Free Range Kids has become a national movement, sparked by the incredible response to Lenore Skenazy's piece about allowing her 9-year-old ride the subway alone in NYC. A lot of parents today, Skenazy says, see no difference between letting their kids walk to school and letting them walk through a firing range: any risk is seen as too much risk. But if you try to prevent every possible danger or difficult in your child's everyday life, that child never gets a chance to grow up. We parents have to realize that the greatest risk of all just might be trying to raise a child who never encounters choice or independence.
In the newly revised and expanded second edition of Skenazy's best-selling book, she describes how parents and educators can step back so kids step up. Positive change is faster, easier and a lot more fun than you’d believe. This is the book that has helped millions of American parents feel brave and optimistic again – and the same goes for their kids.
"Drawing on facts, statistics, and humor, she convincingly argues that this is one of the safest periods for children in the history of the world, reiterating that mostly, the world is safe and mostly, people are good. Even the lowest-flying helicopter parents would have trouble disagreeing that we have entered an era that says you cannot trust yourself. Trust a product instead. Skenazy argues that it’s time to retire the national pastime of worrying and that childhood is supposed to be about discovering the world, not being held captive." — Library Journal
Author | Lenore Skenazy |
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ISBN | 0470574755 |
Publication Date | Apr 19, 2010 |
Publisher | Jossey-Bass |
Language | English |
Category | Life Skills, Media / Commercialization, Physical / Emotional Development |
Parenting Books Age | Infant to Preschool, Child / School Age, Pre-Teen, Teen |