Lenore Skenazy’s son had been riding the Manhattan subways his entire life and wanted to make a solo trip. With subway fare, map in hand, and quarters should he need to call for help, he successfully navigated his way home from Bloomingdale’s Department store. He was elated, but the firestorm attacking this parenting decision was a surprise. Skenazy was thrust into the national spotlight with appearances on the Today Show, MSN, NBC, Fox News, and NPR. Says Skenazy, “I was disheartened, to say the least, and shocked by all the things that were being said about me.” In response to the public outcry, Skenazy started a blog called Free-Range Kids supporting the concept that children are smarter and safer than our society gives them credit for. The popular blog morphed into the nonprofit Let Grow, which counters the culture of overprotection.
Let Grow’s mission is to “future-proof” children by producing media content that relates to the positive effects of giving kids more independence and responsibility. The organization also provides curriculum to bring diverse child development viewpoints into schools. They hope to show principals, teachers, and school counselors that treating children as if they’re emotionally fragile can have negative impacts. Let Grow is also sponsoring research into the short- and long-term effects of overprotection as well as the positive effects of free play, free time, and “beneficial risk.” The goal is to scientifically determine how much physical and emotional protection is truly necessary and how much is counterproductive. Another important initiative is safeguarding parents who choose to nurture independence in their children without fear of repercussions. They are advocating and pushing states to decriminalize free unsupervised time with “Free-Range Parenting” laws.
Skenazy’s efforts have gained momentum and will soon be chronicled in a feature-length documentary film Chasing Childhood.
Says Skenazy, “Without any kind of independence, self-regulation doesn’t get a chance to kick in, curiosity doesn’t get a chance to kick in, or the development of resilience. We can’t take important building blocks of character and resilience out of their lives. We are dedicated to giving independence back to kids and making it normal again.”
