Podcasts about skenazy

Kids and teens are experiencing less independence than in the past — whether due to screen time, parents' fears of letting them roam freely, or other factors. It's a problem. But why? And what can be done? In this episode, host Dr. Delaney Ruston discusses this important topic with journalist Lenore Skenazy, who was labeled “America's Worst Mom” after letting her 9-year-old take the New York City subway home alone. Skenazy has spent years sounding the alarm on the harms of decreased youth autonomy, including co-founding Let Grow with psychologists Jonathan Haidt and Peter Gray. This episode explores the factors contributing to decreased independence and offers tools for parents and schools to combat this trend. It also examines the role of technology and tracking devices in this context, addressing both their benefits and potential pitfalls. This episode is intended for adult and teen audiences.   Featured Expert Lenore Skenazy   Books Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy   Research References Mott Poll Report: Promoting children's Independence: What parents say vs do Media violence, physical aggression, and relational aggression in school age children: a short-term longitudinal study. (Aggressive Behavior)    Additional Resources Lenore Skenazy's blog LetGrow.Org   Time Code 00:00 Introduction 00:20 The Decline of Children's Autonomy 01:02 Challenges in Encouraging Independence 01:22 Parental Concerns and Media Influence 02:00 Exploring Solutions with Lenore Skenazy 02:39 Lenore's Controversial Parenting Decision 08:21 The Birth of Free Range Kids Movement 10:07 Statistics and Parental Fears 18:05 Let Grow Initiative and School Programs 22:34 Technology's Role in Children's Independence 32:44 Conclusion and Resources  

Parents are more scared than ever. The media warn of “Stranger Danger.” Lenore Skenazy says this is foolish. Parents should let their kids be MORE independent. She calls it “Free Range” parenting. She says kids are healthier when given unsupervised freedom. Parents are happier too. But what about the kidnappings? Skenazy points out those are extremely rare. It's MUCH safer for kids to walk outside than ride in a car, yet parents rarely worry about driving. Today in America, some parents have even be arrested for letting their kids walk outside alone. We asked her about that and much more, in our full interview.

Lenore Skenazy is a journalist, author, and advocate for children's independence, best known for founding the "Free-Range Kids" movement. She is also the co-founder of Let Grow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting childhood independence and challenging the culture of overprotective parenting. Skenazy's work, including her book Free-Range Kids, encourages parents to let their children explore, learn, and grow through self-reliance and outdoor experiences. To keep up with Lenore, visit Free-Range Kids, and to learn more about Let Grow, visit Let Grow. Stay connected:  Twitter: @FreeRangeKids Facebook: Lenore Skenazy Instagram: @lskenazy

Chris and Amy discuss the case of a Georgia mother arrested for child endangerment after her 11-year-old son walked unsupervised to a nearby town. Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow, joins the conversation to highlight the broader issue of overprotective parenting and the criminalization of childhood independence. Skenazy criticizes safety plans that mandate constant supervision and tracking, arguing that they harm children's autonomy and mental health. Let Grow's advocacy for free-range parenting has influenced laws in eight states to better define neglect, promoting a healthier balance between safety and independence.

Lenore Skenazy's life completely changed after allowing her child to navigate the New York City subway alone at just 9 years old. She went on to publish a book called Free-Range Kids which grew into a movement. Now, Lenore is the president of Let Grow, the national nonprofit she co-founded with three others, including Jonathan Haidt of "The Anxious Generation." Her mission is to make it easy, normal and legal to give kids back some old-fashioned independence. In this conversation, Lenore discusses the societal shift toward fear-based parenting and the decline of free play. She gives practical strategies for parents to encourage their children to take risks and develop much-needed confidence. Skenazy emphasizes the need for parents to let go and trust their children, highlighting the benefits of independence for both kids and parents. Could the cure to an anxious generation be as easy as letting go? Resources mentioned in the episode: Let Grow: https://letgrow.org/ The Let Grow Experience (a free independence-building curriculum for teachers/schools) The Let Grow Play Club (free implementation guide for schools, YMCAs, churches, synagogues, etc., to create a time and place for kids to play and socialize in a no-phone zone) After Babel by Jonathan Haidt and Zach Rausch The Anxious Generation (NY Times Best Seller) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Is constant parental supervision limiting children's ability to develop problem-solving skills? In this episode, hosts Wes Brown and Dr. Sonya Lutter explore childhood independence and resilience with guest Lenore Skenazy, founder of the organization Let Grow and author of the book "Free-Range Kids."Skenazy shares her journey advocating for more freedom for kids through experiences like independent travel. Skenazy discusses reasonable childhood independence laws and how giving kids opportunities to overcome minor challenges and adversity can build resilience in a way that benefits both children and parents.Links: Let Grow Website | LinkedIn | InstagramFree Range Kids Website | BookLenore Skenazy on LinkedIn - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Learn more about Analog AdvisorAnalog Advisor is a production of Palm Tree Pod Co.Subscribe Apple Podcast | SpotifyFollow Us Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteHave thoughts or ideas for future topics or episodes, email us at hello@analogadvisorpodcast.com

