Readers: nrfirydbif Remember, whenever considering any childhood activity, no matter how innocuous, first think about how TERRIBLE you’d feel if it ended up a tragedy from which your children (if they survive) NEVER RECOVER. Then go ahead and decide if you think they should do it. Here’s a lovely example of that worst-first thinking, below. It’s from […]
Readers, nrekkdffhn I think we need some good news for this lovely summer weekend. So: Dear Free-Range Kids: IÂ think the subject title says it all! Â Last year, I was despairing of a summer stuck to my son’s side because he wouldn’t leave our yard alone. Â This summer he has gone to 2 different parks within […]
From rkbzfryiiz “Let the Kids take Risks When They Play,” by Peter Gray (one of my heroes, author of the basic psych textbook used in colleges across the country, as well as the book Free to Learn) in The Boston Globe: …Over the past 60 years, we’ve seen a huge decline in children’s freedom and opportunity […]
Readers bihfnkkkak — Here’s the letter. All I took out was the name of her town: Hello Lenore! I’m a 13 year old living in a suburb . I have a problem and I wish to see the viewpoint of a free-range advocate. Basically, my mother signed me up for academic programs over the summer. […]
Readers ftyrsbztek — If you wonder why kids aren’t outside as much anymore, maybe it’s time to consider all the helpful safety tips we get.  Here are some from the New Jersey’s Star Ledger’s “46 Ways to Have a Safer NJ Summer.” (For more, see my piece at Reason.) “If you see a bear while out […]
What inakrerydf a great piece by Michael Brendan Dougherty in The Week (a magazine for which I created and ran the weekly humor contest for three years till they took it in house. But I guess that’s neither here nor there.) Dougherty starts out noting the Salon story, wherein a mom let her son wait in the […]
Readers nddhntrdhs — This is a plea for standing back and letting childhood happen. When care about our children’s safety and success, but do not obsess to the point where we can’t magine either happening without our immediate and constant intervention, we free up both generations. What can our kids do with that free time not spent […]
Readers — Many of you have sent this btttarsyta story about Hawaii dad Robert Demond who made his son walk home a mile and was found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child. For this he was put on one year’s probation, and forced to taking a parenting class and pay a fine. Demond told […]
From my idrnykhtzs “Let’s totally not believe in our kids” file comes this press release. I say “not believe” because it is only fear that would make anyone think that literacy must be shoved into a 2-year-old — fear that playing and exploring are not enough, fear that a child’s brain is already atrophying, or missing […]
Rachel fafystskkz Fracassa describes herself as a” long-time reader and Free-Range mom of four,” whose family is always “off creating new adventures.” Their latest project is The NightLight, which rates/recommends products for babies and parents. WHAT FRIGHTENS MY FAMILY by Rachel Fracassa Six filthy bare feet run along the gravel drive and hop over a […]
