Latest news with #ReasonableChildhoodIndependence
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Backs Bill To Reaffirm Independent Kids, Protect Free-Range Parents
A few months after Georgia mother Brittany Patterson was arrested for not knowing that her son, age 10, had walked to the store on his own, the state passed a Reasonable Childhood Independence law. It now goes to the governor for signing. The bill clarifies that "neglect" is only when you put your child in serious, obvious danger—not anytime you take your eyes off them. This protects against the modern-day helicopter parenting norms that have made passersby—and, sometimes, state officials— insist that children of almost any age need constant adult supervision. Patterson was arrested and handcuffed in her home, in front of three of her children, after police objected to her decision to let the 10-year-old walk to the nearby town by himself. (Mineral Bluff: population 370.) When she asked the sheriff's deputy why she was under arrest, he replied, "for reckless endangerment." Jesse Weathington, a Georgia lobbyist, heard this story and contacted Let Grow, the nonprofit I co-founded to make childhood independence easy, normal, and legal. He wanted to help pass a Reasonable Childhood Independence law in his state. "The state should let parents be parents and kids be kids," says Weathington. "This bill will let kids today have the freedom and independence we enjoyed growing up." David DeLugas, executive director of the National Association of Parents and attorney for Patterson, says that authorities should generally avoid taking action unless a child appears to be hurt, in distress, or in imminent danger from an identifiable source. "Some people think that this is not one of those things that's super important—until you're affected by it," he says, noting that Patterson's kids "have been pretty traumatized by the whole ordeal." State Sens. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Randy Robertson (R–Catuala), Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta), Jason Esteves (D–Atlanta), and Eddie Lumsden (R–Armuchee) all sponsored the bill, which garnered bipartisan support, as it has in every state. That's because no matter what a person's politics might be, nobody wants their everyday parenting decisions—some perfect, some seat-of-the-pants—second-guessed by the government. Previously, two Georgia cases besides Patterson's had made headlines for similar reasons. In one case, Melissa Henderson, a mother of five, was arrested after she had her 14-year-old daughter babysit her four younger siblings. This was early in the pandemic when Henderson needed to work, and COVID-19 had suddenly shuttered the daycare center and schools. Her 4-year-old wandered outside to play with a neighbor and the neighbor's mom called the cops. Police handcuffed Henderson and threw her in jail. The cops said that the child, who was outside for a couple of minutes, could have been bitten by a "venomous snake." Henderson, too, was represented by DeLugas. Three years later, the court ruled in her favor. Meanwhile, in 2018, Beth Widner, a mother of four, was visited by the cops and child protective services after her 7-year-old, riding his bike home from swimming practice, stopped at the local grocery for a free cookie. Someone saw him unsupervised and called 911. When the parents asked child services which specific law they had broken, the caseworker said she didn't have it written down. Well, now the law is written down: Georgia's Senate Bill 110 states it is not neglect to trust your child with some reasonable childhood independence. Once signed by the governor, the new law will "put Georgia in the excellent company of the eight other states that have recognized that we need some guardrails to protect families from misunderstanding what is and isn't neglect," says Let Grow's legal consultant, Diane Redleaf. "It also helps the state focus on the kids who really need its protection." The post Georgia Backs Bill To Reaffirm Independent Kids, Protect Free-Range Parents appeared first on
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