Lenore Skenazy is the author of Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow and is President of Let Grow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting play and independence in children and adolesecence. Ms Skenazy created quite a sensation after her article "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone" and got labeled "America's Worst Mom". This lead her to start Let Grow which is an invaluable resource for helping schools and parents promote healthy growth promoting independence in children. Her approach has the benefit of simplicity and common sense. By encouraging independent activity, you are promoting confidence and decreasing anxiety in your child. And it also happens to be fun. Pair this interview with the one I did last year with Camillo Ortiz, PhD who developed an innovative approach to helping anxious children by givng them mega doses of independence.  Ms. Skenazy also helped Jonthan Haidt in his recent book Anxious Generation write the recommendations about how to correct a "phone based childhood" and return it to a "play based childhood".      Let Grow website https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFEIxplh1mPrQWQyNXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1714424681/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fletgrow.org%2f/RK=2/RS=UD_aH_MXQEBH_BBxdrHFYlXabIM-

There was a time when Lenore Skenazy was labeled America's Worst Mom for letting her 9 year old ride the subway alone in New York City. We talk to Skenazy about the latest research and how to give kids back the voice they've lost.

En este episodio hablamos de un error gigante que estamos cometiendo los papás de esta generación: impedir que nuestros hijos tomen riesgos y hagan cosas peligrosas. Vamos a comprender por qué hoy en día somos los papás más preocupados de la historia por la seguridad de los hijos, y cómo nuestro miedo y ansiedad está privando a nuestros hijos de los aprendizajes necesarios para desarrollar una personalidad resiliente y segura de sí misma. Skenazy, L. (2021). Free Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow. Jossey-Bass; 2nd ed. Documental: https://chasingchildhooddoc.com Leahy, R. (2005). The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You. Harmony.

Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, a non-profit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. She is also a speaker, blogger, syndicated columnist, author, and reality show host. A mother who lives in Queens, her controversial decision to let her then-9-year-old son take the New York City Subway home alone became a national story and prompted massive media attention. She was dubbed, "America's Worst Mom." In response, Skenazy founded the book and blog "Free Range Kids," with the aim of "fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape." Let Grow, co-founded in 2018 with Daniel Shuchman, Dr. Peter Gray and Prof. Jonathan Haidt, continues the quest to make it "easy, normal and legal" to give kids back some old-fashioned independence of thought and deed. More places you can find Lenore: Twitter - @FreeRangeKids Website - https://freerangekids.wordpress.com/ Book - Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry)

This episode was recorded on August 17th, 2021. In today's episode, Ginny Yurich sits down with Lenore Skenazy to discuss her book, Free Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow. The first edition of Free Range Kids came out in 2009 and the second edition was released earlier this year, in 2021. Purchase your copy here - https://amzn.to/2W80oTT (aff. link). Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, a non-profit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. She is also a speaker, blogger, syndicated columnist, author, and reality show host. A mother who lives in Queens, her controversial decision to let her then-9-year-old son take the New York City Subway home alone became a national story and prompted massive media attention. She was dubbed, “America's Worst Mom.” In response, Skenazy founded the book and blog “Free-Range Kids,” with the aim of "fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape." Let Grow continues the quest to make it "easy, normal and legal" to give kids back some old-fashioned independence of thought and deed. www.letgrow.org  

Lenore Skenazy is the founder of the Free-Range Kids movement and the founder of Let Grow, a non-profit organization promoting childhood resilience through independence. Skenazy discusses how the culture of "safetyism" blunts children's growth and how building independence in children is crucial for their development into functioning, mentally healthy adults. A must-listen for parents and teachers.

