Readers — Here’s what happens when we panic, whether about security or about bumbling the security: Dear Free-Range Kids: Something that happened this weekend made me think of you. My husband, our almost 3-year-old son and I have been going to the Indianapolis 500 since 2011, when the little one was only 9 months old. My husband loves cars (he’s an automotive engineer), and the 500 is a big day of fun. Every year (until this one) we’ve been thrilled with the sense of camaraderie we feel with the 300,000 fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and everyone has been…
Author: lskenazy
From my mailbag…straight to my stomach, which is knotted in fear and anger: . Hi Lenore, my name is Christina Moon. I am a 32 year old mom of two girls, ages 7 and 4. A few weeks ago I had to make a return at a jcpenney near our home in Michigan. My four year old begged me to let her wait in the car and watch her movie so I let her, I left the car running with the ac on and the doors locked. I parked my car in front near the handicap spots. It took a…
Readers — Before you read this, let me say that I am eagerly awaiting a call later today from a lawyer whose organization fights for parents’ rights to raise their kids as they see fit, so long as they aren’t hurting them. In the meantime, here’s why we need a group like that: Dear Free-Range Kids: I’m having a hard day, and wanted to touch base with you. I still send my kids to the playground down the street regularly (for the record, it is 350 meters from my house… not exactly far). Nothing around here has changed. Unfortunately,…
Readers — This little note serves up a perfect slice of our fear-steeped society! . Dear Free-Range Kids: I live in NJ so I was listening to the local FM station, 101.5 FM. (Btw, here is the spiel they actually announce as they introduce new segmants:) . “Not New York! Not Philadelphia! ALL New Jersey..!” . That’s the best they can do??! That’s all they can say about NJ? That it’s not NY?” PS- we know that already…. . Anyway as I listened I heard the following stories in the span of 3 minutes: . “NJ…
Readers — It is time to update the term “Kafka-esque,” which seems to suggest bureaucratic madness belonged to another time and continent. That madness is alive and well, even in Dallas, TX, as you’re about to read. This piece comes from a Facebook post by my speaking engagement agent, Judy Safern at Leading Thinkers. – L. I was delighted when my son’s fifth grade teacher asked me if I would accompany their class downtown on a field trip to the art museum. My son was, too. The night before the trip he texted me: “Goodnight!! I love you!! I can’t…
Hint: The old version of this vehicle used to have a seat, handlebars and three wheels, period. I can’t figure out if I’m more distressed by the safety equipment that seems better designed for the Turbo Drop, or the fact that we don’t seem capable of doing anything for more than two minutes without a drink at hand.-L The website copy says: Designed for babies, toddlers and beginning riders, this attractive Pink/Purple, 3-in-1 Trike grows with your child! Features: Stage 1-Parent Push Trike-When the pink waist bar is installed the child will be unable to turn the wheel Stage 2-Parent…
Hi Readers! Christine Gross-Loh’s articles on HuffPo have been generating a lot of attention — with reason. She’s great! Thanks to her global perspective, she can attest that the worry and hovering so common in America represent a distinct and unusual type of parenting, not just the “instinct” many here feel it is. Meantime, she’s is a mom of four and author of the just published book, Parenting Without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents Around the World Can Teach Us. Visit her at www.christinegrossloh.com! -L. KIDS ARE MORE COMPETENT THAN AMERICAN PARENTS BELIEVE by Christine Gross-Loh When our family first moved…
Readers, at some point I will stop posting what I have started calling Zero Tolerunce (so it rhymes with dunce!) incidents. But I couldn’t resist this one, as a Sunday evening sheesh: Last week a kindergartener who showed his cowboy-type cap gun to his friend on the school bus was hauled off to the principal’s office and interrogated for SO LONG (2+ hours), that he ended up peeing in his pants. Or so says The Daily Caller. As for the 10 day sentence…er…detention he received? He’s just lucky there were no caps in the gun, said the principal, or it…
Folks — Got this note today and had to share, so it’s not just ME going, “I am so sick of people amping up fear so as to tamp it down with some product or program!” While I haven’t seen or heard of this program, the way the writer describes it, it sounds excessive. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Are you familiar with the program radKIDS? It is a safety course for children that is extremely popular with the local moms where I live. I have not sent my children, but I have had the opportunity to eavesdrop on…
Readers — I was just responding to a woman who bravely lets her kids play outside even though she is almost consumed by horrible thoughts of the Cleveland kidnappings. For her, it’s personal: She used to live near there. But others feel it, too. So what I’m wondering about, that maybe some psychologists can explain, is this: Is this utter despair and empathy with victims new? I mean, I know we have always felt sympathy for crime victims. And certainly my mom must have heard about kidnappings and child crimes. But I don’t think parents of her era felt as…