This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Free-Range Children
Oct
7
2008
Apologies to Lenore Skenazy for the title. The best way for kids to have good self-esteem is to earn it. How do they earn it if their parents don’t let them do things on their own? Give kids the independence to try things. If they grow up expecting their parents to always help them out and protect them from everything, then they will end up being adults who will expect the government to bail them out of any financial problems they get themselves into. We wouldn’t want that now, would we?
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;”
– Romans 5:3-4
This little article thingy was written by Some Guy sometime around 7:53 am and has been carefully placed in the Life category.
October 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
At what age would you give your kids subway money and have them find their way around New York by themselves?
October 7th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I used to take the subway around Chelsea when I was 4. I was mugged only once or twice.
October 7th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
No, wait; I’m confusing that with Tractor Day.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Some family vacations, we would be in some city we had never visited before, and my younger brother would decide to take his own tour. He would just walk away down the sidewalk where the rest of us were not going, and he would be back 15, 20, 30 minutes later, finding us somehow. That must have been when he was in early junior high. It drove me crazy (“Where are you going?! You can’t just leave mom and dad like that!”) and I didn’t dare follow, but some children need to demonstrate their independence. Not just to others, but to themselves.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:47 am
If you give your kids subway money in Chelsea, they’ll come home with a $5 footlong.