In this 92nd in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we discuss the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss childhood. Beginning with an excerpt from chapter 9 (Childhood) of our forthcoming book, A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, we discuss what childhood is, what other organisms have it, and why it is important. We discuss plasticity in development, and the need to develop flexibility as a growing human. We discuss Lenore Skenazy (America's Worst Mom!), and Let Grow, an organization dedicated to helping kids build real-world confidence, competence and openness. We discuss the need for play—real, unstructured play without interference from adults—and for risk. And we discuss the adaptive underpinnings of play.Get your Goliath shirts right here: store.darkhorsepodcast.orgHeather's newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comSupport the sponsors of this show:Four Sigmatic: Delicious mushroom coffee made with both real coffee and two species of mushrooms. Up to 40% off and free shipping at Foursigmatic.com/DARKHORSE.Vivo Barefoot: Shoes for healthy feet—comfortable and regenerative, enhances stability and tactile feedback. Go to www.vivobarefoot.com/us/darkhorse to get 20% off, and a 100-day free trial.Allform: Get 20% off any order (of a beautiful sofa) from Allform at https://allform.com/darkhorse.Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, is now available for pre-sale at amazon. Publication date: 9-14-21: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593086880/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_5BDTABYFKRJKZBT5GSQAhttp://huntergatherersguide.com/DarkHorse merchandise now available at: store.darkhorsepodcast.orgFind more from us on Bret's website (https://bretweinstein.net) or Heather's website (http://heatherheying.com).Become a member of the DarkHorse LiveStreams, and get access to an additional Q&A livestream every month. Join at Heather's Patreon.Like this content? Subscribe to the channel, like this video, follow us on twitter (@BretWeinstein, @HeatherEHeying), and consider helping us out by contributing to either of our Patreons or Bret's Paypal.Looking for clips from #DarkHorseLivestreams? Here are some, updated frequently: @DarkHorse Podcast ClipsTheme Music: Thank you to Martin Molin of Wintergatan for providing us the rights to use their excellent music.Q&A Link: https://youtu.be/bsNfjGVrZOAMentioned in this episode:A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century: https://huntergatherersguide.comSkenazy, L., 2021 (2nd ed). Free-range kids, giving our children the freedom we had without going nuts with worry. John Wiley & Sons.Skenazy, L. 2008. Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone. The New York Sun, April 1, 2008. https://www.nysun.com/opinion/why-i-let-my-9-year-old-ride-subway-alone/73976/Let Grow: https://letgrow.orgGray, P. 2013. Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life. Basic Books.Martini, M. (1994). Peer interactions in Polynesia: A view from the Marquesas. In J. L. Roopnarine, J. E. Johnson, & F. H. Hooper (Eds.), Children's play in diverse cultures (pp. 73-103). Albany: State University of New York Press.Lancy, D.F., 2014. The anthropology of childhood: Cherubs, chattel, changelings. Cambridge University Press.Spinka, M., Newberry, R.C. and Bekoff, M., 2001. Mammalian play: training for the unexpected. The Quarterly review of biology, 76(2): 141-168. https://www.journals.uchicago.edSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/bretweinstein)

