Outrage of the Week: Today Show’s Crazy Halloween Advice

Readers — It is time to howl at the moon, or, better yet, NBC. Its Today Show “panel of experts” declared to the world the precise age at which parents can safely let their children start trick or treating without an older chaperon: 13. That’s right. Exactly the age when kids start thinking about whether [...]

Recent College Grad Looks Back on Free-Range Childhood

Hi Readers! This guest post is from a recent college grad, Alisa Gilbert, who writes the blog bachelors degree and can be reached at alisagilbert599@gmail.com. CONFESSIONS OF A FREE-RANGE KID, by ALISA GILBERT Roaming through the blogosphere the other day, I came across this blog and immediately felt both admiration and disbelief. Admiration, because I know several [...]

Outrage of the Morning: Lunch Lady Accused of “Grooming” A Kid

Hi Readers — Even before my morning coffee, I have to throw this one up (as it were): A “dinner lady” — which we here in the States call a “lunch lady” — gave a boy an extra “biscuit” (i.e., cookie). And for THAT she was accused of possibly “grooming” him for later lascivious activities. [...]

Picture Books Too Babyish (i.e., FUN??) For Kindergarteners

Another day, another New York Times story that you wish wasn’t true. And yet, it seems pretty solid: The sale of picture books for kids in going down, and the reasons range from the fact that they’re high priced (which makes some sense) to the idea that kids should be reading chapter books sooner rather [...]

Upcoming Conference Tackles: How Can We Get Kids Playing Again?

Hi Folks! This Tues. and Weds. I’m heading to Columbia University here in New York City where they’re hosting Play On — a conference where we’re all supposed to bring our sneakers. That’s because in addition to hearing speakers talk about the importance of play, we’ll also be learning some “street” games and remembering why [...]

Some Thoughts on “Deadly Bullying”

Hi Readers! I just got back to the United States and the first thing I saw at the airport was, naturally, People Magazine. This week’s cover story, “Deadly Bullying,” was prompted by the horrible case of Tyler Clementi. Tyler’s college roommate streamed live video of his sexual encounter with a man, leading Tyler to commit [...]

Outrage o’ The Morning: Desks & Pencils “Too Dangerous” for Kids

Hi Readers — Here’s the latest. A quickie! Dear Free-Range Kids: I belong to a fancy-dancy gym that has great childcare — kids play organized games, play on the playground and do real activities…no TVs or computers. There are clipboards for the different age groups where you sign your child in and out.  Today when I walked [...]

Get Real!

Hi Readers! This just in from the middle of the country, where delusional do-gooders dwell: Dear Free-Range Kids: Greetings! I live in Lincoln NE, which is a fairly level headed community for the most part. I was reminded of this yet again recently with an incident involving my wife… Parking is nuts at our school [...]

Weds., Oct. 6, is International Walk to School Day!

Hi Folks! Yes, Wednesday is the day for kids to do what they used to do  without it requiring a special event. And let’s hope your school signs on without all the shenanigans of my friend’s school. There, any parent who wants to help out by, say, acting as a crossing guard, must first undergo [...]

50 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do — Endorsed by the NY Times!

Hi Readers! My friend and inspiration, Gever Tulley, just got this GREAT write up in The New York Times by the lyrical Lawrence Downes. Allow me to lift it in full: Playing With Fire By LAWRENCE DOWNES Rearing a child is already a journey through self-doubt and guilt, and now here comes Gever Tulley to [...]