In a captivating chat, Lenore Skenazy, author of "Free-Range Kids" and co-founder of Let Grow, discusses the importance of risk-taking for children. Drawing from her own experience of allowing her son to ride the New York City subway alone, she explores why parents often shy away from granting independence. They tackle the challenges of helicopter parenting, the societal fears about child safety, and the pressing need for unstructured play. Skenazy advocates for a balanced approach to parenting that fosters resilience and autonomy in kids.
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Mom Arrested For Brief Unsupervised Child
A Georgia mom was arrested because she didn't know where her 10-year-old was briefly while running an errand.
Authorities considered this lack of supervision criminal neglect despite no harm coming to the child.
insights INSIGHT
Media Fuels Excessive Fear
Fear of child danger has risen with 24/7 news cycles and sensationalized stories.
Perceived risks to children far exceed actual statistical danger, leading to overprotection.
insights INSIGHT
Stranger Kidnappings Are Exceedingly Rare
Stranger kidnapping of children is extraordinarily rare, making such fears statistically unfounded.
Parents' perceptions of risk are alarmingly out of sync with actual safety statistics.
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Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children
Wendy Mogel
In this book, Wendy Mogel applies traditional Jewish teachings to modern parenting. She addresses the challenges faced by middle-class children in today's society and provides practical advice on how to raise children who are resilient and self-reliant. The book emphasizes the importance of balancing parental involvement with the need for children to develop independence and responsibility. Mogel draws from her experience as a clinical psychologist and her studies of the Torah and Talmud to offer a unique and effective approach to child-rearing.
Free range kids
giving our children the freedom we had without going nuts with worry
Lenore Skenazy
In the second edition of 'Free-Range Kids', Lenore Skenazy provides a compelling and entertaining look at how modern culture fosters excessive worry about children's safety. Using real-world examples, advice, and humor, Skenazy argues that parents and educators can step back to allow children to develop independence. The book includes strategies for rejecting media-driven fear, giving students more independence in schools, and navigating a culture filled with warnings and fears. It also features 'real-world' free-range parent experiences, exercises for parents, and a critique of urban myths about safety risks.
The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt
In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.
Yascha Mounk and Lenore Skenazy discuss why kids should take risks.
After letting her 9-year-old ride the New York City subway alone—and creating a media firestorm—Lenore Skenazy wrote the book, “Free-Range Kids.” Lenore is also a co-founder of Let Grow.
In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Lenore Skenazy explore why parents are reluctant to let their children take risks, how unsupervised activities help children learn, and how to embrace giving your kids independence.
The Good Fight 
