Today’s post comes to us from Reilly Capps, a writer in Denver finishing a book about couch surfing, which, he notes, “involves lots of trusting complete strangers.” Trust is not this school’s forte. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: I’m not a parent, only an uncle, but today a question presented itself at my niece’s new school: When did picking up a kid from school turn into such a grueling, hyper-orchestrated ordeal? When did fear of accident or abduction necessitate so many onerous rules? At my niece’s school, the parents are required to stay in their cars, with a number on…
Author: lskenazy
You read that right, readers (thanks to the Coventry Patch website). Here’s what got a Rhode Island 7th grader suspended for three days: My favorite part of this perfect tale of a society gone wild with fear and irrationality is that the kid will now miss the class field trip to — you’re going to think I’m making this up — SALEM, MASS! I do hope school administrators see the irony of visiting a place we look back on now with disbelief, wondering how could people have been so cruel and crazy as to believe in witches? Some day students…
Readers — One of you sent in this story of a 4 year old American girl, Portia Walton, saved by running to a man at the mall massacre. This quote should give courage to us all: Portia’s father, Philip, who was in the United States when the terrorists struck, was in disbelief when he saw the picture of his daughter darting across the mall. “She’s not normally the kind of girl that would run to a stranger, particularly one with a gun,” the 39-year-old dad told the paper. And she’s not alone in terms of bravery: The guy who saved…
Hi Readers — This story comes to us from Meg, a college student who came face to face with Overreaction Nation — a society so over-wrought with fear that it can’t see a young person without imagining some terrible thing is about to happen. Ironically, then it did. You’ll see why. — L. . Hi, I’m a former kid who was relatively Free-Range (sometimes even with my parents’ consent), but then had a nasty collision with the fear-driven culture we have now. . Here’s the situation: I was 18 (that’s actually technically adult, right?), and going to summer camp at…
Hi Folks! This post comes to us from Emily Oster, an economics professor at the University of Chicago, and the author of Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong — and What you really Need to Know. She tweets @ProfEmilyOster and she’s a non-alarmist. Woo-hoo! – L. FEAR AND THE PREGNANT WOMAN by Emily Oster When you’re pregnant, it can sometimes seem like you should be afraid of everything. Even some things you may not have thought of. Last week I saw an article about how you shouldn’t swim (causes asthma in your kid later, I…
Hi Readers — TheBBC reports that, “Child psychologists are being given a new directive which is that the age range they work with is increasing from 0-18 to 0-25.” The reasons given have to do with neuroscience of the still-developing brain, but the brilliant Frank Furedi, author of “Paranoid Parenting,” weighs in on that: “I think that what it is, is not that the world has become crueler, it’s just that we hold our children back from a very early age. When they’re 11, 12, 13 we don’t let them out on their own. When they’re 14, 15, we hover…
Readers: By now you have heard the story of the three Virginia Beach seventh graders who were suspended for playing with Airsoft guns on private property — the yard of one of the kids. A 911 call prompted a police investigation which prompted the school to take action. Yesterday, the school’s disciplinary committee voted unanimously to suspend the boys for the rest of the year, though their case will be up for review on Jan. 27. The principal wrote a letter explaining his actions: In the course of the investigation, conducted in concert with a police officer and the school…
Readers — Read it and argh, matey! Kids dressed as pirates to get free Krispy Kreme donuts on “Talk Like a Pirate Day” were spotted by some good (but crazed with fear) Samaritan in Colorado who alerted the sheriff’s office to a “suspicious group.” The authorities then had the local middle and high school put on lockout while they investigated this scary situation. (Hmm. Police being FORCED to go to a donut shop. I’d be suspicious, too. ) Fifteen minutes later, students were allowed in to their non-Davy Jones lockers. Was the booty shared by all? That we may never…
Hi Folks! This post comes to us from Ian Proud, research manager for Playworld Systems, where he championed the development of the playground equipment that appeals to all kids — including those with non-obvious disabilities, like autism — by being fun for everyone. He also teaches product design, marketing and creativity courses at the college level, and declares “a lifelong fascination with trends, the future, and how we manage change.” He’s ahead of the curve on this issue. — L. Playgrounds: No Danger = No Fun? by Ian Proud Most children yearn for a sense of thrill and excitement on…
Folks, this image comes to us from Linda McGurk at Rain or Shine Mamma, where, she says, “We believe that the best childhood memories are created outside, while jumping in puddles, digging in dirt, catching frogs and climbing trees, and that outdoor play is key to restoring the connection between child and nature.” Go to her blog or Facebook page to join her mission to get every child outside every day, regardless of the weather. Having just encountered a frog tonight that jumped on me (I’m in Florida), I can tell you there is something thrilling even about the simplest…