The fact that a question like that — “How safe is it to let young children run errands alone?” — is fodder for a news article just shows the era we are living in. An era when normal childhood activities, as well as normal parental decisions, are framed as a threat. Or at least something […]
Five kids at a working class school on Long Island gathered to chat with me a few weeks ago about the afterschool activity they’ve been doing all year, twice a week: Playing. Plain, old PLAYING. The school started offering a Let Grow Play Club, whereby an adult is supervising. But they don’t organize the games […]
This whole movement needs an anthem — and at last we’ve got one: “Go Play Outside” to the tune of “I will Survive,” as written by yours truly and performed and filmed by the New York City Guitar School. Here you go! Lyrics below the video: Go Play Outside: The Let Grow Theme Song Sung […]
Folks, I “live-Tweeted” this yesterday: Walked by my local elementary school. Stopped to watch the kids playing at recess. So much joy. Teacher told me I, on public sidewalk on other side of fence, no phone or photo taking, am not allowed to stand and watch the kids. She is calling security now. At first […]
Everyone loves the dandelion bouquet and burnt toast that will appear in many bedrooms Sunday morning, accompanied by kids bouncing on the balls of their feet, excited to present mom with such bounty. But for a keepsake, you might want to download the free “Fill in the blank” card we have over at Let Grow. […]
You can want your kids to have a Free-Range childhood and then come face to face with the fact that, often, this is simply not “done” in your neighborhood. Most of the other kids are inside on devices or outside, in uniforms. You may worry that someone seeing your kids out and about could summon […]
Here’s just one of the many eye-opening chunks of a study of 5–point harnesses (the kind that go around the waist, between the legs and over the shoulders), by social-worker-turned-movement-therapist Barbara Chutroo: Infants’ brains have fewer neurological networks than those of adults but they grow rapidly. This rapid neurological organization of experience occurs in response […]
As you may have heard, “Old Enough” is the Japanese reality show now on Netflix showing kids age age 5, 4, 3 and even 2 running errands on their own. It’s a bit extreme (2-year-olds shopping?) but also extremely lovable. The kids are sometimes a little scared or sad, but they are also incredibly determined. […]
Random passersby convinced they care more about our own kids than we do? They’re rampant. “Put a sweater on that kid!” “Don’t let her ride that way.” “Your little girl looks so tired!” Those kind of comments are what we might call gran-eurisms: Things a passing grandma might say. Of course they raise a hackle […]
See the police blotter below, for the rest of the lady’s complaint. It was sent to us by Jim Epstein, a video producer at Reason. In fact, Jim made this Halloween video with me a few years back. And, heck, he also made this video of two very, very anxious parents in Queens who finally […]
