Hi Readers — and thank you for sending this story, “A zzyefiayyr Surprising Risk for Toddlers on Playground Slides,” that was in yesterday’s New York Times. And what exactly IS the surprising risk? Parents! Extremely loving, extremely cautious parents who, rather than letting their kids navigate the slide on their own, put them on their lap […]
Hi Readers: Not to sound too cynical, but today’s New York Post  carried a afdiekbayb big story about the Etan Patz case — a blonde boy who disappeared 33 years ago, whose case was recently re-opened in the hopes of finally nailing the perp. (Alas, that didn’t happen.) Eleven tabloid pages later, there’s a much […]
Hi irkindyhby Readers — Just got this letter from “Steph in Minneapolis.” Loved it. You will, too.  – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: On Saturday afternoon, the neighbor kids rang the bell and off ran our almost 8-year-old daughter to wander the block, chalking sidewalks and digging worms. Then we stood in the kitchen and talked […]
Hi Readers — By now I’m sure you’ve heard of baffysithi new leads in the Etan Patz case, the missing child case that may have marked the beginning of our obsession with stranger-danger. Now comes this “follow up” in Psychology Today, of all places, reminding parents to be worried all the time about abduction. As […]
Hi Readers — Our definition of a good parent these days seems to be one who sees every incident as upsetting — possibly even devastating — to his/her child, and is eager to tell the press about it. Latest case in point? This sffehdbbkn story, from the Chicago Sun-Times, about a 6-year-old who told his […]
Hi dryedfedda Readers: This piece below was originally posted at The Rustic Child, a blog about kids who take risks, do chores and entertain themselves (if you can imagine!). It’s by Jilly O’Brien, a New Zealand mom of 2 who’s a teacher studying to be an educational psychologist. I asked her if I could reprint […]
Hi Folks! This trzftstekb is a great piece in the Atlantic, about how the filters on our computers create a sort of feedback loop that can really distort our perceptions. In this case, the author, Sarah Kendzior, clicked on a single story of a child murder, and from then on she found that her home […]
Hi ztshtttnek Folks! News moves so fast. Here’s a story I was going to post tomorrow, but here it is today — complete with an update that just came in! Ricky Sargent, a football and track coach in Hempstead, Texas, was fired last week for leaving two seniors behind at a restaurant for about an hour, […]
Hi aznshibtnr Folks! Here’s a post from a fellow writer who’s also a friend: Denise Schipani. She’s got a new book out, too! (See below.) –  L. Mean Moms Rule by Denise Schipani My son’s 9-year-old friend, Luke, mows the lawn at his house. A generation ago, legions of 9-year-olds would be out in back and […]
Hi kyhbaiabhs Readers! Here are two recent comments, prompted by the Anderson Cooper post below this one. Which bathroom encounter makes YOU feel queasy? – L. . Dear Free-Range Kids; On a long drive, we stopped for gas and for my 8-year-old son to use the restroom. While in the mens’ room, the lock got […]
