Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy

Thanks to Matt who gave me this book, which I had been wanting to read for years, while I was holed up waiting for my son to decide that he was ready to be born.

Read: 31 January, 2011

It all started with a New York mom letting her 9-year-old son ride the subway. Little did Lenore Skenazy know, as she wrote an article about her son's experience, that she would soon be dubbed "America's Worst Mom," propelling her head first into the fight against what she calls "helicopter parenting."

"You can't be too safe! Or can you?" she asks in the introduction. The book is not really a guide to Free-Range parent, but rather an argument for it. We are currently living in a society that is safer than it's ever been, yet children are kept indoors for fear of abduction and all adults are treated as perverts just waiting for an opportunity. It's a crazy situation that leaves kids under-confident and completely unprepared for adult life, argues Skenazy. It also drives mom crazy, telling them not to leave their children alone - even for just five minutes! - at an age when previous genertions would have been out babysitting.

I think it's important to note that Free-Range does not mean negligent. The Free-Range parent cares a great deal about their children, and takes the time to make sure that their kids are never given responsibilities that they aren't ready for. The Free-Range parent doesn't let a child walk home until they are confident with the route - and maybe they will still start out by walking just behind their kid, testing and making sure that Junior knows the way and crosses roads safely.

I have to say that I agree with Lenore's philosophy. Reading this book, I realized just how lucky I was. My parents were Free-Range before the movement had a name, but I come from the first generation that was typically under constant adult supervision. I loved my childhood, and I can really see how being allowed to "roam" has given me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone when tasks need to be done.

This book is a great read for parents who want to be Free-Range but are still weighed down by that old "worst first" thinking. It's also a great book for the already committed Free-Range parent, just for the confidence booster. It's a short, easy read and Skenazy has a delightful sense of humour. The whole book is written in a quick and conversational style that made me feel more like I was on the receiving end of an excitable friend's rant than reading an actually book. For this content, it really works, and it makes Skenazy seem very approachable and real.

You can read more about Free-Range Parenting on Skenazy's blog, where she posts updates on Free-Range wins and losses from around the world. If you already read the blog, the book is more of the same, but I really can't get enough of her humour. She reminds me of a chipmunk, talking in double-time. It's adorable!