sun thru clouds unsplash

Thank You, Mom, For Letting Us Play, Roam — and Fight

At Let Grow, the nonprofit that grew out of Free-Range Kids and is working to make childhood independence easy, normal and legal, we got a beautiful letter from three siblings whose mom recently passed. Here it is: Dear Let Grow, When my mom passed away last month, my brother, sister, and I spent a lot […]

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boy who is tired

10 Weeks to a Free-Range / Let Grow Kid

At last! A really simple, fun, and, of course, FREE plan of action for anyone who’d like to start giving their kids a little more independence (and responsibility/adventure/joy). Sign this “pledge” and each week Let Grow will email you an “Action Card” with some easy-but-profound task for you, your child, or both of you to […]

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The 10 Worst Free-Range Stories of 2022

What did 2022 do to parents who were just trying their best? It scared, scarred and disheartened them — and once it a while it really cheered them up! Herewith, The 10 Worst Free-Range Stories of 2022 — and one REALLY great one! STRANGER DANGER, PART 1 The Lower Merion school district outside of Philadelphia […]

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teen boy frowny use this

“Today’s 18-Year-Olds are More Like 12-Year-Olds” — KQED Looks at Why

This remarkable report on the KQED website unpacks the problem that’s hard to ignore: Today’s young people suffering from depression, anxiety, immaturity — and what might be called the life-blahs. Actually, that’s a pretty depressing term. Let’s NOT call it the life-blahs. But it does make sense to look at what cultural forces could be […]

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You Could (But Probably Won’t) Poke Somebody’s Eyes Out!

What happens when a little kid picks up a honking HUGE stick at preschool on the playground? The adults in charge have to think quick! This one did: Dana Frantz Bentley, a Lesley University professor of early  childhood education: If you’d like to see more free play — and trust — at your own child’s […]

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fox hadley manning 1

“Critics Warn of Parenting Style’s Possible Consequences” Oh My!

Welcome to the bottom of the barrel! That’s where we find ourselves in this particular FoxNews’ segment (see below), as the anchor casts about for some reason — even a completely amorphous, garbled reason — to foment what Prof. Harold Hill called “MASS-TERIA!” And yet — he is foiled! As you’ll see, Hadley Heath Manning […]

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smiling girl at stinehart play club

90 Seconds of Smiling, Starting…NOW!

Here you go! This is a Let Grow Play Club at a Title I (high poverty) elemetary school in South Carolina. Note how the kids are having…what’s that thing called again? FUN. No adults shouting, “Be careful!” No adults asking, “Are you okay?” No adults suggesting things like, “Next time, try to make it a […]

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