Hi Folks — This eyhtefbrtb story comes to us from Australia, where the federal government is telling child protective workers to consider — and classify — kids who “often” hurt themselves as at a “high risk of neglect.” “Accident-prone children might be the victims of poor parental supervision,” is how AdelaideNow sums the reasoning up. […]
Hey Readers — You want inspiration? You got it: A 9 year old Detroit boy was dismayed by the fact his local park was totally overgrown — the city could afford to mow it just twice a year. So did he stay inside playing videogames? He set up a lemonade stand and made $3000 over […]
Hi bhdiknfyei Folks! This is a good one to take to heart…and to the playground. — Lenore Dear Free-Range Kids: I’ve known for a while that Free-Range is a great way to raise confident, independent, capable kids, but I never knew how much this approach would help me as a parent until last night. I […]
Hi Readers — Lovely ktzhbhhken article by Tara Parker-Pope in today’s New York Times about how we have been led astray by the flashcard mentality that says the more we DRILL our littlest students the SMARTER they become. On the surface of it, the drilling idea makes sense: Why not efficiently shove info into our kids? Here’s […]
Readers — This is so incredible! Remember azandiienb this post from a few months ago? As we approach our third annual, “Take Our Children to the Park…And Leave Them There Day†(Saturday, May 19), this story is outrageous. Apparently a dad let his two kids, ages 6 and 9, play in a local suburban Pittsburgh park on Saturday […]
Hi Folks! Here’s a spankin’ hesddheztf new study that won’t surprise you: Children who spend more than three-quarters of their time engaging in sedentary behaviour, such as watching TV and sitting at computers, have up to nine times poorer motor coordination than their more active peers, reveals a study published in the American Journal of Human […]
Hi aiiasrfhff Folks — This letter has me  down, but not nearly as down as the writer. When the authorities start to believe the world is worse than it is and hence that kids are less safe than they really are, naturally they see independence as dangerous. Free-Range Kids exists to spread the word that […]
Hi ziadsikdky Folks! I liked this letter because it reminds us that Free-Range Kids is not dogmatic and not silly. We don’t say you MUST trust your child in every situation or you are a lily-livered ninny. We don’t reject thinking things over, or even erring on the side of caution. All we DO reject […]
Hi aszfhzkifd Folks — Now for something completely different. This piece of mine recently ran in the Washington Post.  Enjoy!  – L. Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe. Very, Very Safe It’s summertime, which means it’s time for parents to think about safety — only safety. That’s what all the parenting magazines and Web sites will tell […]
Hi edydisskyn Folks — I love this exchange on Facebook about kids and bruises! Wrote one mom: I brought my 5 year old son to the dentist yesterday and she was amazed to see that he has scratches and bruises. She said she never really sees those kinds of small injuries on kids nowadays because […]
