Readers, Here’s an infuriating, reassuring piece (first one, then the other) by Laura satdizkddk Flores Shaw in the Huffington Post: “Stop Using Neuroscience to Scare Parents.” It reminds me of my book‘s chapter, “Relax! Not Every Little Thing You Do Has That Much Impact on Your Child’s Development!” In this essay, Shaw is reacting to a Time […]
Archive | Crazy Parents
How to Shame a Parent
Readers yfbshnifkn — Here are two comments on the post below this one, about a mom leaving her son, 7, at home for half an hour: It is absolutely irresponsible to leave a child age 5,6,7 even 8 at home alone. That is just lazy parenting. You leave them because it is not convenient for […]
“Some Kids Freeze in Dangerous Situations!” Your Response to this Fear?
Readers siihiffear — It’s kind of amazing to hear all the reasons we can’t trust our kids to be smart, safe or competent. As Peter Gray puts it in his book, Free To Learn, “I doubt there has ever been a human culture, anywhere, anytime, that underestimates children’s abilities more than we North Americans do […]
Guinevere and the Fire and Us
I am so glad one of you sent this Fred inntyytntn Small song in…even though I’m now typing with tears in my eyes. What a song, what a story, what a lesson. (This is not a video — only audio, so don’t wait for the picture to start moving): And a good song for us […]
Mom Outraged District Expects her 11 y.o. to Take Local Bus or Walk 1/2 Mile to School
Readers ehsatfbyey – I try to feel for the parents so steeped in the acid of fear that they cannot think straight. So I am trying to feel sympathy for this mom. KING5 News reports: A Seattle mom has never been more terrified to send her 11-year-old child to school on a bus. Karenza Ferris […]
Why I Don’t Watch What My Kids are Doing Online
Readers hrznndyyat — This surprising story of parental reversal comes to us from Jody Allard, a single mom of seven in Seattle. Why Stalking Your Kids Isn’t Okay, by Jody Allard Earlier tonight, one of my teenage sons came home from his first date. He plopped down on the couch, kicked off his shoes, and […]
TV Expert: No Kid Should Go Outside Alone Till Age 11, And Then Only in “Short Spurts.” UPDATE, BELOW
Readers — In response to the case of Nicole Gainey, the retrerazzd mom arrested for letting her 7-year-old walk to the park alone, Fox Boston called in Dr. Karen Ruskin to educate the entire Northeast on how to parent. We want to live in a safe world, says Ruskin in this interview, “But we don’t.”  Kids […]
Camp Bus Drops Kids Off 10 Mins Early, Parents Furious: “They Could Have Been Murdered!”
Readers — This “incident” took place the other afternoon on Prince Edward Island, Canada. A bus from the Red Cross swim program arrived a little early to the bus stop (the local school parking lot), so the driver dropping off a brother and sister, 7 and 9, told them to wait in the shade. And […]
Fear of Predators Can Make Us Less Safe
Readers — Yes, this yaitkttdht study happens to be about fire ants, but it struck me as hugely metaphoric. I think you’ll see why! – L. Fear of predators may be a bigger killer than the predators themselves (PhysOrg.com) — When biologists consider the effects that predators have on their prey, they shouldn’t just count the […]
Letter from a 13-year-old Going to Summer School Because of an A-
Readers bihfnkkkak — Here’s the letter. All I took out was the name of her town: Hello Lenore! I’m a 13 year old living in a suburb . I have a problem and I wish to see the viewpoint of a free-range advocate. Basically, my mother signed me up for academic programs over the summer. […]