Posted on April 22nd, 2013 by lskenazy
Hi Readers! This note comes to us from Nandini Ramakrishna, who was raised Free-Range in India and now lives in Phoenix, AZ. She writes the blog Cactus Chronicles. and tweets at CactusChron. – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Four years ago, I was involved in an incident where the state questioned my competence as a parent. After two stressful [...]
Filed under: Child Protective Services, Guest Post, Miscellaneous | 43 Comments »
Posted on April 7th, 2013 by lskenazy
Hi Folks — We all agree that it makes sense to be aware of child abuse, and even to look out for it. But to assume “Abuse!” when another explanation is not only proffered but also likely, well, that is classic worst-first thinking: Leaping to the WORST conclusion FIRST and proceeding as if it simply [...]
Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Miscellaneous | 93 Comments »
Posted on April 3rd, 2013 by lskenazy
Readers — This is the continuing story of the 6-year-old detained by the cops for walking outside. It is disturbing and distressing. The family needs pro bono legal help. If any of you are lawyers or know someone who can help, please let me know and I will forward the info to the family. Remember: [...]
Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Helicopter Effect on Kids, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 401 Comments »
Posted on March 14th, 2013 by lskenazy
Folks, when I posted the letter from the dad whose 6-year-old was picked up by the police — and DETAINED — for walking solo in her neighborhood, one of you said that stories like this make you worried to let your kids go outside. Which is exactly the opposite reaction I was hoping for. I wrote [...]
Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds, School and Zero Tolerance and Bullies, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 62 Comments »
Posted on March 4th, 2013 by lskenazy
Readers — The story below makes me so sad and so angry, and you will see why. If anyone at Child Protective Services or the police department would pick up a single book written before predator panic swept the country, they’d see that 6-year-olds were always part of the neighborhood scene, scampering, playing, or even [...]
Filed under: Child Protective Services, Helicopter Effect on Kids, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 164 Comments »
Posted on February 6th, 2013 by lskenazy
Hi Readers — Can you EVER leave your child unattended for a few minutes in a public place? That’s today’s big question. – L. . Dear Free-Range Kids: Last night I took my 5-year-old son and almost 3-year-old daughter to Taco Bell. High class, I know. The restaurant was pretty busy, about five full tables [...]
Filed under: Child Protective Services, Crazy Parents, Eek! A Male! (and Stranger Danger), Miscellaneous, Stupid Advice, Worst-First Thinking, Zingers and retorts | 185 Comments »
Posted on January 29th, 2013 by lskenazy
Ah, readers, you know this is my bugaboo: the idea that the authorities (cops, CPS) know better than PARENTS whether or not a child is safe waiting for a short while in the car. I always want to ask the busybodies who summon the police, “Do you really think it’s safer to drag a toddler [...]
Filed under: Child Protective Services, Miscellaneous, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car, Worst-First Thinking | 94 Comments »
Posted on January 26th, 2013 by lskenazy
Hi Readers — Though this mom’s “negligence” story is told in a lovely English lilt, it may nonetheless spike your blood pressure: Since when are the police allowed to write up a mom who trusts her children to be safe and self-sufficient for a short amount of time? Equally enraging is the idea that this [...]
Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds | 30 Comments »
Posted on December 23rd, 2012 by lskenazy
Hi Folks! This cartoon comes to us from Russia, which apparently has some similar issues to the United States, when it comes to authorities deciding whether parents are “good” enough. Small world! – L. Knock knock.
Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Child Protective Services, Fun, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 19 Comments »
Posted on December 3rd, 2012 by lskenazy
Hi Folks! Just a quickie: The kids in this Michigan story, 12 and 15, walked to the library on their own. When it was time to go, the temperature had fallen and, according to this article, “library staff” would not allow them to walk home. So they called their mom to come get them. She [...]
Filed under: Child Protective Services, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 111 Comments »
