Most Infuriating Challenges to Free-Range Parenting

Reason reported stories from 2024 that drove free-range parents crazy. Child Reported Walking: As Reason was the very first to report, authorities charged Georgia mom Brittany Patterson with “reckless conduct” after her son, age 10, walked to town — population 370 — without. telling her. The cops came to her home, handcuffed her in front of her kids, and threw her in jail. Child services then tried to require Patterson to track her child at all times. Child Reported Bicycling: “The police were called because my 8-year-old was riding her bike on our street,” Kentucky mom Kay Eskridge told Reason. … Continue reading

Idaho Lawmaker Introduced Free-Range Parenting Bill

Those of us who are part of Generation X remember walking to and from school, and riding a bike around the neighborhood, by ourselves. Today, some parents want to raise their kids the way they were raised – with plenty of freedom to explore and make their own decisions. Unfortunately, this can get parents into legal trouble when other parents report them for neglect. Representative Ron Nate, an Idaho State Republican, has written a bill that would protect parents who want to give their children less supervision. It is called the Reasonable Childhood Independence Act. “The intent of this is … Continue reading

Free Range Parents Cleared of Neglect Charge

It can be extremely frustrating to have someone criticize your choice of parenting style. Imagine how scary it would be to have the police tell you that your parenting style is considered to be a form of neglect. This situation happened to parents in Maryland – who have since been cleared of child neglect charges. It all started with a trip to the local park in December of 2014. Parents Alexander and Danielle Meitiv allowed their son and daughter to go to the park, and walk home, by themselves. Their son, Rafi, was 10 years old, and their daughter, Dvora, … Continue reading

Free Range Parenting – Letting Kids Roam Free

There’s a parenting style in the news that has gotten some attention lately. Its called free range parenting. The basic concept is that children should be allowed to roam free while they are unattended by their parents (or other adults). This parenting style was common in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Today, it appears to be causing some controversy. Parents Alexander and Danielle Meitiv are practicing free range parenting. It is pretty much the opposite of helicopter parenting. A helicopter parent wants to hover over their children and step in at the first signs of a problem. A free range parent, … Continue reading