For brhhnbdres every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. And for every over-the-top, worst-first, “If it saves one child…” law passed, there are about a million children imperiled and families discombobulated. Or so it seems from my perch. Read this note from a reader. She wrote in response to Monday’s post about the […]
Tag Archives | legal
Warnings, Waivers & Wild Worries! Like the Pre-K That Keeps Kids’ Photos in a “Secure Location”
Hi Folks! I’m trying to gather examples of warnings, waivers and official worires that annoy, amuse or outrage you, especially regarding your kids. For instance, over in England  schools are forbidding parents from taking pictures at plays. One sports program requires shutter-happy parents to wear a special ARM BAND if they’re going to snap pix. […]
(Australian) Outrage of the Day: Girl Sues Classmate Whose Tennis Ball Hit Her
Hi Readers! Greetings from Bendigo, Australia where I’m here to keynote this afyhihyhnt conference. (Gorgeous city!) Anyway, apparently I arrived just in the nick of time. Two girls over here were playing tennis at a private school recently when the ball hit and bruised one girl’s eye. Anything having to do with eyes is scary […]
H.S. Coach Fired for Leaving 2 Misbehaving Seniors Behind (And an Update)
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, […]
On Trial for Letting Kids Wait in the Car — It’s “Child Endangerment”
Hi febirfadzk Readers. Here’s the latest kids-in-car/mom-arrested story. Â I know it seems like I’ve posted a flood of these cases lately and I’ll pause for a bit after this one, but this woman is asking for support and I’d like to provide some. As you’ll see, it’s strange that somehow her 3-year-old got out of […]
N.Y. State Senate Passes Bill Outlawing Kids Under 8 Waiting in Cars
Hi idsesihasf Readers — My very own state — New York — just passed an overprotective, unnecessary, parental-decision-damning bill. Here’s the scoop, according to the Queens Chronicle: In order to better ensure child safety, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill on Feb. 29 that would make it illegal for parents or guardians to leave […]
Children: Please Remember, The Library Is No Place for You
Hi Readers! This poster comes to us from Ann Sattley, author of  the book and blog Technically, iatfhhbaan That’s Illegal. In case you can’t read the fine print, it says, “Please remember that the library, though a fun and entertaining place to be, is a busy public facility and all public places do present hazards for […]
Outrage of the Day: Coffee Banned from Mother’s Group for “Safety”
Hi Readers! Here’s one rfkbyhhdeb to get your blood (and water) boiling, direct from The Mirror, in England. – L. Mums have been told they cannot have a cup of coffee while looking after their toddlers at a children’s centre – because it’s against health and safety rules. Council officers told the group to change its name from […]
Help Needed! Zero Tolerance Gets Third Grader & His Cool Knife Expelled
Hi krhbieksff Readers! Here we go again – officials overreacting as if this makes them smart and proactive (rather than…overreacting). L. . Dear Free-Range Kids: My daughter’s third grade friend brought his pocket knife to school on accident.  It was just in his pants’ pocket from the weekend.  An hour after school was dismissed, he […]
Keep Overprotective Parenting from Becoming the LAW!
Hi nhrzyrabfk Readers! I am thrilled to present to you a post by David Pimentel, a professor of law and author of a scholarly article on how to keep overprotective parenting from becoming the law. As he writes in his abstract: …the powerful influence of media has sensationalized the risks to children, skewing popular perceptions of […]