Hi Readers — I just found this website: How to Write Letters to Camp. Apparently all you have to do is master five simple steps! The website features three different greetings you might consider to address your child: “Dear Michael.” “Hi Mikey!” “Hey Kiddo!” Phew! I had no idea how to start a letter to my own kid! Now I do! Here’s a sample letter the site gives: “Yesterday the weather was sunny in the 80s. Dad and I woke up at 7 and walked the dog. Dad went off to work and got home at about 7.…
Author: lskenazy
Hi Readers! A question for you: Q: When is a bumper car NOT a bumper car? A: When you are no longer allowed to bump it. Such is the case in England right now, where three amusement parks have banned bumper car bumping, and insist that patrons who climb into the cars drive them slowly and use them only for “dodging” each other. I’m sure you can (LAWYERS LAWYERS LAWYERS) guess why. And as this Telegraph article says: It is probably only a matter of time before the cars come equipped with airbags too. Or maybe a lawyer just rides…
Hi Readers! This is a good reminder of WHY we want our kids to get out in the world, on their own. Enjoy! — L Dear Free-Range Kids: We picked up the book Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin at the library earlier in the day. When I got to page 8, I couldn’t believe what I read: Determination, strength, independence – those were the qualities I worshiped in my favorite movie hero, the Lone Ranger. I went to the movies every Saturday, and sometimes I even snuck in through the fire escape when I didn’t have the money…
Hi Folks — Here it is again. The creeping idea that anytime our kids are outside without us they are in DANGER, thus it is CRIME to take our eyes off them. The writer of the note below, from Western Maryland, also pens this blog. Here’s what’s happening out by her: Dear Free-Range Kids: Our kids have always been “Free -Range.” Unfortunately, today, someone called the police because of the “unsupervised children” running around the neighborhood. My son is six (seven in September), and we allow him to ride his bike to friend’s houses up the street (we live…
Hi Readers: The headline on this story says it all — almost: Women Ticketed for Eating Donuts in a Brooklyn Park. The REASON these women were ticketed was not the donuts, it was the lack of children with them. Local law — that is, the law in my insane city — says no adults are allowed on playgrounds unless they are accompanied by kids. In other words, my city officially believes there is absolutely no decent reason any adult would or should ever want to be around frolicking kids. (Or swings. Or jungle gyms.) If that reminds you of segregation,…
Hi Readers — Last summer I spent a day with Mary Duval, her son Ricky, and Ricky’s wife. Mary and Ricky were in town to appear on a John Stossel show about the country’s sex offender laws, mostly because Ricky had ended up on the sex offender registry at age 16. He’d met a girl at a club, had sex with her twice, and only later learned she’d been 13, not the 15 or so she’d told him she was. Anyway, the whole, harrowing story is here and I’ve written about it before. What brought Mary to Stossel’s attention is…
Dear Readers: One of you dreamed this up and I lost your name!. Claim it if it’s yours! Meantime, maybe everyone can enjoy — or even organize — something like this for the local kids to get to know the nabe and each other! Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt A tree with pink flowers A black car A squirrel (don’t get too close!) A pink house A cat A robin A scooter Tulips Forsythia! A bicycle A bug A big dog A small dog A friend A fire hydrant A person walking a dog A truck A green house A lawn…
Hi Readers — Sorry my computer has been on the fritz and it was hard to update the blog. But now: An upbeat start to the weekend! Dear Free-Range Kids: I admit, when I saw the initial reports of your son’s adventure on the subway, I was a naysayer and a name caller. Oh, the things I called you (apologies!). I admit, I brought baggage to my parenting. Two neighborhood girls had been lured from their backyards when one was in 2nd grade, and one in 4th. They were missing for a day and then found dead.…
Hi Readers — A long, sad and infuriating story. Here goes: Dear Free-Range Kids: I noticed you sometimes talk about Child Protective Services (CPS) or other official intervention and Free-Range children. I have to admit, I did always wonder if I’d get in trouble for being the only mom who doesn’t wait at the bus stop each morning or overbook my kids with extracurriculars, but intellectually I knew I wasn’t breaking any laws or even engaging in any overly questionable parenting. However, it seems the school disagreed, and they compiled a pretty extensive (if weak) case against me with CPS…
Howdy readers! If any of you are in or around New York City this weekend, I’m giving a free talk/Q&A on Saturday. Voila: PLACE: Old First Reformed Church, 729 Carroll Street in Park Slope. Directions here. TIME: Noon – 2. KIDDIE CARE: Free! COOKIES: A distinct possibility! TV: My reality show is going to be filming it. ME: Hoping to meet you! Say hi! Ask questions! Eat free cookies, if they materialize! And, of course, take the subway! RSVP (not required, but what the hey): Jgillespie@cineflix.com And if you can, please spread the word. Thanks!– L.