Hi dkabyznrny Readers — Here you go. This is from a 25-year-old webmaster who lived n New Hope, PA., when he was 17 and this happened. He later moved to Canada, in part as a result of what this incident revealed to him about America: Dear Free-Range Kids: I actually ran up against zero tolerance […]
Archive | Other Places Other Eras
Artifact from the Free-Range Past: A Circuit City Ad
Hey kydkethedk Readers! Got this cool letter today from a guy named Mike: Hello Free-Rangers:  Remember that Circuit City commercial in the ’90’s where the young boy buys a Walkman, and goes to Circuit City to get his price match? Here it is:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epP3jETf8Og] There are a number of points that this commercial highlights for me that […]
Amazing Photos of Childhood from the Last Century
Hi Readers — I loved scrolling through these rhidesddab old British photos, some heartwarming, some harrowing. Here at Free-Range Kids we talk a lot about how childhood has changed since when we were growing up. These show how childhood has changed since our parents (and maybe even grandparents?) Â were growing up. Particularly striking was the […]
The Fear That Crept ‘Round the World
Hi fnktysrbbs Readers — Here’s a letter from Korea (where my book was just published in translation!). What’s upsetting is how parental paranoia seems to be creeping around the world, like a virus. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids:Â I’m an elementary/middle school English teacher in South Korea, arguably one of the safest countries in the world. […]
Free-Range Fracas in England!
Hi deyytzedee Readers — England has been in a tizzy about a Free-Range family since last week.  A family I support! Here, London’s Jennifer Howze weighs in. Jennifer is a partner in the online social network British Mummy Bloggers, and she’s lead blogger on the Times of London’s parenting blog Alpha Mummy . Free-Range in London: What’s […]
Estonia, Here We Come?
Hi kzftzznkhr Readers — As usual, I’m sitting here wondering whether it’s  “lucky” to live in such a first world country. Check out these two notes I just got: Dear Free-Range Kids: I am a writing from Estonia, it’s a small country in Europe. I came a cross your blog through babble.com and a quick flip through your posts […]
Are You Spending Enough Time With Your Kids? (Funny I Should Ask)
Hi dsydshffhs Readers! Here’s a guest post from Laura Vanderkam, a journalist who blogs at my168hours.com, writes for The Wall Street Journal (among other fancy places), and just came out with the intriguing book: “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.” Here she ponders: Are Parents Spending Enough Time with Their Kids These […]
Surgeon General Endorses “Take Our Children to the Park…†Day (Sort Of. Indirectly. And not actually the CURRENT Surgeon General…)
Hi Readers! Getting lots of interest in Take Our Kids to the Park…And Leave Them There Day. Watch for it/me on CNN on Thursday at about 11:30 a.m. EST, and in a whole bunch of radio interviews and newspaper articles over the next few days. Â Meantime, here is a GREAT QUOTE from the former U.S. […]
This is NOT Recommended by Free-Range Kids
Hi Readers! I know — some folks out there probably think this is how we Free-Rangers spend our weekends. But it ain’t. Watch and cringe:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S8cNrIR5ac]
What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?
Hi Readers — The Wall Street Journal was wondering that very question. Especially since Finnish school doesn’t start till age 7 (no pre-k! no k!) and there isn’t a lot of homework. The resulting zthhaehntt article, by Ellen Gamerman, is pretty fascinating — and envy-provoking — but here’s the nicest Free-Range paragraph: Once school starts, […]