tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post7464716766608050968..comments2023-12-20T17:30:34.952-05:00Comments on A Day in my Life: Helicopter or Free Range?Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-38529128657220446542010-06-26T10:15:49.903-04:002010-06-26T10:15:49.903-04:00@Tina
I would also have problems with my child at ...@<a href="#c5817454516223770984" rel="nofollow">Tina</a><br />I would also have problems with my child at 9 riding the subway alone ... but then again, it just wasn't something we did anyway.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-40317973714787116642010-06-26T10:13:05.583-04:002010-06-26T10:13:05.583-04:00@karen rothfus
We are definately doing our job wel...@<a href="#c975515058003626746" rel="nofollow">karen rothfus</a><br />We are definately doing our job well when our children can become independent enough that they can navigate out communities without us, and do it responsibly.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-72021558674751888032010-06-26T10:11:25.977-04:002010-06-26T10:11:25.977-04:00@Barb
Barb, I had that same thing happen to me whe...@<a href="#c3758060571722099523" rel="nofollow">Barb</a><br />Barb, I had that same thing happen to me when I got out of my car at the airport and walked about 30 feet to read a sign. The security guard read me the riot act about leaving my children in the car alone where someone could car jack the car with them in it. I didn't say anything, but all the while thought "I didn't realize car jacking at the airport was a problem ... especially with all these security guards around."Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-58174545162237709842010-06-24T22:35:26.624-04:002010-06-24T22:35:26.624-04:00I am definitely a free range with limits. I alway...I am definitely a free range with limits. I always required the phone call letting me know my DS arrived safely and it was respected. I allowed him to do things but within a certain limit. I would not have allowed him to ride the subway alone at such a young age even though I know he probably could have handled it. This was a very interesting topic and I will be checking her out more!Tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290449593983770715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-37227339556408223162010-06-23T00:03:54.848-04:002010-06-23T00:03:54.848-04:00oops, that last comment was from me. :)oops, that last comment was from me. :)Barbhttp://scrappinbarb.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-37580605717220995232010-06-23T00:03:01.407-04:002010-06-23T00:03:01.407-04:00I am like you... somewhere in between. Both my kid...I am like you... somewhere in between. Both my kids have anxiety issues (with different root causes), so I support them as much as they need me to, but I try to push them to try new things, and they, at ages 7 and 9, started walking the 1-km route to school alone this year.<br /><br />On the note of leaving 8-year olds alone in parked cars, I did that exact thing on the weekend... the parking lot was nearly empty, and the store was only 10 metres from where we'd parked... I walked in to exchange something, and the transaction took a total of one minute. Somebody approached me and gave me shit (firmly but politely). I listened, nodded and rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. I know my kid well enough, and I firmly believe that a child who's old enough to walk to school alone is old enough to sit in a car (windows were down, thank you VERY much!) for a few minutes at a time.Barbhttp://httnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-9755150580036267462010-06-22T16:08:20.092-04:002010-06-22T16:08:20.092-04:00Funny I never thought of it like this, but I too g...Funny I never thought of it like this, but I too get some looks when I let me ten year old go three blocks over on his bike to visit his friends (his friends parents would never let theirs do the same.) Or down to the store to buy a candy bar(he could only find one friend who was allowed to go with him and he does have to go with a friend)....In fact in Mammoth this winter he did not meet his dad at the apptd time and we began to worry and fret and finally called out the cavalry to start looking, only to find him at the condo door. He had gotten the meeting site mixed up and decided to take the bus home himself....The funny thing is my 17year old did the same when he was 10. and now has no problem going miles away for a school project or go to the beach for the day. <br />I love it when they navigate the world by themselves, isn't this what our job as mothers is; to teach them enough so they can go beyond the boundaries of their childhood and succeed in their own world.karen rothfusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-5709351118020737832010-06-22T14:55:39.091-04:002010-06-22T14:55:39.091-04:00@Nathalie
Thanks Nathalie. I'm sure you'l...@<a href="#c4587724597564318479" rel="nofollow">Nathalie</a><br /><br />Thanks Nathalie. I'm sure you'll really enjoy that site. There's so much info there.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-54488754696035485412010-06-22T14:54:41.771-04:002010-06-22T14:54:41.771-04:00@Dave
Cameron and I were talking about this very ...@<a href="#c6026224542229626496" rel="nofollow">Dave</a><br /><br />Cameron and I were talking about this very thing the other day. He's wanting more freedoms and we talked about how he will be given more freedoms as he shows us that he's responsible with the freedoms he has right now.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-90780542767014495532010-06-22T14:52:50.305-04:002010-06-22T14:52:50.305-04:00@Joyce
How exciting that Kayla gets to experience ...@<a href="#c8048346233418936554" rel="nofollow">Joyce</a><br />How exciting that Kayla gets to experience Europe like that. I'm sure her confidence is due to the type of parenting she has recieved all through her life.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-45877245975643184792010-06-22T13:54:10.075-04:002010-06-22T13:54:10.075-04:00Great post Barbara! Very interesting. I guess I...Great post Barbara! Very interesting. I guess I'm going towards the free-range side with some limits too. I'll go have a look at the blog. Thanks for sharing. :)Nathaliehttp://famille1999.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-60262245422296264962010-06-20T21:43:29.347-04:002010-06-20T21:43:29.347-04:00Parenting involves a lot of common sense and patie...Parenting involves a lot of common sense and patience. Neither over protection parenting nor laise-faire parenting is healthy for the child or the parent. Our children need judicious opportunities to grow, to stretch their wings and grow, and also allowed to fail. <br /><br />Our children naturally desire to be independent. It is the parent who has to judiciously allow them to become increasingly independent, to take on greater freedom and preparing them for the responsibilities that come with such freedom.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09802475785134086208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-80483462334189365542010-06-19T17:02:03.727-04:002010-06-19T17:02:03.727-04:00Hi Barbara,
I think I'm free range with limits...Hi Barbara,<br />I think I'm free range with limits. Rick and I were both anxious when daughter Kayla (22 years old) announced her plans to spend the summer in Europe. I think we tried to remain calm, and were pleased to see how much planning she put into it. Now we just pray that she will continue to be safe!Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15201951577572323343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-78415200256524656462010-06-19T10:46:28.668-04:002010-06-19T10:46:28.668-04:00@JOY
I totally agree with you that the media has d...@<a href="#c8038056750038729744" rel="nofollow">JOY</a><br />I totally agree with you that the media has done a lot to make us a fearful society. <br />I remember when I was five, we would go out first thing in the morning and come back in when we were called for supper. We would spend the whole time playing down in the woods.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00680174673288007269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13746939.post-80380567500387297442010-06-18T18:10:26.249-04:002010-06-18T18:10:26.249-04:00I have not visited that blog,but I did grow up wit...I have not visited that blog,but I did grow up with one and witnessed both types.<br />Working in retail you "see" a lot.<br />I do think today's society is very paranoid and overprotective.The media has helped that along. My parents did the "free range" with limits. <br />Some of today's children are not as independent as we used to be.<br />Very interesting topic!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12186231759723552368noreply@blogger.com