Hi bitdntkrza Folks — Here’s a nice story from Leslie in Georgia, and a response from her friend that has me shaking my head. Is NOTHING safe enough? NOTHING? Not the most normal, delightful, sane, sweet  slice of childhood, as dangerous as a daisy? To many Americans, the answer is simply nope, nothing IS safe […]
Archive | Miscellaneous
“Dogs Should Be Supervised in the Fenced-In Backyard At All Times” (Notes from Helicopter Pet Parenting)
Hi kedtneinte Folks — It  constantly stuns me how much we don’t believe in our kids, convinced they will be hurt, frustrated, killed or bored without our constant ministrations. But to see this standard of supervision extended to dogs is fairly knock-me-down-with-a-chew-toy shocking. There’s something about our society that CLAIMS it is for all-natural this […]
“Help! Constant Updates on My Son’s Grades are Turning Me Into a Helicopter Mom!” – Letter
Hi fdznayeyth Folks — Here’s a totally fascinating topic that I didn’t realize was quite so widespread: The daily, sometimes hourly, online updates about our children’s grades. My sons’ schools both have programs like the one described below, but I don’t have them on my phone so I don’t check them very much. It seems […]
Road Worker or Pre-Schooler? The Vest is The Same
Hi badrrahydf Folks! As you have probably figured out by now, I actually LOVE safety. Helmets, car seats, seat belts — all get a thumbs up from me. But when we start re-defining EVERY activity as high-risk and requiring special safety gear (or when the marketplace tries to convince us it does, so it can […]
“Parenthood” (on TV) and Helicopter Parenthood (in Real Life)
Hi kaeafeabhr Readers! Here’s a cool observation and a request for more, by way of Dawn Siff, a New York City producer, blogger and vlogger who tweets @momlandia. – L Dear Free-Range Kids: I love the show “Parenthood,” which is produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. It’s a sappy hour-long drama that very loosely follows the […]
A Halloween / Sandy Story You’ll Love
Hi rtzienybyt Readers. Have a great weekend. Here’s to letting our kids go out in the neighborhood.- L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Well here in N.J., Halloween, as per governor’s orders, is postponed till Monday and on Halloween itself I told my kids, who took the news with amazing grace. Our friends had lost their homes, […]
“What If You’re Not There and Your Child Gets Hurt?” A Halloween Mis-hap…and A Halloween Revolution!
Hi zeaebstnib Folks! Two stories for you. Here’s the one to remember when folks start “What If”- ing your decision to send your kids outside to play or walk to school or do pretty much anything without you. One question I always get is, “Well what if they get HURT and you’re not there?” Here’s […]
“Is That Police Chopper Following ME?” Wonders a Dad
Hi adhktfeked Readers! Another day, another report from the frontlines of our obsession with predators. Allow me to make a strange analogy. As the storm Sandy approached us this weekend (I’m in New York), Mat McDermott at the blog TreeHugger  wrote a post, “What if New York City Invested in Climate Change Adaptation Like it […]
Happy Halloween and a Note from New York
Hi Folks! I am at a friend’s apartment, borrowing her internet connection. I live in New York City — Queens — which was hit hard by Sandy, but my neighborhood was not severely affected. I wish everyone could say the same. Anyway, for those  not dodging downed power lines,  it’s a great day for the […]
A Blame for Every Death
Hi fdinsikftn Folks! Did you know I write a weekly syndicated  newspaper column? Yup. Been doing it for seven years, through Creators Syndicate. (And dare I suggest, maybe your local paper should run it? It’s not always about Free-Range topics. I cover everything from bioterrorism to Barbie.)  Anyway, here’s my latest, about a letter you […]