Hi Readers: ekibkzydns This one is so weird, such a PRIME example of bureaucracy gone wild, I don’t have much to say except [sound of eyes crossing, drool dripping from slackened jaw]. Apparently, Canadian Sears stores have just recalled a line of girls’ boxer shorts sold for past four years without any adverse incident. So […]
Archive | Insurance repercussions
12 y.o. Babysitter Saves Kids & Pet in Fire. Gets Sued.
May 6, 2010
Oh Dear, Readers. Here’s the latest story: A 12 year old girl babysitting two boys in a trailer noticed a fire and quickly got the kids out, got the pet out, and even dialed 911. BUT the fire damaged the house next door (owned by the boys’ grandparents). They’re suing her, and they’re suing the […]
Oh Great – Now They’re INVESTIGATING The Day Care Center
May 6, 2010
Dear Readers: The blog post below this one says it all –I thought: Our modern era considers it a news story when a child accidentally gets left behind on a small excursion for a small amount of time. Why? Because the underlying idea is, “What if  something BAD happened? Then it really WOULD be a […]
Town Tearing Tree House Down
May 5, 2010
Simple as that. A four level tree house is coming down by the end of the week.  Here’s hydzzkitfs the story, from over in Australia. I get that it’s a liability. All tree houses are. I just wonder when and how society will ever get back to accepting SOME risk, now that even the tiniest risk […]
Kids & Lawyers Love This Museum!
May 4, 2010
Hey Readers: Check out St. Louis’ City Museum, as described in nhnrarknyy this delightful Wall Street Journal piece by Conor Dougherty. Despite — or because of — it’s slight frisson of danger (and five story jungle gym) it attracts 700,000 people a year. That’s a lot of climbing! — Lenore
What The Authorities Can Do If We “Take Our Children to the Park…And Leave Them There”
May 3, 2010
Hi sisiseribt Readers — This essay is long, but so powerful it blew me away.  As we near May 22’s  “Take Our Children to the Park…and Leave Them There Day,” the author’s question is extremely relevant: What happens when WE believe our kids will be safe, but the authorities do not? Read on. And prepare […]
Let’s Help This Boy Bike to School!
April 29, 2010
Hi sifhkkniba Readers! I’m dashing off to give a talk tonight (Thurs.) at the Ethel Walker school in Simsbury, Conn. (outside of Hartford). It’s free and open to the public, if you’re in the nabe. Â Meantime, let’s help this California mom! Any advice? Support? Great ideas? — Lenore Dear Free-Range Kids: I recently lost my […]
Guest Post: Is EVERYTHING Too Dangerous?
April 27, 2010
Hi tfdbzarbri Folks! I was reading this blog post about product-recall-mania today and nodded along with so much of it, I asked the writer, Julie Colwell, if I could post it and she said sure. So here it is, slightly edited: Micromanaging Moms 101, by Julie Colwell, from her blog, “The Mother Load.” So, in […]
A Real “Take Our Kids to Work Day” Safety Memo
April 22, 2010
Hi Readers! Today is officially “Take Our Sons & Daughters to Work Day.” And here is an official memo from one reader’s employer: Parents itdnsazyab are cautioned to be mindful of the safety of their children and limit their exposure at work to job-shadowing which could include: permitting the young observers to attend a meeting, […]
Outrage of the Week: Before the Slumber Party, Paperwork
April 19, 2010
Hi Readers! In the category of “overkill” and “probably not representative of the culture as a whole, but still instructive,” and “wacko!” here’s an amazing post from the blog Doctor deananzttf Grumpy in the House: A dad (Dr. Grumpy, I presume) was dropping off his daughter at a friend’s house for a sleepover when the […]