Hey Readers — The American Studies major in me can’t get enough of the way language changes with the culture. At my lectures (book me!) I always point out what someone once noted right here: “Arrival” and “dismissal” at school have morphed into “drop-off” and “pick-up.” Inherent in those new terms is the idea that an [...]

Filed under: Helicopter Effect on Kids, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 61 Comments »

Hi Folks! This is a documentary done by Carla Reid and Franny Plumridge, two university students who were raised in the country 16,000 kilometres apart (Carla in Australia, Franny in Canada), but both encouraged by their parents to actively explore and experience their world. Their rural Free-Range upbringing and shared passion for filmmaking inspired them to [...]

Filed under: Crazy Parents, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Parks, Playing and Playgrounds | 19 Comments »

Readers – Here’s a sit-up-and-go-yikes oped by Thomas Friedman of the The New York Times. Friedman sort of specializes in these, but this one talks in particular about how we are facing a “401k future.” That is: Unlike the salad days of long-term jobs and pensions, we’re in a new era of morphing and even [...]

Filed under: Breaking news, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Zingers and retorts | 24 Comments »

Hey Readers — How is it that one country can train its young people to be safe, smart and responsible bicyclists, while other countries — like mine — train its young people to climb in the car and eat Goldfish? As Sarah Goodyear writes in The Atlantic Cities: “Dutch children are expected to learn and [...]

Filed under: Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 79 Comments »

Hi Folks! Below is just one part of a great, fun essay called “Parenting the Way Your Great Grandmother Would.” It’s by Margaret Ables, a comedy writer who has written for Celebrity Death Match and It’s a Big, Big World. She blogs at shortfatdictator.com (Facebook) and has appeared on ‘Steve Harvey’ discussing parenting/ family issues. She lives in L.A. with [...]

Filed under: Guest Post, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 30 Comments »

 Hi folks! Our Sunday reading comes to us from far away — Hyderabad, India. It’s by Stephanie Smith Diamond who writes, runs, and studies for her master’s degree in political science there. She blogs at Where in the World Am I?  - L. Dear Free-Range Kids: I recently came across your blog and read your book. I’d [...]

Filed under: Guest Post, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 30 Comments »

Hi Readers! Have you noticed that study abroad programs are becoming very common at college? (Is this as obvious as saying, “Have you noticed kids spend a lot of time on Facebook?” If so, sorry. It’s just a jumping off point.) Anyway, while traveling strikes me as great — we can all use some perspective! [...]

Filed under: Helicopter Effect on Kids, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 58 Comments »

Readers — Below is an excerpt from a 2011 interview with University of Toronto criminologist Scot Wortley (just sent to me), whom I now consider a genius. He is so clear and smart about why, despite Canada’s homicide rate hitting a 44-year low, most people feel LESS safe, a discrepancy that daily constantly confounds me. The [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Media Madness, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Worst-First Thinking | 53 Comments »

Hey Readers — Just a little note about how kids surprise us all the time, when we let them. – L. . Dear Lenore: Just heard you on the CBC (Canada’s NPR). Here’s my anecdote of awareness: . Concerned for my Grade 6 (age 11) daughter’s safety, I insisted on her holding my hand to [...]

Filed under: Helicopter Effect on Kids, Infantilizing young folk, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras, Walk to School / Stay Home Alone / Wait in Car | 24 Comments »

Hi Readers – Out of the blue, Disney has declared that no individual under age 14 can enter its parks solo anymore. According to NBC News: The child’s parent or guardian would then be contacted if the visitor is underage, and that adult would need to physically come accompany the child into the park. Disney chose [...]

Filed under: Bad Laws, Rules and Verdicts, Infantilizing young folk, Insurance repercussions, Miscellaneous, Other Places Other Eras | 111 Comments »