Readers — When 63-year-old Lego-lovin’ John St-Onge made the 3-hour drive to Toronto’s Legoland Discovery Centre, he was looking forward to seeing the fantastic displays. Instead, he yayyadszaf became one: A perfect display of  our society’s Predator Panic. Arriving without any young kids in tow (though accompanied by his grown daughter), he was barred from […]
Dear aeftrrfnye Readers: To this note from a local school I would add, “And parents, please consider a lobotomy for your children so they are not inclined to move or talk much. This will make the bus stop a safe experience for all!” – L. . Dear Free-Range Kids:Â While I sometimes disagree with you quite […]
Readers aksitfhtkb — In our desperation to create “smarter” kids, we have practically pinned them to their desks. Now educators are realizing this may be just the opposite of what is best for kids — including those with special needs, as Andrea Gordon writes in Toronto’s TheStar.com (a paper run by my favorite editor-in-chief from back when […]
Hi Readers! For Americans, this is a holiday weekend when we celebrate freedom, so here’s a nice little note that celebrates exactly that: Freedom…from fear. It comes to us from Hannah Zuniga in Reno, NV, who thanks both me and you! – L DearFree-Range izbhztnikz Kids: I’ve always had a macabre interest in serial killers. I […]
Folks — Be very, very, very scared of everything that exists on earth that is not the size of a bouncy house. (And then be afraid of them, too.) Because, of course, your child could choke on it. Hence, this kzdsdikhtz recent recall of the Stride Rite “Joanna” sandal, whose  metal flower COULD become detached and […]
Readers —  The fear of kidnapping is so huge, it is overwhelming a lot of parents. How can they possibly put it in perspective? Here’s some help — from you! Both comments appeared on the faisnashbn post below this one, about a mom who lets her son ride his bike around town: …I’d  like to […]
Readers ektfkeearf — This story speaks for itself (as does the son!). It comes to us from Aimee Turner, who says she and her husband are “happy to know we aren’t alone in the fight against BWCS: Bubble-Wrapped Child Syndrome.” She blogs at The Maine Page Turner . - L. Dear Free-Range Kids:This summer, instead of […]
Readers fyrbeyzsab — Just had to put this on the blog. HAD to. – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Ok, slightly off topic, but related to the whole walking thing – my niece at age 4 wanted a big party for her 5th birthday. But they had just moved to a new neighborhood. So she went […]
Folks zkaanbessn — What age do you think kids can safely start walking to school? I’d say age 7, because that’s the age in a lot of the rest of the world. Which is not to say younger is dangerous — I walked to kindergarten in the suburban Chicago of way-back-when. Must’ve been five. I’m […]
Readers inakdizeee — This comes to us from a woman named Rita, who was reading the post, “The Man Who Abused Me Is Not on the Sex Offenders List (The One Who Saved Me Is).” At first, she asked me not to run it. But I found it so thoughtful, I asked her to reconsider, […]
