Latest news with #Free-RangeKids
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell are embracing free-range parenting. What is that?
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell are embracing free-range parenting. What is that? Actor and comedian Dax Shepard says he and wife Kristen Bell let their kids ride motorcycles in their neighborhood – and parenting experts say that's a good thing. 'Do whatever you want. I trust you, you know how to get home," Shepard says. "You know how to flag a stranger. They've had really a ton of autonomy, I think, relative to other kids.' On the March 12 episode of Dax Shepard's 'Armchair Expert' podcast, the actor opened up about his free-range parenting style with Jonathan Haidt, author of 'The Anxious Generation.' Haidt praised Shepard for his parenting style and emphasized the importance of letting children problem solve and make choices when they encounter obstacles. 'The gut response is why should you take any risk,' Haidt says. 'Whereas, if you think about it, you realize, 'Wait, If I don't train my child how to take risk ... I'm creating a child who won't be able to deal with the world, and that's what we've done.' What is free-range parenting? Free-range parenting is a philosophy that emphasizes free play, increased independence and limited parental intervention. Advocates of the practice argue constant supervision restricts a child's natural process developing resilience, independence and resourcefulness, and encourages children to problem solve without direct supervision, such as taking public transit, walking to school or playing at the park. Lenore Skenazy, the author of 'Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow,' said in a 2020 Armchair Expert episode that constant parental intervention is a 'disempowering, distressing, demoralizing way to live.' 'There's something lost to the kids when they are constantly under surveillance and constantly helped and assisted and supervised,' says Skenazy. Shepard says he had an 'inordinate amount of free time and responsibility' as a child and started working in cornfields at 12 years old in the summer, which he says makes him predisposed to embracing the 'anti helicopter' parenting movement. Proponents of protective parenting argue free-range parenting increases the risk children encounter danger and can result in neglect when children are improperly supervised. Free-range parents also may run into legal issues; states like Illinois and Oregon don't allow children to be left alone under the ages of 14 and 10, respectively. Why overprotection isn't always a good thing Skenazy says constant overprotection inadvertently creates vulnerable kids who don't know how to respond to adverse situations. On the other hand, Skenazy argues, giving kids a 'practical roadmap' for how to stay safe can be empowering. As hands-off as Skenazy and Haidt are about kids in the real world, they advocate for a more restricted online one. Shepard's kids, who are 10 and 12, have iPods with restrictions. They can text on WiFi at home, listen to music and audiobooks, and create home movies, but don't use games or social media. Shepard says the approach is working. 'I just deep panicked that they were going to get obsessed with it,' Shepard says. 'They forget to charge it. A month goes by and they go, 'Oh, I want to do whatever,' and they charge it.' In the podcast, Haidt describes that America underwent a 'moral panic' throughout the 1990s when there was a disproportionate level of concern about kidnappings and sex trafficking as parents simultaneously stopped trusting their neighbors, resulting in a 'clamp down on the autonomy of children.' 'What's so insane about what's happening, parents are afraid to let their kids run around outside because they're afraid they'll get picked up by a sex predator,' Haidt says, adding that now, sex predators can easily contact children on social media. More: What type of parent are you? Lawnmower? Helicopter? Attachment? Tiger? Free-range? Here's what Haidt and Skenazy say parents can do to raise resilient children Haidt advocates for four norms for parents and schools: no smartphones until high school, no social media before 16, phone-free schools and more independence, responsibility and freedom in the real world. Haidt acknowledged that parents who restrict phone use may isolate their children socially if they're the only kids in their class without a smartphone. He emphasized that the four norms will only function as proper solutions if parents collectively decide not to give their kids smartphones. 'The key is to give your kids a great, exciting social childhood,' Haidt says. 'If your kids have a gang, if they have just a few other kids that they can hang around with, they're probably gonna come out fine. Shepard says taking worthwhile risks, like driving a car, are a part of everyday life. 'What people are not doing, I think accurately, is assessing what's at stake,' Shepard says. 'If you don't drive a car you're not going anywhere in your life and if your kids don't have this sense of competence and autonomy, they're going to miss out on where the car takes you.' Skenazy advocated for teaching children the three R's when it comes to threats: Recognize, resist and report, and said she embraces the idea that when adults step back, kids step up. 'Tell your kids that if something happens to them that makes them feel bad or sad, they can talk to you about it,' Skenazy says. 'Even if somebody says, 'this is our secret,' you can tell me, and nothing bad will happen to you. I won't be mad at you, I won't blame you.' Like the immune system, Haidt says kids are antifragile — meant to learn from challenges. 'Imagine your kid in two ways. In one, your kid is competent and confident, and they go out there into the world and they're doing things. And the other, they're just always afraid because they think everything's risky. Which one do you want for your kid?' Haidt says. Rachel Hale's role covering youth mental health at USA TODAY is funded by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X.
