This past Sunday I held a “Sex Offender Brunch.” Doesn’t everyone? A few days later a reporter from Salon called me up to ask about it. So here’s an excerpt from what I told her. And here’s my piece in the NY Daily News also about the brunch. (This story is lasting as long as the leftovers!) Note: However interesting my remarks may be, the reader comment by “Zoomie” (a person I don’t know) is moreso. How did you arrive at taking up reform of the sex offender registry as a cause? Well, I’m interested in keeping kids safe and…
Author: lskenazy
This story is sickeningly sad, but the original verdict made it intensely worse. A reader writes: Marta Corvi was grateful when the Juarez family in Dallas, Georgia, told her she could live with them until she found a job. All she had to do in exchange was cook, clean, and watch their 5 year old, Sophia Juarez. One day in June of 2012, Corvi brought her granddaughter Mia, also age 5, over for a sleepover. The girls giggled, played and woke up early the next, rainy morning eager to start all over. They asked if they could swim and Marta…
The mom who Twitters as Mainline Housewife (mainlinewife) sends us proof that we can never underestimate the how far our obsession over child safety can go: But wait — this doesn’t even require a notary?
A reader writes: Dear Lenore: My ex father in law is in the hospital. Yesterday we went to a park in Hackensack [NJ] and Elizabeth 6 was having fun and I was cold so I was sitting in the car watching sort of. Elizabeth knew she could come to the car anytime. I looked up and a police officer was talking to Elizabeth. I took a deep breath and got out and let the officer know that I was watching and with her the whole time. Heart racing. I got the happiest most shocking response. The officer said that the…
What happens when a generation grows up being told that they need constant supervision because nothing is safe enough? That they should never encounter a bad grade or mean remark, it’s too wounding? That they didn’t lose, they are the “8th place winner!”? At least a slice of them become convinced that they are extremely emotionally fragile. They need — they demand — the kind of life-buffers they’ve had since childhood. Which brings us to this just plain remarkable essay by Judith Shulevitz in yesterday’s New York Times. It begins: KATHERINE BYRON, a senior at Brown University and a member…
Gracious me! This brand of yarn can unravel! Have you ever heard of such a thing? It’s just too scary! How irresponsible can a yarn maker be? No wonder the Consumer Product Safety Commission just issued this dire warning: Name of Product: Bernat Tizzy Yarn Hazard: In finished knit or crochet items, the yarn can unravel or snag and form a loop, posing an entanglement hazard to young children. Incidents/Injuries: Bernat has received two reports of children becoming entangled from unraveling or snagging yarn blankets. No injuries have been reported. Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the yarn or finished…
An unhappy commenter gives us this link to the picture of a missing 17 year old — http://www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/1244645 — and writes, in response to our urging the police not to arrest parents who let their kids play outside unsupervised: tell the parents of this child. And the thousands more missing ” ITS OK TO GO ALONE TO STORE,PARK,FRIENDS, , because of your opinion, my daughter and I are arguing over not letting her kids walk alone to school, etc. Free range is for chickens,, not kids. Look at the missing ,all teen age girls gone, missing, trafficking is…
I suppose this is happening all over, this excessive testing, checking and hounding of anyone who, God forbid, wants to work with — or even nearby — kids. This letter comes to us from a 30ish YMCA volunteer in Ontario: . Dear Free-Range Kids: I’ve been attending our local YMCA for longer than I can remember (beginning with parent-and-child swimming lessons, I’m told), and volunteering there off and on since I was twelve. So I’ve been involved there longer than the people who are currently in charge, and most of the people who work there have known me for…
Everyone else has posted about this Oklahoma City bathroom sign, so I guess it’s time for me to weigh in, too: Are 6-year-old boys too old to be dragged into the ladies room? I don’t come down hard and fast because of course there can always be extenuating circumstances — a boy with special needs, for instance — and also, I just don’t think there are hard and fast rules for most things. That being said, I also think it is just fine for any boy out of diapers to use the men’s room. And while rummaging through a bunch…
You guys are so wonderful. Here’s a note from Nicole, the Florida mom: I started crying when I got that email [from Go Fund Me]. It feels like a dream, I needed this help so very bad, it is a little easier to relax today and just have fun with my son knowing I can pay the water & electric this week, my water is due for shut off on the 19th, this is such a blessing and thanks to all of you. I can not thank you enough for helping us! UPDATE: Nicole’s “Go Fund Me” account that was…