Free Range Kids on the Peoria.com Forums

I found this blog about being more loose as a parent and letting the kids off of the leash a little bit. I agree with the premise and just hope I can do it when Abby is a little older.

http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/

I encourage our kids to touch the hot stove all the time.

Ok..j/k..I'm pretty much a freak about letting our kids do anything semi-dangerous and I need to get past this so they can live the childhood I had..full of band-aids, self-inflicted bruises and bloody noses.

I am proud to say I'm finally to a point where I can hire a babysitter. I let them play on our playground (2 story) while I am not sitting three from them yelling for them to 'hang on' and I even have let them go to the neighbor's back yard (which I can NOT see) to play. But they do know that when I yell to come home, they get two calls (two yells out the door) before I go ballistic.

I haven't let Abby go in the back yard by heself yet...maybe I should. I can look out the upstairs window and she won't be able to see me watching her.

I'm far too restrictive. The idea of not having complete control of the environment is a little unsettling for me.

we know

I've noticed since they've started kindergarten that they are going to do what they can't do at home. So, in preparing myself for their teen years, I've decided to take the approach that I'd like to 'see' them do the wrong (curiosity seeking) things at home so I can help them with the consequences at an early age and they learn that with choices, comes results, that may not always elicit a happy ending.

I think it is hard for parents today...if you watch one episode of Nancy Grace you will think that there are predators at every corner just waiting to snatch your kid.

When I as little my sister and I got seperated from my mom in K-Mart in the toy department and when she found us, I am sure she was terrified, she told us about Adam Walsh...that had just happened...and it is still stuck in my head.

LOL.

Your logic impeccable. I've made strides towards this end but have to date came up short.

My MC is 7yo & do for the most part let him explore & learn things on his own. BUT I need to draw a line - there's a kid he knows that's 8, already has had 4 "girlfriends", actually dumped one girl to date another, as much as kids that young can date. Has his own mobile, FaceBook page & is allowed to roam around our entire town. To me I think that's way too free roaming. Oh, AND he's a little sh** to boot at times, no manners.
Dad's a single parent, not really sure how much the boy's mom is involved in his life, is this normal?

I think we all strive for some kind of normal. But our family's normal will never be your normal or Pock's normal or Leslie's normal. We all just try our best and probably all come out relatively close.

I have 2 boys, so the dating thing really isn't a concern of mine.. although for a girl I'd enforce a strict 16 y/o (maybe even 17) before she would be allowed to date.

Better get yourself in check there buster. It takes two to 'tango' and if one of your darling boys knocks up someone at 17..or even sooner.. you might just feel it in your pocketbook.

It should definitely be a concern.

Pock..just thought of something else..
Would you let your senior/junior son date a freshman girl?

It isn't my children I am worried about. I have no faith in the ability of others to properly educate their children.

Good point SAHM!