Globe and Mail
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Scribe Media Celebrates Record-Breaking Success of 'The Sovereign Child' by Aaron Stupple
Parenting Book Advocating "Taking Children Seriously" Philosophy Sparks Debate and Amazon Best Seller Status with 10,000 Sales on Launch Day Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2025) - Scribe Media, a leader in professional publishing services, announced the extraordinary success of The Sovereign Child, the debut book by first-time author Aaron Stupple. In its first 24 hours, the self-published book sold over 10,000 copies, earning Amazon Best Seller status. Within 48 hours, sales exceeded 16,000 copies, marking a significant milestone for a self-published work. Aaron Stupple - The Sovereign Child Book Cover The Sovereign Child takes aim at rule-heavy parenting, advocating a radical "Taking Children Seriously" approach that treats children as autonomous problem-solvers. Early reviews—often beginning in skepticism—have given way to praise, with influential voices like economist Bryan Caplan, Free-Range Kids pioneer Lenore Skenazy, and tech entrepreneur Naval Ravikant weighing in. The buzz intensified when Stupple discussed his methods on Tim Ferriss's podcast, sparking controversy and curiosity. While many find the rule-free philosophy shocking, readers report it opens new ways to understand childhood learning and freedom. "All proceeds from The Sovereign Child will go directly to the nonprofit Conjecture Institute to advance parent resources and alternatives to traditional schooling," said Stupple. "I'm grateful to everyone at Scribe Media for helping bring this vision to life-especially in such record-breaking fashion." For more information on The Sovereign Child, visit or follow Aaron Stupple (@astupple) on social media. Media outlets interested in scheduling an interview or feature can contact Travis Stoliker at About Aaron Stupple Aaron Stupple is a practicing physician, former science teacher, and co-founder of the Conjecture Institute. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and five children. About Scribe Media Scribe Media, led by bestselling author and CEO Eric Jorgenson, is a premier professional publishing company based in Austin, Texas, that helps entrepreneurs, executives, and thought leaders turn their ideas into professionally published books. With comprehensive services including writing, editing, design, distribution, and marketing, their world-class team has created numerous Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today bestsellers while ensuring each book maintains the author's unique voice and expertise. Press Inquiries Scribe Media Travis Stoliker | VP of Marketing 5179806712 Scribe Media #1054 701 Tillery Street #12 Austin, TX 78702 To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scribe Media Celebrates Record-Breaking Success of 'The Sovereign Child' by Aaron Stupple
Parenting Book Advocating "Taking Children Seriously" Philosophy Sparks Debate and Amazon Best Seller Status with 10,000 Sales on Launch Day Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2025) - Scribe Media, a leader in professional publishing services, announced the extraordinary success of The Sovereign Child, the debut book by first-time author Aaron Stupple. In its first 24 hours, the self-published book sold over 10,000 copies, earning Amazon Best Seller status. Within 48 hours, sales exceeded 16,000 copies, marking a significant milestone for a self-published work. Aaron Stupple - The Sovereign Child Book Cover The Sovereign Child takes aim at rule-heavy parenting, advocating a radical "Taking Children Seriously" approach that treats children as autonomous problem-solvers. Early reviews—often beginning in skepticism—have given way to praise, with influential voices like economist Bryan Caplan, Free-Range Kids pioneer Lenore Skenazy, and tech entrepreneur Naval Ravikant weighing in. The buzz intensified when Stupple discussed his methods on Tim Ferriss's podcast, sparking controversy and curiosity. While many find the rule-free philosophy shocking, readers report it opens new ways to understand childhood learning and freedom. "All proceeds from The Sovereign Child will go directly to the nonprofit Conjecture Institute to advance parent resources and alternatives to traditional schooling," said Stupple. "I'm grateful to everyone at Scribe Media for helping bring this vision to life-especially in such record-breaking fashion." For more information on The Sovereign Child, visit or follow Aaron Stupple (@astupple) on social media. Media outlets interested in scheduling an interview or feature can contact Travis Stoliker at About Aaron Stupple Aaron Stupple is a practicing physician, former science teacher, and co-founder of the Conjecture Institute. