. Clayton and Kristopher Cadieux,  8 and 10, dig up worms to sell to local fishermen (or whoever desires worms), $2.50 a dozen. Unfortunately, sibtaidena the CBC reports, the boys are now criminals in the eyes of Cornwall, a town in Ontario, Canada, because they set  up their business on their lawn, and even had […]
Hi nbrbiasnhh Folks! Just got this disturbing little note from reader Jeff Johnson who, I am happy to say, is writing a book about the importance of play. — L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Just wondering how much you’re hearing about the death of games like tag on school playgrounds. I volunteer in a local kindergarten […]
Hi Folks! At a school for 7- to 11-year-olds in England, says hdseythfnz the BBC, they’ve banned leather footballs (that is, soccer balls) Â at what sounds like recess and perhaps before and after school. Leather balls can be for “football club” and “specific” P.E. lessons. But otherwise, all regulation balls will be replaced by balls […]
Hi Readers — Just be glad you don’t live in the Persimmon Place subdivision in Edgewater, Fla. The Homeowners Association (HOA) there is considering new rules that will ban children from playing outside. I KNOW this sounds like a fantasy plot from one of the umpteen dystopian young adult novels out there, so let me […]
Readers — As you know, Free-Range Kids is about trust, community and common sense. All of which a Virginia middle school student displayed the other day when he held open the door for someone he knew. For this, he was given a day long suspension. The reason? The school had just installed a $10,000 + […]
Arrrrroooooo! Readers — This ffzyyafati proposed law makes me want to lift a hind leg somewhere in Manassas, Va: City leaders want to make it a requirement that only responsible adults be the ones walking their dogs. “At the other end of the leash, there must be an individual who is competent to control the animal,†[…]
Hi Readers — Our darling children, who, we’re told, can’t handle recess in the cold (see this), ehntnaerye or waiting outside the high school to be picked up (see this), or babysitting, even at age 14 (see this), and who can’t possibly handle sleepovers (see this) or bugs ( see this) or bible stories (see […]
Hi Readers: Here we go again. For the sake of the children (somehow), schools are looking at whether they should banish class pets. After all, they could spread DISEASE! And they are (somehow) a liability! And ________________! Â (Fill in the blank with something else bad they do. I know that’s kind of hard, but if […]
Hi brtyerdsya Readers: I’m so proud of this high school student — for what she’s doing and also all her clear thinking. The points she makes about her school’s no-touching rule could be made about most Zero Tolerance laws. Be prepared to cheer! — L Dear Free-Range Kids:Â I am a senior at a a small […]
Hi Readers — A bunch of you pointed to this ydeakrzhye story today and indeed, it’s pretty irresistible: A teacher sent a memo home to all sixth grade students saying the could NOT bring pencils to class. Furthermore “… any students caught with pencils or pens after Nov. 15 would face disciplinary action for having […]
