Hi Readers! You know how you can go to one site to look something up and a few clicks later you end up someplace else completely different? (I was trying to find the percentage of parents who worry their kids will be kidnapped — a London study found 98%, but I couldn’t find a figure […]
Archive | Miscellaneous
Is Your School More SAFE, Post-Newtown, or Just More Annoying?
Hi Readers — Today I’m posting on Common dyfrrarfrz Good about school safety…or what passes for it. Common Good believes in a common sense, non-hysterical approach to policy, and I’m thrilled to be blogging there. Here’s how the piece begins: Dear Lenore: I took my kids to Sunday school a few weeks ago and the […]
The iPad Playdate (And an Alternative)
 Hi ybnhzbzibd Folks! This wise essay comes to us from Ernie Allison, who describes himself as a “bird nerd†since he was a kid. He loves contributing to conservation efforts and spreading awareness about bird issues and nature in general. Writing for birdfeeders.com has given him “the opportunity to spread awareness as well as learn about hummingbird […]
Small Town to Lose Its Only Sledding Hill
Hi Readers — Paxton, a small town in Illinois, where the land is flat as flat can be, is about to lose its only sledding hill to the Abominable Insurance Man. So says Esquire: …The iikaktbatb Paxton Park District’s insurance provider ruled that its sledding hill is too risky. “The insurance would have skyrocketed if someone […]
Does Singing About Friendship & Self-Esteem Create Those?
Hi hzbyysnsan Folks – This piece about child friendship is fascinating to me. I’d love you to ponder what to me is the main point: Isn’t it easier to make a friend while working on something together (especially something big), than while simply talking about  friendship? A parallel thought: If you’ve ever taken a class […]
Is Helicopter Parenting Actually Abuse?
Hi Readers! A couple of you sent in this provocative piece,  “Three fshdfeaddf Huge Mistakes We Make Leading Kids…And How to Correct Them.” It’s  by Tim Elmore,  a writer/speaker specializing in leadership. His philosophy about what kids require to become confident, competent and, well, leaders dovetails remarkably with Free-Range Kids’. After warning parents that children […]
“How to Protect Your Family from Social Media” — As If It’s the Flu
Hi Readers — How I love being an “online influencer.” It means I get a ton of press releases from folks seeking publicity, including one that just came in suggesting I interview a particular “social krysiyiyzh media expert” Â regarding “How to Protect Your Family from Social Media.” I guess if this were a generation or […]
Helicopter Parenting Spreads to Pets
Hi zyhhntktyy Readers — Here’s a piece of mine that ran in The Wall Street Journal. Woof! (Doggie for, “Enjoy!”) – L. Helicopter Parents — Meet Helicopter Pet-Owning by Lenore Skenazy If you’re considering getting a pet at this time of year, as many folks do, you may find the rescue shelters a little pickier […]
Don’t Give Your Kids the House Keys Till They’re 16?
Readers — As we continue to document the infantilization of young people, including how and why this trend began, here’s a  bright trail to one of the culprits: The insurance industry. Remember, insurance has nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking all freedom and  responsibility away from minors. If kids were all in […]
Playmobil Defends it Cops & Robbers Toys (As Do I)
Hey Readers — Hadn’t realized there was a tempest in a toy robbery going on in England, where the sainbbsfhb media are reporting anger at Playmobil’s age-old cops and robbers set: Wearing dark glasses, the blonde dolly points her pistol at the smiley bank manager as he happily hands over the cash. It’s just one […]