We have evidently reached the point where we have to have a “free-range parenting law” to keep from getting arrested for letting our children learn about life.
WebMD has a post about it if you are not familiar with the issue.
How far will we go to get in the middle of a parent’s rights and responsibilities to raise their child?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Alas, how true. Now, I wouldn’t allow my kids to ride the NYC subway alone and I was surely more protective of them growing up in the 70s and 80s than were my parents in the 50s. But the stuff we were able to do in the 50s, like ride our bikes to school and play alone in the parks, would have CPS at your door in a New York Minute today.
If you have had much interaction with Millennials (I have the last three years) you can see the results of helicopter parenting, too – an entire generation now in their 30s but stuck in their teens as far as life development goes.
Facing a war and the draft in the 60s forced a lot of young men to make critical life choices early on, like college and marriage. Maybe we should bring back the draft?
BTW, my daughters turned out just fine and gifted me with three grandsons.
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Children in today’s world can be given responsbilities that don’t include putting them in situations that most would feel are unsafe. It is not one or the other. An overly cautious mother is not necessarily a helicopter mom.
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That great comedic orator Doug Stanhope said it best years ago when he said, ‘We have the oldest children on the planet. Of course your kid is being an asshole, it’s because he’s bored off his tit.’ Hell, l remember 40 years ago (l couldn’t have been more than seven) l flew by myself from Chicago to Pittsburgh to visit my grandparents. (l don’t remember which town it was that l had to change flights.) And do you want to know something? l got to sit by the window which was really cool. lt was absolutely no big deal. Nowadays most people would consider that child abuse. Just a couple generations ago, your kid might have been involved in the school’s gun club. That might sound crazy at first but you have to remember that back then kids weren’t devouring tons of sugar and psychotropic drugs.
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Recall those lines from the musical, “Bye Bye Birdie” :
Why can’t they be like we were,
Perfect in every way.
What’s the matter with kids today?
🙂
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Adults who act like teenagers? People who didn’t have to contend with the draft honestly? Don’t judge millennials too harshly because what your describing sounds like the current POTUS.
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