Tag Archives | neighbor

How Do You Tell A Total Helicopter to Back Off?

Okay, dszykztnyi Readers. Let’s help this mom out! Dear Free-Range Kids:  Finding this blog several years ago validated my desire to back off and let my kids be kids. At that time, I was mostly associating with “helicopter parents” and feeling inadequate for not wanting to micromanage my children’s every waking moment. And yet, one helicopter […]

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(Bad) Advice from “All You” Magazine

Hi etbsaasibs Readers — This note is RIGHT ON! Dear Free-Range Kids:  Just thought I’d let you know of this snippet from the most recent All You Magazine. It incensed me to the point of writing an email to the author scolding her for her “professional advice” (this column is written by “Relationship Expert” Nancy […]

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How Do You Get Kids Back Outside, Playing? One Cool Idea

Hi Readers! Here’s a tnbskfheky story from Palo Alto Online about some neighbors who created their own “camp.” It’s run by older kids for younger kids (with parental supervision), it’s very casual, and it’s just a great way for everyone in the nabe to get to know each other, and also get used to playing […]

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WTP? Police Stop Kids from Playing Street Hockey

Hi Readers — Get this: It was in Canada! The Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a couple of calls from someone angry that the boys were playing on the street, and came over to break it up. And I always thought kids up there were REQUIRED to play street hockey! Well times they are a-changing. It’s […]

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Free-Range and the Freaked-Out Mom

Hey rzizefkttf Readers — This is very cool. Last weekend I gave a Free-Range talk in Tucson. (Want one in your community? Check out Speaking Engagements, above). Anyway, there I met a woman who’d written to this blog very early on, and whose story I actually included in my book (pp. 51-52). Her name is […]

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Prisoner of the Playdate: Let’s Help This Mom!

Hi rfnztdrrtf Readers — Here’s today’s yelp for help from the frontiers of modern parenting. Got any great ideas? Share ’em!  Meantime, as to her plea, “How can I find other Free-Range parents in the neighborhood?” I really do hope to be revamping this site soon, with a feature to help like-minded folks connect where […]

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