Would you believe they have charged some intern to walk him across the parking lot?! Geesh people. He’s TEN!
Author: lskenazy
One reason Americans are so extremely terrified about child abductions is that whenever we turn on the TV or computer, there’s another one. As if these horrific crimes are happening 24/7, when actually the media is only too happy to fly across the country — or world — to set up camp wherever a cute, white girl has disappeared. Tight news budgets get thrown out the window for a story like this. But because that story then shows up on our screen at home, it feels like it’s happening right around the corner. All the time. What happens…
Perfect together, here, on their new “New York” page.
Another story of strangely advanced kids — or is it strangely inept cops? — this time from Germany. Enjoy! — Lenore
I spend a lot of time trying to convince skeptics that “Free-Range” does not mean, “Send Your Kid Down the Mississippi on A Raft.” So when I present this article, it’s only because it delights me so: The story of a boy who will be in fourth grade next year who got lost in the wilderness and didn’t panic. Instead, he tore up his yellow slicker to leave little ribbons in trees as a sign to searchers: I’m nearby! He also followed a stream figuring it would lead to a lake where there might be people. And upon reuniting with…
Hi Free-Rangers! Just though I’d share this little note I got from Australia this morning. Makes you realize it’s a small world after all: A small, paranoid, danger-halucinating world. This is from a lady named Vivienne: Walking in Ikea. I am a pleasant-enough, smiley grandmoter of 9. A man with his daughter of about 3 or 4 parks her near me as he steps to look at a shelf. I smile as I step past and the child screams. “Don’t leave me Daddy! Someone is going to steal me!” I almost pass out with…
Hi Readers — This letter, received today, made me cheer. For the mom, for the kids, for the movement! From a mom named Mia: I do very much wish to thank you for writing and sharing this blog. It is changing my life and that of my children and I suppose you could call me a convert of sorts. It feels like such a relief, a weight lifted from my shoulders, a permission of sorts to be the kind of parent I feel comfortable being. And that kind of parent is not one who approaches child-rearing with fear and quilt,…
Four teachers in ten said that some field trips had been “toned down or cancelled” because they just weren’t safe enough.
This wonderful Huffington Post essay by Holly Robinson describes her 6th grade son’s misery in school. It sounds so much like my fifth grade son’s misery, it made me realize that maybe his “school = lethal injection minus the yummy last meal” attitude just may be generic. Having been a girl all my life, I didn’t realize boys could be so out of synch with the whole classroom thing. I thought everyone aspired to to Teacher’s Pet-for-Life. Guess not. Anyway, the part that really gets me — in my son’s life and in Ms.…
This is the kind of letter Free-Range Kids loves to see! It comes from a mom in New Mexico. Voila: You know what I noticed in my neighborhood which really makes me so happy? We’ve been here for 6 years and in the summer, there was one (and I mean that) one kid that would be outside playing alone. Well, my kids finally hit 7 and 8 and I finally grew some common sense, and let them hit the street. For a good month they were the only kids outside. They were neighborly, too – chatting it up…