The idea behind free range kids is to give our children the freedom to be children, instead of being ultra-paranoid all the time.

I have a friend who has kids, and every time I see them locked up in their car seats, I think of the seats as little jails. It just seems like locking them up is a bad idea.

This author doesn't go that far. In fact, she specifically reaffirms the virtues of car seats. But she does make a great point in articles like "Is snow going to kill your kid?" and "Why I let my 9-year old rise the subway alone".

I remember having similar freedom during my own childhood and it didn't hurt me. Would it hurt your kids to give them more freedom and less structure? Are we infantilizing our kids by taking them everywhere and filling their days with constant structured activities?

From their manifesto: "Free Range Kids believes in safety, but we also believe that a lot of parents are going overboard, creating quivering masses of helplessness instead of independent humans."

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I think the world is a lot more dangerous than it used to be, but that still doesn't quite explain the paranoia. I am in favor of car seats, because they will protect a child in case of an accident. I do think that children could probably handle a little more independence as they get older. For example, a 12-year old could certainly use public transportation instead of being driven everywhere, assuming that they live in a safe neighborhood.

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Why do you think the world is more dangerous than it used to be?

New York City used to be a big hotbed of crime, but I understand that now it's pretty safe thanks to the efforts of Mayor Giuliani and successors.

When I lived in Los Angeles, I never had any problems of significance, and I went into some of the worst areas.

I remember one day I was in Watts to photograph the Watts Towers and a kid knocked on my window. I was frightened, assuming he was some dangerous agent of doom, but he was just a kid who offered to tell me about the Watts Towers, and I had a great time talking to him and getting my pictures.

Maybe people are scared of their own shadows, and maybe it makes them feel better and in control to force this kind of safety on their kids.

D

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