Readers — I guess what’s good about the Internet is that we hear about all these crazy stories, including this one, wherein a Blanchester, OH, boy, 8, was supposed to get on the bus to church, but played hooky instead and was later found at the devil’s favorite stomping ground, the local Family Dollar. (I, too, cannot stay on the straight and narrow when seduced by $1 sponges, socks and hair doodads.) “Police were called,” says the story, and the boy, Justin Williamson, ostensibly claimed he didn’t know where he lived. Which sounds like an 8-year-old trying to forestall the…
Author: lskenazy
Readers, This comes to us from Nancy McDermott, the brilliant essayist I often turn to when I feel some parenting advice seems weird but I can’t quite figure out why. She also sent along the video you’ll love, below. So here’s an idea: Instead of feeling guilty for not making every moment “teachable” in the school sense, let’s remember there’s a whole lot of interacting that is at least as valuable as another Berenstain Bear book. – L READ TO YOUR CHILD — FROM BIRTH! by Nancy McDermott Imagine, it’s your baby’s first check up. She spends most of her…
From “Let the Kids take Risks When They Play,” by Peter Gray (one of my heroes, author of the basic psych textbook used in colleges across the country, as well as the book Free to Learn) in The Boston Globe: …Over the past 60 years, we’ve seen a huge decline in children’s freedom and opportunity to play on their own. Over this same period, we’ve also seen a dramatic increase in the rates of depression and anxiety disorders among young people — five to eight times what they were in the 1950s, based on standard clinical questionnaires given to…
As a mom who did babyproof to a certain extent (no toilet locks!), I certainly don’t blame folks who do. But I certainly don’t blame folks who don’t, either. And since there are about a million levels of proofing, my advice is simple: Don’t judge! — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: I’d love to get your input on this!I recently mentioned to an acquaintance who also has young children that my house isn’t baby-proofed. At all. And that I actually don’t really believe in it. She looked at me like I was a monster!I can remember when I made the…
Readers — A news story suggests that this case may possibly be something other than a father who tragically forgot his baby in the car when he went to work. If so and his actions were deliberate, then obviously, we are talking about murder. Murder darker than night. That does not change the reason for my earlier post with the facts as originally presented, which was to ask for legal leniency and human compassion when a parent makes a terrible mistake that he will regret forever, and punishing him will do no one any good. — L. Readers — This…
Readers — Here’s the letter. All I took out was the name of her town: Hello Lenore! I’m a 13 year old living in a suburb . I have a problem and I wish to see the viewpoint of a free-range advocate. Basically, my mother signed me up for academic programs over the summer. I am three days into these programs (four days into summer) and I am already dreading them. I don’t want to brag or anything, but I don’t feel as if I need them since I am in the ninety-ninth percentile in my grade. One of the…
Readers — If you wonder why kids aren’t outside as much anymore, maybe it’s time to consider all the helpful safety tips we get. Here are some from the New Jersey’s Star Ledger’s “46 Ways to Have a Safer NJ Summer.” (For more, see my piece at Reason.) “If you see a bear while out hiking, do not feed or approach it.” Aw, gee — not even if it’s one of those cute cubs, out with its mama? “Avoid forests.” Swear to God, the list says to avoid God’s gift. After all, you could get ticks. “Don’t dig too deep.”…
Worth iathinkith reading, and even bringing to your next PTA meeting: Dear Free-Range Kids: I felt compelled to write you a little note, today, as I have a confession to make. For the past two years, I’ve been in charge of the picnic at my son’s school, here in Winnipeg. Last year, I followed the bare bones instructions of the previous organizer, and did as had been done for years. This year, however, changes were forced upon us due to a major construction project on the school grounds. We had to have the picnic to a park a couple of…
Readers — Is it a crime for parents to trust strangers? Apparently, it is: A mom in suburban Atlanta was looking for a way to get her son to Florida to visit his grandma. So she hired a driver she found on Craigslist advertising a rideshare. When the driver learned his intended co-pilot was only 9 years old, he called the cops and the mom was arrested. Now she’s in jail, unable to care for her son, for the crime of failing to supervise her son closely enough. Seems totally counter-productive, doesn’t it? You can read the rest of my…
Hi Folks! I am guest-blogging over at Reason for the summer, and just posted there about a Delaware proposal that would mandate bullet proof whiteboards in schools. Here’s the piece. The folks at Reason have supported and cited Free-Range Kids for a long time. We are in sync when it comes to letting parents make rational decisions about, say, letting their kids play outside unsupervised, or wait in the car for a few minutes, and when it comes to other issues, too, like mass incarceration, and excessive security measures. I’m hoping that this arrangement will bring some new visibility…