Check out the front page of the Sunday Times of London yesterday. And to think the idea of “Free-Range Kids” was considered controversial, dangerous and even crazy before. Can’t get much more respectable than this! — L
“Best Places to Live,” says Sunday Times of London, are Free-Range Neighborhoods!
11 Comments
Congratulations! Your catch phrase is really taking off. A few years ago it seemed like the majority of the media though Free range style of parenting meant to let kids do crazy dangerous things and hope for the best. I’m glad things are changing.
A mighty oak starts off as a nut. (or the worlds worst mother)
“Best Places to Live are Free-Range Neighborhoods!”
Well, duh …
My neighborhood in Chicago is delightfully free range. Wouldn’t it be great to have an article or series profiling the great free range neighborhoods and towns of North America?
Who else lives in a wonderful free-range neighborhood?
Isn’t there a subtext, though, that only “idyllic, rural” “villages” are suitable for free-ranging? I’m not sure the message is entirely positive.
@Mark Davis
I read “50 most idyllic rural locations” and “Fantastic villages to raise free-range kids” as two separate things both falling under the “Best places to live” header, but each being “best” for different people with different needs. I sort of read it as “rural location” which are great if you like rural and don’t have a kid that needs to get to school 5 days a week. While they recommend “villages” for families with kids.
Well, yeah. Cuz that’s where folks raise the most responsible and competent kids, who grow up to populate the neighborhood with responsible and competent adults. Rinse and repeat til you’ve got a great place to raise kids!
Hi Lenore, is there some kind of link to the article? Because I can’t seem to find it….lots of stuff about London, and rural areas. Am missing the free range part. That’s a shame because it sounds interesting 😊.
As for free range being considered dangerous, I had a good laugh the other day while out and about in a nearby suburb. Four wee kids, ages between around 7 down to 4, were in the dairy in line before us, and the only person in any danger was the poor owner, of a brain meltdown trying to keep track of which sweets and ice creams were wanted by whom. 😊. When we left they were sitting across the road on a big bench enjoying their booty, surrounded by bikes and scooters, not an parent in sight. That’s the makings of a good summer 😊.
Chicago Dad – What neighborhood? We are making and intercity move and would love it to be a “free-range” area.
Lenore, congratulations on successfully spreading free-range kids philosophy around the world! It looks like your ideas are now mainstream once again–as they once were just a few decades ago.
The next step will be for people to get over the idea that there are neighborhoods where kids can be free-range and others where kids should be escorted everywhere. Most neighborhoods are fine for kids to wander on their own, from rural to city environments. The exceptions may be high crime neighborhoods where no one feels safe.
@Andrea Check out the Beverly neighborhood on the city’s southwest side. Great place to raise a family and very free-range.
Wow! That’s great to see those words on THAT paper, Lenore!
Every time Free Range kids gets mentioned we have one more source to refer paranoid helicopter officials.
And, I still think if the free range parents who have trouble with CPS and other authorities, have a copy of your book “Free Range Kids” available, they might get better treatment. There’s something about the “authority” of a book you can put in someone hand and say, “Please read this.” It just might be a quicker route to a more rational discussion and better outcome.