http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-couple-want-free-range-kids-but-not-all-do/2015/01/14/d406c0be-9c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html

I wouldn't do it, but I don't think they did anything wrong.

One was 10, they were walking together, within a mile from home, this will be dismissed.

When I was a kid, we were all "free range" kids. i guess that the CPS workers were obligated to investigate after the police called. Surely they have better things to do.

I'd like to say that "we did it when I was a kid all the time" and that be that. And while that is true, times are different. People are medicated, and unmedicated, and perverse, and opportunistic. I wouldn't let kids that age these days do it because of those reasons. If I did, I'd be lurking in the weeds watching their every step armed like normal.

I guess this is all relative to where you live. When I was 10, I was running all over Ft. Thomas by myself, roaming through the woods in and around Tower Park or walking around the reservoir back when you could still do so. I'm sure my mother would not have allowed me so much freedom had we lived in another city.

I walked to school in 1st grade. I walked to Pasquales, to Schneiders, the Marianne theatre, to the Bellevue vets all the time.

In 2014 there is no way I let my kids do this, this world is full of insane perverts who look for little kids to rape and dump in the garbage.

In 2014 there is no way I let my kids do this, this world is full of insane perverts who look for little kids to rape and dump in the garbage.

 

The world has always been full of insane perverts. Al Gore just brought them all front and center on to your computer screen.

I agree with Spindoc. It's not the same world in which we grew up as kids. I don't even like for my kids to go play outside in their own neighborhood without me having the door open.

This article makes me ponder just what is too much freedom and what is not enough, and at what age you can let kids run free.

 

At various stages the leash that my parents had on me got longer or shorter depending on the circumstances.

 

They were never absent from my life, and at a very early age I was regularly trained to be responsible for myself in crossing the streets, minding my belongings such as school books, winter clothing accessories, sporting equipment, how much money I had with me, being conscious of the clock and reporting back to them if I was going to be late getting home, who I was with etc..., and the parents of my playmates also played a responsible role in their own children's lives as well as being conscious to share the chaperone type duties when necessary when I was hanging with their kids.

 

I too saw with some kids a grave disorganization where they were forever losing their belongings, and not being conscious enough to be responsible for minding their personal belongings, or being properly prepared for school by having on hand the materials necessary and expected of them. Far too often in these cases it appeared that their parents weren't present enough in their lives to steer them in a more responsible direction.

 

As early as perhaps 8 or 9 I was free to jump on my bike to head off to the neighborhood park, but only after informing my parents of where I going. It was a given routine to keep Mom and Dad informed and to periodically check back in with them to allow them to know that everything was going ok. The giant church clock was ever present, and I was forever conscious of it.

 

It worked most of the time, but there were random occurrences of being approached by bully type kids with ill intent where I had to learn how to handle the situation, which didn't always prove to work in my favor as I had my share of black eyes, bloody noses, torn clothing, and stolen belongings.

 

With those experiences, even though not always avoidable or pleasant, I learned to be even more keen of my surroundings and to be more conscious of the potential harms, and develop a better sense of when it was time to bail out before things got out of hand.

 

With the teen years came other concerns for my parents of who I was associating with and just how long I was able to stay out at night.

 

Lots of kids had longer leashes regarding that than I did, and although I constantly pleaded for more freedom they stuck to their guns and stayed vigilant in holding me to their established curfew.

 

Looking back I can't blame them for not bending because I saw too often where some of the kids ended up in the sort of trouble that my parents were intent on having me avoid.

 

They absolutely were not content with turning in for the night if I was still out and about, and were not going to rest easy until they knew that I made it home safe and sound.

 

I had my freedoms, but I had to be accountable for them. I learned self-responsibility, but all the while having to honor my parent's rules and concerns.

 

I wasn't the perfect kid, and when my teen rebellion surfaced I was duly reprimanded when necessary to make me pay for any disrespectful actions by having privileges removed until I could prove to them that I understood the errors of my ways, and could convince them that I would not repeat them.

 

With all this said, and I did roam around pretty freely in the inner city, that was a different time and today's world seems to present other more serious concerns than I seemed to encounter.

 

You heard of kidnappings and perverts years ago, but really never saw any examples of it to prove that it was a real threat.

 

Today however a certain degeneration has increased making these concerns seem more and more relevant and problematic.

 

It's important that a child be given a leash long enough to develop their own sense of responsibility, but it's highly important in today's world that kids are made completely aware of the potential harms, and to not to be tempted into the back of any stranger's van with the promise of candy.

 

It's sad that they have to ponder these such type concerns, but still completely crucial that they are aware of them.

 

Most every kid today has a cell phone and that's really a good thing so that they are just one quick button away from help if need be.

 

It's probably important too in today's culture that kids stay in groups even more so than I had to back in the day.

 

I can't just assume that everything that I experienced as a kid is completely comparable to what today's kids experience, and do understand that certain precautions that I might not have had to be concerned with are an ever present concern that kids today must be aware of.

 

The one thing that hasn't chanced is that it makes a world of difference in a child's life just how ever present a parent is in their life, and even in the aim of their freedom and learning personal responsibility, it's ever necessary that a child feels a good sense of security in knowing that a concerned parent will always be there for them, guiding them with with loving concern.

 

Personally, I'm so happy that I don't have any children to worry about as I know that with my worry wart type mentality I'd be a nervous wreck 1000% of the time and probably need regular therapy in learning how to cope, but while I'm spending that hour with my therapist I'd still be a nervous wreck about what's going on with my kids.

 

I admire any good parent that has the patience for all of this, and knows how to manage. It can't exactly be easy for them, but to accomplish it with great results, that right there makes them deserving of some sort of an award.

 

Of course when the child turns into an adult and carries on responsibly and successfully that must be completely gratifying and rewarding to be able to sit back and know that they've accomplished a job well done.

The world has always been full of insane perverts. Al Gore just brought them all front and center on to your computer screen.

 

I agree.

 

Nothing will happen here. It is a very tough balancing act though.

The world has always been full of insane perverts. Al Gore just brought them all front and center on to your computer screen.

 

May be true, but in 2015 there are more due to population increase and our court system letting them back into society.

I agree.

 

Nothing will happen here. It is a very tough balancing act though.

 

A child welfare agent is a thankless job. I couldn't do it.

I walked home almost everyday during elementary school. Either with my sister who was 2 grades ahead of me or by myself after she moved to middle school. It was a little over a mile. Heck we had a separate dismissal for people walking home before the rest of the kids got on the bus. What's the big deal??