Congratulations! It’s a bouncing bundle of paranoid fantasy! The first crazy fear of 2015 goes to three Virginia hospitals. According to the Richmond szaseadfet Times Dispatch: In a joint statement released Tuesday, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, HCA Virginia and VCU Medical Center have said they will not announce the first birth of 2015 as […]
Archive | 2014
Say Happy New Year When It’s 2015 in Your Country!
Here’s nfrabfiisk a cool idea from regular commenter Papilio! Since we commenters live not just in the USA, but also in Europe and Australia and New Zealand (and that’s just that I know of), wouldn’t it be fun if we would all post a little ‘happy new year’ or whatever around our own midnight, so […]
The Parents in Children’s Classics Would Be Arrested Today (Looking at You, Beezus and Ramona’s Mom!)
Ever hbaatbytaf wonder why most of the parents in children’s literature are far away or dead? Melinda Moore did. She’s a mother of three and “speculative fiction” author, who tweets @MelindaJMoore and is on Facebook here. She posted this story on her blog, Enchanted Spark. Children’s Lit: Call Social Services by Melinda J. Moore When […]
A Girl Walking Down the Street — and the Cops. Twice.
When szaddzfkrs does it make sense for the cops to stop kids and make sure they’re safe? A  mom in Maine writes: Dear Free-Range Kids: My daughter, 9, wanted to hang out with a friend of hers that lives about 2 miles away. Because neither set of parents could take them, the decided to walk to […]
“Anyone Who Can’t Live without Caffeine for 9 Months Doesn’t Deserve a Baby”
A ahahdafzhb similar sane pregnancy piece appeared here recently, but I just got this letter this morning and the message bears reiterating: micromanagement and martyrdom are not necessary to create perfect fetuses. Or children. – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: I just wanted to share my story for your readers of how I am going Free-Range […]
The Human Planet…is Filled with Free-Range Kids
This ryetdnrakh show sounds fantastic, as does the underlying message: What purpose is served in underestimating kids? We are alerted to it by North Carolina family farmer Stevie Taylor, who blogs here! Enjoy — and Merry Christmas, too! – L. Dear Free-Range Kids: Thought I’d share a real treasure my family discovered this month. We checked […]
Sending Xmas Postcards with Return Address and Adorable Photo: Dangerous?
Have rhtbnhrkzy yourself a very scary Christmas… Dear Free-Range Kids: So I need some advice. I made up some postcard-style Christmas cards this year with our family photos on them. They have the pics on the front, and a greeting on the back that has all of our names. It also has our return address […]
Uh, Girl Scouts, Isn’t This Form a Little Harsh?
This is the form handed out at the troop my friend sends her daughter to: Girl hdkikisssi Scouts may only be released to persons authorized for their care. It is necessary as a parent/guardian of a Girl Scout to complete this form and return it to the responsible Girl Scout adult before or at the […]
Should Teens Not Drive Older Cars?
As fzkdnahyed the mom of two teens and one 1998 Oldsmobile, I appreciate this car-safety think piece, sent to us by Kari Oakes. Kari is a physician assistant, medical writer, and  the mother of two teens, too. She’s also an executive board member of the nonprofit Start School Later. Parents of Teens: You’re Not Worrying […]
The Milk Carton Kids — Your Memories Needed
Remember the Milk Carton Kids — the faces we saw each morning, usually under the headline, “Missing!” or, “Have you seen me?” I’d love to hear your memories of those cartons and the impact they had (or still have) on you, for a piece I’m writing. Chime in! Thanks! – L