Here’s a little note from Helen, a “helicopter mom” who’s changing. As can you! And if you do, please drop us a line:
Hi there!
Just read your book Free Range Kids. I was led to it by reading Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation. And I was led to Haidt by watching Adolescence and also from getting involved in a local Smartphone Free Childhood group.
So, I’ve been educating myself.
And I realized I was a helicopter parent and it’s time to let go. Since reading your book I have:
– sent my 6 and 8 year old kids to the post box (3 mins walk away) to post a letter to grandma.
– left the kids playing in a playground and sat in the next door cafe for 6 mins – TWICE!
– now always let them go to the loo on public places on their own (service stations, cafes whatever). I can’t believe I was still going in with my 6 year old! He used to use his own cubicle but it’s crazy I was standing outside the door.
– left my 6 year old in his piano lesson alone. To be fair I wanted to do that before but he didn’t until today. Maybe the other freedoms made him more confident.
– made the kids do more chores around the house.
– had open conversations about how to stay safe based on your chapter on stranger danger etc.
I’m excited about the next stage!! And so are they. Thank you for bringing common sense back.
I’m also a secondary teacher here in the UK and I am seeing myself deal differently with the students too. They need more LetGrow for sure! I hope there can be more Let Grow in the UK in the near future.
Helen
Thanks Helen! There can be more “Let Grow” everywhere! Here are our free, independence-building programs for schools. Here’s the free Independence Therapy manual for therapists and counselors. Here are our free materials for parents
And for summer we have our free Summer Independence Kit as well!