happy birthday, free range kids

Last year, I wrote that camille and I were less than impressed with the book Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy. While that is still true, I find daily inspiration from her blog.

I admit it. I am one of those parents. My kids roam freely. I don’t need to know where they are every second. At the moment, I think Chloe is across the street with her friend and Camille is out on her bike in our hamlet. Camille knows her current boundaries. As her biking and observation skills grow, so will her boundaries.

While I was annoyed by the book since it was mostly about parents who were ‘ridiculous’ in my estimation, I do feel, with the daily posts on the blog, that I am not alone in allowing my kids freedom. I know the realistic dangers of our neighborhood. We don’t live in Mayberry. We live in a fantastic hamlet which is surrounded by crime ridden areas.

I am thankful for the supportive view presented by Free Range Kids. Happy birthday.