One of the more pernicious trends in modern parenting is the tendency to cosset children, to treat them as flesh and blood versions of Faberge eggs, insisting that they never be exposed to the potential for hurt or disappointment-no matter how minimal the risk, or instructive the lesson-at any point in their young lives. One of the main adversaries of this form of helicopter parenting is Lenore Skenazy, a columnist and mother who is responsible for creating Free Range Kids, a movement designed to discredit the notion that children should be denied the independence and freedom of movement-and thought-which creates productive adult members of society.
Mrs. Skenazy gave a fantastic lecture last month before the Cato Institute, hosted by legal blogger Walter Olson, outlining her case, which is incredibly compelling. But I’ll let you decide for yourself.
Mrs. Skenazy is fighting the good fight. Parents are too afraid to leave their kids alone nowadays and the result is neurotic kids and neurotic parents..
Once a kid is seven or eight, it’s good to introduce incremental steps of freedom and responsibility. We are raising human beings, not veal.