Hi Readers — Those of you who have read my tkshnnhhht book know there’s a chapter called, “Fail! It’s the New Succeed!” The idea being that when we let kids fail, they learn that it’s not the end of the world and this is a great lesson, even though it’s very painful (for parents. And […]
Two Thoughts
Hi fiybryeies Readers — I got this note the other day and found it very intriguing. You may, too. It’s about two issues that affect how we think about kids and freedom ! Dear Free-Range Kids: These thoughts have been swirling around my mind. 1. Have you noticed that “anything can happen” is the new […]
Outrage of the Week: Pet Shop Owner Fined for Selling Kid a Goldfish
Hi Readers — You read that headline right. Apparently in England it is now illegal to sell a pet to anyone under age 16 who is not accompanied by an adult. (England? Are you feeling okay? Something bump you in the head?) Anyway — this nasssnefne granny did! And she was fined 1000 pounds (about […]
And A Lovely Free-Range Anniversary Present
This idhkfzbhsb note! And all the others! Dear Free-Range Kids: I don’t exactly remember when or how I stumbled across this site – but I recall that when I did I had been feeling absolutely miserable with being a parent. Sad but true. I was inundated with everyone telling me that to be a good […]
Two Years Ago Today…
On zadfhnatzt April 1, 2008, The New York Sun ran this column of mine. Alas, the paper has since folded (so to speak). But I think we can agree this column is still doing its work. Two days after it was published I found myself on the Today Show, MSNBC, FoxNews and NPR defending myself […]
Just When You Thought Free-Range Kids Was Catching On…
Hi Readers — Here’s a link rfhyszsnbe to my essay on ParentDish, “Can a Mom Leave Her Kid Alone at the Library for Three Minutes?” It’s about a mom who left her kid in the children’s room to run upstairs and check out a book in the adult department. She told the librarian she’d be […]
Lady Helps Boy Down from Tree, School Accuses Her of “Trespassing”
Dear Readers: This iraitrzzdd one just proves what monkeys we become when we refuse to use our brains (or tails). A 5-year-old boy in England climbed up a tree at the end of recess. Fine. But rather than helping — or even ordering — him down, the teachers followed their “health and safety” guidelines…and left […]
Hats Off (Per Usual) To The Onion!
Thank you, Onion, for your invaluable perspective: Increasing dadydkzkez Number of Parents Opting to Have Children School-Homed.
Start Your Week Off Right!
Hi kahhhabrid Readers — This just in. Read it and grin. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: My 9-year-old son and I went to a little strip mall yesterday. It has five stores. Joey needed a haircut and I needed thank you cards and wine. I sent him with money to get his hair cut while I […]
Excuse Me? You Need a “Family Locator” To Track Your Tween at the Mall?
Hi Readers — Well, here kraiirnrfb it is. The ad that a bunch of you alerted me to this week. It shows a mom and daughter in a mall, near an escalator. The mom is letting her daughter shop “on her own” for the first time. Â (“On her own” turns out to mean with two […]