Hi Readers! If you’re wondering what would make a great gift for your kids, or some other kids you love, how about giving them back time outside, and playdates that they make on their own, and the thrill of doing something — anything! — on their own? My book, Free-Range Kids, can help. (And it’s only $10.17! CLICK HERE!) If you’re wondering what it’s like, here’s the table of contents:
THE FOURTEEN FREE RANGE COMMANDMENTS
1 KNOW WHEN TO WORRY
Playdates and Axe Murderers: How To Tell The Difference
2 TURN OFF THE NEWS
Go Easy On The ‘Law & Order,’ Too
3 AVOID EXPERTS
Who Knew You Were Doing Everything Wrong? …Them
4 BOYCOTT BABY KNEE PADS
And The Rest of the Kiddie Safety-Industrial Complex
5 DON’T THINK LIKE A LAWYER
Some Risks are Worth It
6 IGNORE BLAMERS
They Don’t Know Your Kid Like You Do
7 EAT CHOCOLATE
Give Halloween Back To The Trick-or-Treaters
8 STUDY HISTORY
Your 10-Year-Old Would Have Been Forging Horse Shoes (Or At Least Delivering The Paper)
9 BE WORLDLY
Why Other Countries Are Laughing at Zee Scaredy-Cat Americans
10 GET BRAVER
Quit Trying to Control Everything. It Doesn’t Work Anyway.
11 RELAX
Not Every Little Thing You Do Has That Much Impact On Your Child’s Development
12 FAIL!
It’s The New Succeed
13 LOCK THEM OUT
Make Them Play — Or else
14 LISTEN TO YOUR KIDS
They’re Sick of Being Babies (Except The Actual Babies, Of Course)
SAFE OR NOT? THE A-Z GUIDE TO EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT BE WORRIED ABOUT
From Baby Formula to Walking to School
STRANGERS WITH CANDY
Even the Folks Who Put The Faces On Milk Cartons Aren’t Too Worried
CONCLUSION
The Other Problem that Has No Name
How to Fix It and Give Our Kids Their Childhood Back
— And here are a couple of review from readers —
” I read the whole thing and feel so much better! The pressure of always trying to do the exact right thing for my kids was exhausting. In truth, I have two normal, high-energy boys who need to be able to explore the world. Thank you!”
“Your book had me laughing so hard that my husband had to come and see if I was okay! (I think my gasping sounded like sobbing.)”
“Just what the doctor ordered. I’m a single mother of two girls, 7 and 10, in a middle-class suburb that is very safe. I needed the advice in your book and had a lot of belly laughs reading it.”
Ok, folks — end of commercial. Thanks for listening! — L
11 Comments
I loved the part in the alphabetical section which said: bats, vampire; avoid these 😉
Hi Lenore,
I will never forget what it was like bringing my first son home, and finding out how at “lost at sea” I was. Only to discover that there are thousands of experts who think that the world is a terrifying place and by the way you are a hopeless parent who was raised by hopeless parents and everything you know is wrong.
Your book was a voice of sanity in the maddening crowd that showed the real hazard in trying to protect your child from EVERYTHING.
Every new parent should read your book. They will have happier kids for it. (and be happier parents too)
I’d love to get excited about it because I already have it–in hardback and in Amazon Kindle ® format on my Blackberry.
But I agree–it makes a great gift. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever obtained. Maybe this post is a “plug,” but if so, it’s a good plug.
LRH
Darn typos again!
I got it right the first time–I’d love to get excited about it BUT I already have it.
Again, a great book though–full of more sense than the average person can handle in a day. People who can’t stand an overdose of common sense may want to proceed slowly–because that book is full of common sense.
LRH
I spent the first couple of years of my son’s life convinced that one day there would be a knock on the door and upon opening it, I would find two dour faced people who would immediately hand me a paper stating “We know you have ABSOLUTELY NO idea how to raise this child. He is coming with us.”
Needless to say, ‘they’ never showed up on my doorstep. I’ve managed to stop the helicopter tendencies I had. I am constantly terrified of what will happen to him when he is out of my sight BUT I still allow him to walk out the door, into the fray.
Parenting isn’t for weenies.
My favorite part of the list is:
12 FAIL!
It’s The New Succeed
Just a note, when was the last time any of us saw a waxed cardboard milk carton? Let alone one with picture on it? All the ones here are plastic and have been for a very long time (except the glass organic, I won’t eat any thing in plastic for fear of…..).
I remember years ago when I used to receive the child safety catalogs. My wife and I loved them. The unintentional comedy of the product listings was a welcome diversion to the actual strains of dealing with the lttle ones.
I bought a copy of “Free-Range Kids” even though my daughters graduated from college in the 1980’s and I have no grandchildren. The book is such a treasure trove of well-written common sense and “myth-busting” that it’s worth reading no matter who you are. I’ve even recommended it to fellow railway enthusiasts.
Love it. Thanks for the laughs, tremendously sensible advice, and pats on back for normal parents. I’m suggesting your book and website to my readers.
Here’s a great study showing that an obsession with safety is no fun for kids — what they need is dirt, nooks and crannies to hide in, and “loose parts” to play with:
http://www.canada.com/travel/play+thing/3986846/story.html
From the study:
“They found that 87% of the time, the conventional equipment — monkey bars, swings, slides and climbing structures — remained empty. Even when the children played on or around the equipment, they used it for its intended purpose, such as going down the slide, only 3% of the time, the study says.
….
“The natural instinct of any child— to be drawn to play by throwing dirt, sand or water in puddles, chutes and tunnels — comes into direct conflict with manufacturers of playground equipment, who tend to appeal to parents’ anxieties about safety, Prof. Herrington says.”