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In a world overtaken by fear, it can seem crazy to let kids roam free. But it's essential to their well-being. Learn more about letting your kids go free range, and going free range yourself!
This Episode’s Action Points:
Start Off Easy — You don’t have to jump right in. Start with short durations of unsupervised time, or go along but don’t interfere with your kids’ playing. Or, “ninja spy” on young children, trailing behind them and watching from afar until you begin to feel more confident and less fearful. Then let them go on their own.
Let Children Lead — This one serves two functions. First, it allows you to become a free range adult by learning from your children. Go play with them, but let them lead the play, and don’t try to control what they do. Second, if you’re fearful about letting them go on their own, it creates a new dynamic where you can be present to protect, but you’re not dictating how they play.
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8 thoughts on “Unleash Your Life Episode 24, Free Range Kids (and Adults!)”
What a gift! I don’t know if I’ve ever told you about my parents leaving me home alone for a week with little brother when we were 13 and 10. We kept the chickens fed and most of the garden stuff picked. I think I may have been told to leave the canner alone but mom found out I had been pressure canning on my own when they came home and she found my V-7 juice I had made! We survived!
Right on! What an invaluable adventure for your young self and your brother! I can only imagine that fostered a strong sense of how capable you both were!! =)
It took a while to see their anniversary trip as a gift to us also!
They had had us stay with our grandmother for a year or two when they did an anniversary vacation from the farm trip and it just seemed easier than having us on the road a couple miles every day on our bicycles to do the chores. Or maybe they had heard we got too carried away cleaning grandma’s “milking parlor.” I guess one stall on a small do-what-it-takes-to-survive farm wasn’t supposed to look like it was ready for the county fair judge to check it out!
And I think my mom was impressed when I told her what was in my veggie juice and how I had figured out how long to process the jars since it was a mix of juices and not just tomato!
Good memories. 🙂
And thank you for sharing those memories, Maude. It’s so fun to get a glimpse into your past!!! =)
I remember as a kid, being outside playing all the time, especially in the summer. We would hang out in the woods, go for afternoon bike rides, play street hockey, baseball or football. We even did some overnight camping in the woods. We used our imaginations to make fun times.
A lot of today’s kids seem to lack the desire to do most of that stuff. If it’s not on their phone or computer, it’s not fun.
Last week I took a day off from work (to celebrate my birthday). I did a little wood turning and other odds and ends in the morning. In the afternoon, I went to a local reservoir that I sometimes visit. There was a trail on the far side that I had never been on and didn’t know where it went. I followed the trail through fields of wildflowers and through the woods. It ended at a parking lot, but I really wasn’t sure where I was. I turned around and walked back to where I had parked. In total, I walked about 4.5 miles. It was an amazing afternoon, just being carefree for a while and hanging out in nature.
That kind of “unstructured” adventure that you remember, and are continuing to foster in your life — it does us more good than we can imagine! We’re so glad you took that day to just BE. I do wish there were some magical way to get kids outside more — once there, they usually have a blast, but to get them off the screens and out the door — that is a challenge.
P.S.– You’re raising your kids in a great way, and it shows.
And thank you for that great compliment =)
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