Hi birsisrbza Readers! Here’s a seasonal  essay by Corbyn Hightower, a writer and mom of three in the suburbs of Sacramento, CA. She has six chickens and a “disobedient husband.” More of her work can be found at www.corbynhightower.com. — L. SIMPLY SUMMER by Corbyn Hightower My oldest child—a preteen—is having a friend spend the night. […]
How to Start a Neighborhood Camp with Kids as Counselors!
Hi etfbrnntya Readers! This sounds so fun and do-able. Also sounds like it can really change a neighborhood and all the childhoods in it! A huge thanks to Diana and Jennifer for alerting us to their camp and providing all the info  — right down to waivers, flyers and a time sked — of how […]
“Today I Trusted a Complete Stranger with my Child”
Hi akreidaiki Readers! Here’s a lovely story from reader Deborah Halliday Mills. Remember it when you find yourself between a rock, a hard place, a child and a stranger! — L Dear Free-Range Kids: I have always prided myself on being a common sense parent. I don’t follow “experts,â€or the latest trends or pop culture. I […]
Made Me Think!
Hi ysbhkfnzzd Readers! There have been so many thoughtful comments about the post below this one — the one about the mom charged with neglect because her toddler slipped out of the house while she was napping. Here’s the one that gave me a jolt of insight. Two jolts, in fact:Â By SKL: I am […]
Mom Charged with “Child Endangerment” When Tot Wanders Off
Hi Readers!  According to this hsniakafyz story by Terri Sanginiti in Delaware Online, a mom  put her 3-year-old down for a nap and then went to take one herself. Unbeknownst to her, her daughter then got up and managed to get out of the house. When police found the little girl later, they went looking […]
Free-Range 9-Year-Old Earns $250 — in a Week!
Hi afkfykebfb Readers! I don’t even know many ADULTS this entrepreneurial!  Enjoy this  story sent in by Misty Olen, who posted it on her blog, Free Your Kids. Dear Free-Range Kids: Three years ago I started reading this blog. At that point, I was like many parents. I was afraid to let my kids play outside […]
Camp Ride-a-Bus
Hi Reeders! Just read about a new camp in Austin, Texas. It’s for teens who want to get around the city by public bus. That’s the whole camp. Teens. Getting around the city. By bus. They consult a map, pay their fare and go someplace. fedienastb According to TV station KXAN, a mom named Sheila […]
Why Are More Kids Nearsighted Lately? (Hint: I Like the Answer)
Hi Folks — Here’s a ysdktyfynf recent piece from The New York Times that suggests that more kids are growing up nearsighted today because they don’t get enough time OUTSIDE. Since humans evolved as creatures living in the outdoor world, it’s possible that our eyes came to depend on that very light for their development. […]
Here’s A Story You’ll Love…About a STRANGER and a GIRL
Hi Readers — Just read this assfrazrsf lovely little essay and wanted to share it. It’s about a dad who accidentally loses track of his daughter on a bike trip, and what happened next. Enjoy! — L.
When “Child Porn” Isn’t, And The Woman Who Insisted We Differentiate
Hi Readers: Two important things today. The first, and saddest, is that Mary Duval has passed away. I wrote about her here. zrrienasyb She was the mom-turned-activist after her 16-year-old son Ricky was put on the sex offender registry — for life — for having consensual sex (twice) with a 13-year-old girl he thought was his […]