You may recall the tragedy that happened just about 10 years ago when a toddler got away from his mom at the Cincinnati Zoo and somehow fell into the gorilla enclosure. Fearing the gorilla could harm the child and knowing that tranquilizers do not take effect immediately, the zoo made the difficult decision to kill the gorilla. And then a good segment of the American population made the simple decision to troll the mom. A meme went around featuring a photo of the gorilla, Harambe, with the words, “I was killed because a b*tch wasn’t watching her child.” There was…
Author: lskenazy
By now you have probably see this great video, below. Not yet? Well, you’re in for a heartwarming couple of minutes: Utah mom Stephanie Read read The Anxious Generation, got to the chapters I helped out with (the ones for parents and schools), and took them to heart. As she told Instagram: “At the end they have this challenge, like, let your kid do something without a parent…so it can build confidence for them.” That’s literally The Let Grow Experience, where the assignment for kids is: “Do something new, on your own, WITH your parents’ permission but WITHOUT your parents! (Here’s the…
The human condition is not one of calm seas and sated hearts. That’s why so many religions work so hard to get us there. The latest is the “Know Everything Your Child is doing/saying/hearing/reading/eating/trying/licking and Peace Will Be Yours.” Um…right. So here’s the wise note from a mom who remains anonymous – and a little nervous. This, she notes, is just what it means to be a parent. It’s a condition that cannot be changed, even with today’s tracking devices that promise to give us parental “peace of mind.” As if! Dear Let Grow: As the mother of two teenagers,…
TIDES TURNING AT LAST? Just a few months after Georgia mom Brittany Patterson was arrested for not knowing that her son, then 10, had walked to the store on his own, her state has passed a Reasonable Childhood Independence law. It now goes to the governor for signing. The bill clarifies that “neglect” is only when you put your child in serious, obvious danger – not anytime you take your eyes off them. This protects against the modern-day helicopter parenting norms that have made passersby – and, sometimes, government workers — insist that children of almost any age need constant adult supervision. When…
I present to you Mike Strambler, a psychologist and Associate Professor at the Yale School of Medicine and author of the Substack “As Is.” As insightful as Mike is, his tween-age son is right there with him. When I met Mike at a party several months ago, we got to talking about kids, confidence and condescension, and he told me the story he now relates below, about his son’s final taekwondo tournament: Kids Deserve Honesty, by Mike Strambler Iron Cobra When I was around 10, my mom signed me up for karate classes at a spot in downtown Camden, NJ.…
It is right to respect nature. But is it right to insist on a “hands off” policy, as if each leaf is a Vermeer? A mom dropped us a note to say: At my son’s pre-k, he and another boy were picking leaves off of an overgrown bush while adults were talking. The boys were quiet, engaged, and the bush seemed pretty hardy. When the teacher and the other boy’s dad realized what was going on, there was lots of Very Concerned Talk about respecting the bush, and keeping it nice for the other kids, and sort of a glance…
This Reddit post by “KnightErrant21” made me sit up and SALUTE! Yes, yes, yes! Maybe it’s just not that attractive to have kids when you think that every second, every dime, and every thought must be directly devoted to their development and safety! I contacted the Reddit writer and asked if I could please reprint his rant and he said sure, because his truth is our mission: More childhood — and parent — independence! I don’t agree with every word, of course. I think parenting has always required effort. But today’s demands ARE pointlessly relentless: * LET’S BE REALISTIC: THE…
Here’s a note I got 10 years ago. Read to the end for an update! Dear Lenore: I consider myself a fairly laid back mama, and I’m always of the opinion that bumps and bruises (and maybe broken bones) are part of growing up. But a few days ago, I was holding my third child, a 9-month-old, as I was climbing some stairs, and I tripped and fell, and she hit her head very hard – hard enough to fracture her skull and require immediate brain surgery. The good news: she’s doing really well, and they expect a full recovery.…
If you can’t stand my rants, skip this, for rant I must. Why? Because Parents Magazine’s “5 Ways to Support Your Child’s Preschool Curriculum” is not just annoying, it is WRONG! So is the whole idea it’s pushing: Kids are dumb as dumplings and don’t learn anything without you, the mom (or, haha, dad), constantly, endlessly nattering at them. So, it tells parents: make every moment like school. Don’t waste time just hanging out or cuddling! No! Your job is to be a super-uninspired, relentless teacher. Thus: “In the car or on bus rides, play a game where you ask about…
Let’s go, America! We all know kids have the right to some independence, and parents should have the right to give it to them without worrying about the authorities knocking on the door. That’s why I’m so psyched that five states are hoping to pass “Reasonable Childhood Independence” laws this year. And another five may follow suit. Bi-partisan sponsors are working together to make it clear that parents have the right to decide when their kids can play, walk, bike, and generally just be kids, without constant adult supervision. “Neglect” and “child endangerment” are only when parents put their children…