Spring Break
Free range kids
Protecting our kids from ever gaining independence
Lara Oliver
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: Opinion
While sad and horrible, child abductions are not nearly as rampant as most news channels would have you believe. "Nancy Grace," "To Catch a Predator," and "20/20" want us to think that random strangers are eye-balling all our kids, watching out for the moment Mom (or her cell phone) is gone. Yet statistics show that children are more likely to be abducted or abused by a family member than by a stranger.
I can't help but think that the only outcome of all the over-coddling parenting I see on a daily basis will just be the increasing number of young adults still living with (or living off of) their parents. When you're planting a garden, you "harden off" seedlings by shaking them around, introducing them to uncomfortable temperatures and watering them less so they'll grow stronger and live longer. The same basic theory can be applied to kids. If we don't "harden off" today's generation of kids, what reason will they have to want to move on without Mom and Dad?
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com
I can't help but think that the only outcome of all the over-coddling parenting I see on a daily basis will just be the increasing number of young adults still living with (or living off of) their parents. When you're planting a garden, you "harden off" seedlings by shaking them around, introducing them to uncomfortable temperatures and watering them less so they'll grow stronger and live longer. The same basic theory can be applied to kids. If we don't "harden off" today's generation of kids, what reason will they have to want to move on without Mom and Dad?
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
M
posted 4/15/08 @ 8:21 AM EST
This article is so true. I highly agree. If parents keep raising their kids in this seemingly facist way of sheltering them from everything that is bad in this world we will end up with a generation of weak minded adults. (Continued…)
eseau05
posted 4/15/08 @ 4:06 PM EST
Love this article. Growing up my parents philosophy during the summer was simple "In or Out" I either stayed out or stayed in, you know because "they weren't cooling the entire neighborhood", and it really shows the times because what kid wanted to stay in all day? that was punishment! right? Nintendo was new and really only something to do when it was raining outside. (Continued…)
Rachel
posted 4/15/08 @ 10:37 PM EST
I'm all for not over-protecting kids, but with the amount of pedophiles and sexual deviants out there can you really consider the lady that let her kid go out into the city alone a good mom? Parent's are supposed to protect their kids, letting her son go off alone is child neglect. (Continued…)
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