and young). I’m going to pick up your book this weekend. LL
I didn’t get a chance to watch you today, but a friend of mine called me while watching you! She wanted to tell me all about you, because she was sure that I am doing most of the things you were talking about! We laughed and laughed when I told her I was very familiar with you and all you were advocating (and this was a positive conversation).
Sounds like it was a smashing success!!
I saw your piece on The View today & thought it was wonderful! My husband & I have are expecting our second child in a few weeks, and we talk all the time about the freedoms we had as kids but don’t really see today. When I was a school teacher, the children didn’t even know how to play when they were taken outside for free time. What has happened to this generation of parents who are having kids today? I look forward to reading your book!
I hope someone put it up on Youtube. I couldn’t catch it as I don’t have cable. 🙁
ebohlman:
OK, perhaps a better way then is to be frank with kids about what to scenarios look for and what to avoid.
It’s a tough balance, since kids can be filled with so much fear after becoming aware of that they are scared to talk to any adult – for any reason. That’s not normal.
Predators, like all criminals, are generally lazy. I’d suspect that they seek shy and quiet kids who seem to lack confidence or self-esteem. Kids that avoid looking anyone in the eye. Or who appear to feel insignificant in the big scheme of things.
Why is there so much social & moral decay in America? Where instant gratification regardless of repercussions has become a priority? Not only sex, but consumerism also.
Anyone who missed the segment can see the entire show online at abc.com.
Boo! You have to be from the States to see it. Ah well.
I’ve never seen The View in my life, but I went up to abc.com and sure enough, I was able to watch the entire segment (after sitting through an interminable shouting match over his-and-hers money). Hooray for modern technology. And hooray for The View! I’ll bet it led to a spike in sales, and I hope you can parlay it into speaking engagements as well. You’ve written the book…now it’s all about getting the word out.
By the way, Jeff Harrison, Lenore’s book does have a wonderful chapter comparing the U.S. to the rest of the world.
JUST SAW YOU THE OTHER DAY ON “THE VIEW”. I WAS STANDING UP CHEERING YOU IN MY LIVINGROOM. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP FOR THE SANITY OF CHILDREN. SO MANY OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE IN THERAPY THEIR WHOLE LIVES BECAUSE THEIR LIVES ARE ALL ABOUT FEAR.
BREAKS MY HEART.
HUGS FROM MAINE
You did a great job on the View! My book came on Friday, and I’ve really been enjoying it! Of course I happened to be reading Commandment 2 about Turning off the TV, while the Weather Channel (of all channels) was doing a story about kids who were stranded in a bizzard. I guess we’ll have to worry about being caught in a blizzard now too. (Good thing summers coming) 🙂
I made sure to watch the View, just to see you. I think you did great, but I wanted to smack Elizabeth for you. Although, most days I want to hit her for being dumb anyway. 🙂
Saw your segment on the view and looked at the graphics — when did you go from being “America’s Worst Mom” to “America’s Most Hated Mom” (or was that about the mom who dumped the two bickering girls?)
Congrats Leonore