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and five children. Author Aaron Stupple Headshot - Sovereign Child About Scribe Media Scribe Media, led by bestselling author and CEO Eric Jorgenson, is a premier professional publishing company based in Austin, Texas, that helps entrepreneurs, executives, and thought leaders turn their ideas into professionally published books. With comprehensive services including writing, editing, design, distribution, and marketing, their world-class team has created numerous Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today bestsellers while ensuring each book maintains the author's unique voice and expertise. Press Inquiries Scribe Mediahttps:// Stoliker | VP of Media #1054701 Tillery Street #12Austin, TX 78702 To view the source version of this press release, please visit Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah Resolution Would Encourage More Free-Range Parenting
In 2018, Utah became the first state to pass what was then called a Free-Range Kids law. Since then, seven other states have followed suit, passing what are now known as "Reasonable Childhood Independence" bills. Now Utah is preparing to lead the way again. In the next few days, the state Senate will consider a resolution that just passed out of committee, and calls for an expansion of free-range parenting. The resolution "highlights the importance of free play and child independence," "supports children engaging in independent activities," and "encourages school districts, school administrators, and teachers to utilize the Let Grow school program to help build independence." Let Grow is the nonprofit I cofounded in order to help parents, educators, and policymakers teach kids resiliency by staying out of the way. Kids who walk to school by themselves, take on a new activity on their own, or organize a game with friends—without the input of adults—are less likely to become fragile, sheltered, and fearful of social situations. The Utah resolution's purpose is to ask local educators and policymakers to clear away any obstacles that prevent kids from enjoying free and independent play. Its sponsor is state Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (R–Salt Lake), who successfully championed the initial Free-Range Kids bill. "It really just asks schools to work more childhood independence and play into their plans," Fillmore tells Reason. "Make childhood great again." Resolutions are not binding, which means that schools will not be forced to make any changes. Fillmore's hope is that the resolution will call attention to the positive benefits of unstructured free time for kids—connecting the dots between the decades-long decline in childhood independence and the concurrent decline in children's mental health. Reversing this trend means restoring kids' free play rights. Let Grow's two school programs—both free—are aimed at accomplishing exactly this. The Let Grow Experience is a homework assignment that instructs kids to go home and complete a new activity with their parents' permission, but not with their assistance. This helps both generations see just how much the kids can do on their own. It's a great anxiety buster. Meanwhile, the Let Grow Play Club asks schools to stay open for no-phones free play—all kids, all ages—before and after school. An adult supervises like a lifeguard, but doesn't organize the games or solve the spats. Think of it as a wildlife preserve for old-fashioned, face-to-face playtime. The post Utah Resolution Would Encourage More Free-Range Parenting appeared first on
