Free-Range Parenting: A Mom’s Guide to Raising Independent Kids \ stacker news ~alter

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Free-Range Parenting: A Mom’s Guide to Raising Independent Kids odysee.com/@johnstossel:7/free-range-parenting-a-mom%E2%80%99s-guide-to:a?r=8T2xqWjtafHWYGxQBSsrbw1wQPm7sWRq

422 sats \ 17 comments \ @Undisciplined 12 Nov alter_native

From Stossel

Video Description

Parents are more scared than ever. The media warn of “Stranger Danger.”

Lenore Skenazy says this is foolish. Parents should let their kids be MORE independent.

She calls it “Free Range” parenting. She says kids are healthier when given unsupervised freedom. Parents are happier too.

But what about the kidnappings?

Skenazy points out those are extremely rare. It’s MUCH safer for kids to walk outside than ride in a car, yet parents rarely worry about driving.

Today in America, some parents have even be arrested for letting their kids walk outside alone.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I had a ton of autonomy as a kid. This trend towards hyper-monitoring of kids really disturbs me. There are a bunch of states in the US where it's illegal to allow kids to do pretty much anything outside the home without adult oversight.

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202 sats \ 1 reply \ @grayruby 12 Nov

I think you can balance autonomy with keeping them safe. I also think it is much easier to feel comfortable allowing your kids to have more freedom when you don't live in the city.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

I agree with that, but I'm also not someone who grew up in a city. For some reason, I feel like the middle of the woods, surrounded by wild animals and natural hazards, is much safer.

153 sats \ 2 replies \ @gnilma 12 Nov

Ultimately, I think it's up to the parent to judge whether or not it is safe for their kids to do certain things independently. Maybe society was less complicated back then, but I started walking to school by myself at 7 (that was back in China). I also free roamed around the neighborhood with my cousins and played in different playgrounds, soccer fields, or on farm lands. When I moved to Canada at 9, I was taking the bus to movie theatres; I also took the bus to hang out at my buddy's house (he lived pretty far away). I grew up ok and didn't get murdered.

I think having a sibling or a friend to go out together really helps; at least that gave me a lot of peace of mind. My daughter and son are born close together, so they started walking to school together every since my daughter was 9, son was 8. They also started taking the bus with their friends to the local mall when my daughter was 11, my son was 10. Last summer, my son and his buddy really got into biking, and they started to bike all around the neighborhood and even biked to the local mall and back. My kids are also still fine and have yet to be murdered.

Kids can become very capable, very independent, if you train them and allow them to be. And I think kids being independent is really good for them.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

The major point of the video is that it's crazy for people to be calling the police whenever they see an unaccompanied child. Like you said, the parents should be making these judgement calls.

17 sats \ 0 replies \ @gnilma 12 Nov

Yea, that's messed up. People should mind their own business and let the parents do the parenting.

22 sats \ 4 replies \ @Msd0457890 12 Nov

Why do these types of measures exist? In South America my parents let me play for hours; I was an independent child.

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

It's a good question? There have been several, largely baseless, hysterias in the US that led to parents thinking their surroundings were much less safe than they actually are.

16 sats \ 2 replies \ @Msd0457890 12 Nov

When you have a child, it is because a home has already been created, a stability, isn't it? Since I became a father, I have given my son a certain amount of freedom, based on good communication.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

I don't think most parents base their decisions on what they've actually learned about their kids. Rather, many conform to social expectations, regardless of how well that works for their kids.

15 sats \ 0 replies \ @Msd0457890 12 Nov

then it is certainly madness

18 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 13 Nov

We so much underestimate kids' abilities! Leave them alone, and watch them thrive...

My 8yo has a far better sense of orientation, and much better gut feeling about people than mine. I ask him for directions, and use him as a "sniffer dog" on strangers. 😅

13 sats \ 0 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 12 Nov

I’ll watch this on my commute!

That is, if I can resist watching the Bitcoin price chart with one minute candles 🤣

13 sats \ 4 replies \ @Satosora 12 Nov

Its weird. I remember being away from the house until lunch or dinner time.

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

Yeah, I was often out in the woods with my friends for hour after hour with no parents in sight. Honestly, it is hard to imagine taking that big of a step back as a parent.

22 sats \ 2 replies \ @Satosora 12 Nov

I dont understand how parents get so fussy about every little injury and scratch. We were told to say hi to strangers but not do anything with them. We knew the dangers.

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 12 Nov

It would probably help society immensely if people could internalize how safe our kids really are.

8 sats \ 0 replies \ @Satosora 12 Nov

Kids actually learn from their mistakes. We are taking that opportunity away from them.