Outrage of the Nanosecond: Stop That Egg!

Hi Readers — Just because it’s an outrage kind of day, here’s another: A woman was detained at the Canadian border because she was bringing in a Kinder Surprise Egg. You know — the chocolate candy with a prize inside. The problem? That prize presents a choking hazard! The BIGGER problem? A law equating candy [...]

Outrage of the Day: Toddler on Dad’s Shoulders “In Danger”

Hi Readers — This is less about a society than gone crazy than something that drives ME crazy: Power in the hands of people without brains. This particular incident involves a family at a festival in Sydney, Australia. The dad hoisted his not-quite-2-year-old onto his shoulders to get a better look. A guard told him [...]

“Anything Could Happen!”

Hi Readers! To get the blood flowing this Monday morn: Dear Free-Range Kids: I got a random issue of a parenting magazine in the mail. I don’t subscribe, but I guess it’s a teaser issue to try to drag me in.  There’s a Q&A feature in which a mother asked if it was okay to [...]

Lockdown Madness!

Hi Readers — The following is so bizarre, all I can say is, “Wow! The following is so bizarre!” Here goes: Dear Free Range Kids: Here’s a letter from the superintendent that was sent home from school with my kids last night: Beginning around 11 a.m. today, our entire campus was put under “lockout” due to [...]

NEEDED: Legal Advice on Having Fun

Hi Readers — Here’s a letter I couldn’t answer. Can any of you? If so, please do! L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Regarding, “No More Playing in the Dark, Kids.” What would be helpful to know, is how we  — parents, scout leaders, teachers and other carers of children — can find ways around this.  For [...]

I’m Super(nova) Envious of These Kids!

Readers — Did you hear about the New Year’s Eve discovery of a supernova by a 10-year-old? Pretty cool. That inspired Mental Floss — one of the best-loved magazines at our house — to come up with a list of “10 Amazing Discoveries by Kids.” Having dreamed of becoming an archeologist (my book is dedicated [...]

The 3-Year-Old at the Library

Hi Readers — Just a little day brightener from the Free-Range Front. L. Dear Free-Range Kids — I have a parenting theory: I never do for a child what that child can do for himself.  For the past few months I’ve given my three-year-old daughter my library card and stood a few feet behind her [...]

Advice for Worriers

Hi Readers! Jeffrey Goldberg penned this pretty darn perfect bit of advice in a column called, “What’s Your Problem?” in the current issue of The Atlantic. Here’s the question: Ever since our first child was born, I have slept very poorly. When I close my eyes, my mind becomes crowded with worries. I worry about [...]

Not Letting Scary Myths Go Un-busted

Hi Readers: Here are some excerpts from a discussion going on — the kind of discussion we can all undertake, when we come face to face with the safety “advice”  that only makes people more scared.  The tips that begin this exchange (vastly edited down, by me) were posted on a PTA list serve by [...]

A Very Heartening Note!

Hi Readers! Remember this story – about the mom whose neighbors called the police because they saw her three children playing outside, unattended? That sort of epitomized my fears for our country: Busybodies AND the authorities meddling in normal  childhood, as if it’s too dangerous. This new note from the mom gives me great heart. [...]