Dear Readers: To this note from a local school I would add, “And parents, please consider a lobotomy for your children so they are not inclined to move or talk much. This will make the bus stop a safe experience for all!” – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: While I sometimes disagree with you quite strongly, I also find your ideas very helpful in shaking up my parenting, and you have prompted me to reflect, “Am I being overprotective/over-controlling/ridiculous?” before making decisions about my kids’ activities. So when I saw this bus safety handout (below), I thought of you immediately. Yes,…
Author: lskenazy
Readers — In our desperation to create “smarter” kids, we have practically pinned them to their desks. Now educators are realizing this may be just the opposite of what is best for kids — including those with special needs, as Andrea Gordon writes in Toronto’s TheStar.com (a paper run by my favorite editor-in-chief from back when he and I were at the NY Daily News, Michael Cooke). – L. It was a crisp March day outside Blaydon Public School when teachers discovered that 4-year-old Alex Wong could spell his name. There were no pencils or paper in sight. Everyone was…
Hi Readers! For Americans, this is a holiday weekend when we celebrate freedom, so here’s a nice little note that celebrates exactly that: Freedom…from fear. It comes to us from Hannah Zuniga in Reno, NV, who thanks both me and you! – L DearFree-Range Kids: I’ve always had a macabre interest in serial killers. I read many books about them in high school and college and watched hours of true crime TV shows. When I became pregnant with my first I had to stop, but the damage was already done. I had nightmares and “daymares” about these terrible things happening…
Folks — Be very, very, very scared of everything that exists on earth that is not the size of a bouncy house. (And then be afraid of them, too.) Because, of course, your child could choke on it. Hence, this recent recall of the Stride Rite “Joanna” sandal, whose metal flower COULD become detached and hence COULD become a choking hazard. More hazardous than, say, EVERY SINGLE COIN in America? Every acorn? Every severed toe? (Uh…sorry about that one. Let’s sub in: “Every toy that ever came out of a gumball machine?”) As Ben Miller, my go-to voice of reason…
Readers — The fear of kidnapping is so huge, it is overwhelming a lot of parents. How can they possibly put it in perspective? Here’s some help — from you! Both comments appeared on the faisnashbn post below this one, about a mom who lets her son ride his bike around town: …I’d like to know how deal with the worry of something happening on the way to and from these activities? I honestly think it’s a great idea (I have a 2 year old so I’m far from this age but am always reading about every age group) but…
Readers — This story speaks for itself (as does the son!). It comes to us from Aimee Turner, who says she and her husband are “happy to know we aren’t alone in the fight against BWCS: Bubble-Wrapped Child Syndrome.” She blogs at The Maine Page Turner . – L. Dear Free-Range Kids:This summer, instead of going to municipal rec camp (daily, highly supervised….. and so “safe” that it’s kind of boring), we talked with our spunky and independent 12-yr-old son about what he might enjoy better. So this summer he is taking daily group tennis lessons as well as…
Readers — Just had to put this on the blog. HAD to. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Ok, slightly off topic, but related to the whole walking thing — my niece at age 4 wanted a big party for her 5th birthday. But they had just moved to a new neighborhood. So she went around to all of the houses on her block (without her mother’s knowledge), and invited everyone who had a kid to her “party”. Apparently, not only was she incredibly charming (no surprise I say, as her auntie), she told everyone the same date and time.…
Folks — What age do you think kids can safely start walking to school? I’d say age 7, because that’s the age in a lot of the rest of the world. Which is not to say younger is dangerous — I walked to kindergarten in the suburban Chicago of way-back-when. Must’ve been five. I’m just wondering if we can agree that, even if we squabble about younger ages, by seven kids are certainly ready — yes? Meantime, I give you this note from Ajax, Canada (actually a town where I filmed my TV show!). — L. * * * Dear…
Readers — This comes to us from a woman named Rita, who was reading the post, “The Man Who Abused Me Is Not on the Sex Offenders List (The One Who Saved Me Is).” At first, she asked me not to run it. But I found it so thoughtful, I asked her to reconsider, and she did! Dear Free-Range Kids: I don’t want to stir up a major hornet’s nest, but one of the things that has been more and more disturbing to me as I read posts such as this, and others regarding sex offender registries, as well as…
Hi Folks! Today we feature the musings of Jennifer Clarke, who describes herself as “a professional who went back to school at 25 for a Bachelor of Engineering and wishes her mother had been less involved in her life as a teenager.” – L Subject: Witch Burnings and Litigation A long time ago people would blame bad events on the spirits that needed to be appeased. Then the bad events were blamed that needed to be burned. Now bad events are blamed on people/companies that need to be sued.I think it all comes from the same root. Humans are…