free range parenting???

iv heard alot of discussions about this topic on tv but mostly are from US.
what are everyones thought on this.
im on the fence and dont know what to think.

I don't know what it is either....

Oh, well that sounds like an exaggerated version of my form of parenting.

I parent based on the notion that my child is capable and that he is a free and equal being. My job is to support, not interfere.

In saying that, I think letting him ride the freeway on his own might be pushing it.

Common sense needs to be used.

Sounds good to a certain extent, like M2M said, common sense needs to be used, but look at the kids of today, they all sit inside watching tv/playing computer/etc. I never see kids outside playing except for Bretheren kids.

I agree it is our job to support our kids!

Too early to say what I'd do and I also think it depends on where we are living.
If we are here in Feilding I've not problem with her walking to school or playing down at the park.
If we're in Whenuapai however she'd have to cross Hobosonville Rd to get to school and that would be too dangerous for a 5/6 year old.

I don't have a problem with them climbing trees and playing outside etc as long as they're appropriately dressed etc.

There's a lot more traffic around than when I was younger, so anything that involves being near busy main roads is a cause for concern with me.

I used to ride my bike across half of Akl on a Sunday with my friends when I was 9 or 10, no way I'd do this now as its simply to busy and drivers don't look out for cyclists let alone kids.

ahahaha sorry but i just imagined free-range chickens being replaced with kids lol.

im in the let-kids-be-kids boat... let em climb trees, play with foam swords, cops n robbers, get dirty, have fun basically. our street is a small cul de sac and when he is old enough to play out on the street, as long as he understood to not go too close to the open end of the street, to knock politely on neighbours doors if for example they lost a ball over a fence instead of just going and getting it iygwim then i dont have a prob with that. but going to the park by himself or riding his bike around the neighbourhood i might be a bit more antsy about it... id rather take him to a bmx track or something and let him go nuts there. our street (and the one up and down) arent bad, but the general area nereby is, and i know that is a GROSS generalisation... i guess you can never be too careful... i would prolly have to drive him to and from school simply because otherwise itd take him and hour-hour n half and he would have to cross the road by a motorway on-ramp on the way there, so for that reason i would drive. but if there was a walking school bus then sure...


i do think there is alot more to worry about these days... but i see those worries as more of an external source iygwim...

im happy for him to climb trees in the backyard, but i would rather go with him to the park kinda thing... hope all of that makes sense lol.




and serendipity - ill be making obstacle courses and DP is going to build him a tree house and we both want to make couch forts ahaha. i remember playing "the floor is lava" when i was a littlie. great game

DH is very much into the out doors etc, he'll definately be taking the kids camping and showing them how to use knives and tie knots etc Be great for them when its age appropriate though.

MyLilSquishy wrote: our street is a small cul de sac

our street is a cul de sac too, a no exit street of another no exit street...in fact its got the same name as you

not stalking, i promise ( i seen your name on the FB addicts group.

I think it's a nice concept and one that's pretty easily followed with preschoolers as they are generally supervised most the time so climbing trees, playing rough games, riding bikes etc don't pose too much danger. It's when kids get older that it is a harder to concept to safely apply IMO... for example, letting your kids walk to school is scary IMO as if they don't arrive you are relying on the school to ring re: absenses... which even when they do it's normally not until an hour or so after they should have arrived but often I haven't even been rung (when I've forgotten to let them know). I use to drive or walk my DD1 to school and let her walk home cos if she wasn't home I could go looking for her... until the day a man pulled over in a car got out and chased her home ... I'm not at all an overprotective mother and when we moved to the country my oldest bused into town every day to finish the year at her school - she was 11 at the time... I'm just saying I think it's once you have to give your child that freedom without your supervision or being in close proximity that you can really see how much of a free range parent you can really handle being IYGWIM...