JOIN ME ON THE SHOW!!! Guest:    Zak Slayback   Author published at McGraw-Hill; former research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania; principal at 1517 Fund, a VC firm spun out of the Thiel Fellowship. Zak is a career & communications expert whose content has been highlighted or featured in Fast Company, Business Insider, The Muse, Newsweek, and the New York Observer. He was an early team member at the startup apprenticeship company Praxis, where he was charged with recruiting new business partners and placing apprentices. He left the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 after pursuing a major in Philosophy.   twitter: @zslayback personal site: zakslayback.com clubhouse: @slayback   Show Notes:   Zak Slaybach started the Deschool Yourself project with his co-host Jeff Till. They talked with a handful of people who had experience with education in k-12 and higher education. Zak's interest in doing the podcast came from his unique experience of working with young adults from different backgrounds and placing them in jobs that required degrees, although these young people didn't have degrees. He noticed a trend where the people who had the most training and academic backgrounds were least prepared for the jobs they were placed in. It was a narrative violation because he'd expected that the best performers in school who'd been accepted to elite colleges would have the best self-governing and organization skills, but in fact that wasn't the case for the majority of the people he worked with.     The pattern which unfolded was that unschooled or homeschooled people were far more capable at self-directing in their jobs, and he found himself seeking them out.  It also made him curious about the link between homeschooling and successful job placement. Zak started researching the history of education and how children learn. He named Peter Gray and John Taylor Gatto's writings as being most helpful.    He remembers one particular experience where he spoke with the CEO of a company where he was trying to place young adults without degrees in jobs at the company. The job description in the job advertisement said “degree or equivalent work experience required” and he asked the CEO what he meant by that. The CEO said equivalent work experience meant just a semester of work experience, so 4-6 months. He explicitly told Zak that someone would learn more about the business by spending time in the company than they would at university. The degree is nothing more than a filter. It is not a leading indicator of a good hire.    Jenna asks Zak why his company only hires degreeless adults. Zak explains that he worked for the Peter Thiel Fellowship which gives away $100,000 to young adults with new business ideas to start a company rather than going to college. There's a line in Peter Thiel's book, “Zero to One” that reads elite students climb confidently until they reach competition sufficiently intense enough to beat their dreams out of them.    Jenna actually recalls when her daughter was  preschool-aged, she was an amazing artist who did art because it was fun and she enjoyed the process so much. As soon as she entered the school system and began comparing her work to her peers, she stopped producing art and lost her individuality because she thought other people's work was better than hers.    Zak adds that hyper-competition leads to people not pursuing their ideas and/or copying each other. Some of young people who were selected for this fellowship have gone on to develop things like Figma, OYO Rooms, Ethereum, Longevity Fund, and Luminar.    Jenna asks Zak about gatekeepers in the US being less prolific than in Europe. From her experience living in Europe, it still seems imperative for companies that young people get college degrees. Zak agrees that it's used as a filtering mechanism for companies to weed through applicants. He doesn't think it's been all that successful for Europe though in producing innovative tech companies, with the exception of Spotify which was developed in Sweden. He points out that goals for US companies vary from European countries in that US companies are always striving for growth, whereas European companies are all about keeping pace and business sustainability.     Switching gears, Jenna asks Zak about his book “The End of School.” Zak explains that the book actually started as a personal challenge to write every day, once a day, for thirty days. That turned into a longer three month challenge. He says you naturally begin writing about the things that are on your mind at the time. He encourages people with knowledge and new perspectives to not be afraid to write about what they learn and not to self-censor too much. Jenna adds that this project is a perfect example really of how self-directed learning works, following your interests. That's actually how the Rogue Learner podcast was born.    Zak talks about some of the problems he sees in traditional schools. He starts with talking about what he calls “the schooled mindset” which means students are looking at life in levels. They are essentially leveling up in life, yet each level does not promise anything “better.” He refers to Nathaniel Brandon who asserts that it's not the achievement of a goal that makes people fulfilled, it's the progress toward the achievement of meaningful goals. School has us reaching toward goals, but not meaningful ones. For example, we set goals in school like; land this job, get this promotion, pass this class, get that ‘A' on the test. Jenna points out that a lot of the goals students are trying to achieve are set out by their parents as well. And to some degree, Zak points out that this comes from the pressure in our society where children's success in life reflects back on their parents.   We've reached a point for the first time in society where two generations have been thoroughly schooled. Parents are expecting their kids to live better lives than themselves, but the metrics for which we measure “better lives” isn't based on overall well being, life expectancy, etc., rather it's primarily based on how credentialed they are. More credentials does not equate to better or more fulfilling lives, unfortunately.    Jenna adds that there is a lot of wasted time in school and it comes from the idea that we all learn in a linear fashion, which isn't the case. There's no expiration date for when a person can learn something. Zak feels as though he was able to become educated in spite of schooling not because of it.    Jenna mentions how the most engaged and curious students in her classroom most often were those kids who had access to diverse experiences and people in their home lives. The kids who went places on the weekends and enjoyed board games with grandparents on the weekend were the students who most enjoyed learning. With homeschooling, she feels that “the weekend” can be possible everyday. You can mix with various age groups, go to interesting places and spend time with your loved ones every single day if you want.    Zak says if he were given the choice between hiring a student who attended a magnet school and participated in a variety school-based extracurriculars vs. a homeschooled student who'd worked at Chick- Fila, he'd likely choose the latter. He adds that the reason is they would likely have the required soft skills necessary for their work. Jenna mentions how the soft skills are easier to acquire when you're interacting daily with adults of all ages from varying backgrounds and experience levels, whereas in school you'll likely only get the chance to talk with teachers in a top-down, authoritative situation. The teacher has a lot of control over the conversation in the classroom.    On the topic of socialization and diversity, Jenna says she finds it tragic that in most cases students are lumped together by zip code because it prohibits us from mixing with different races and socioeconomic classes than our own. In home education groups however, we are meeting with families from all different cultures and backgrounds from all over the county. The argument that combining disparate zip codes within a school district allows for diversity misses the reality that segregation still naturally occurs within the school itself. Zak says removing the geographical association with schools would be the best way to go forward, however it would generate an immense amount of pushback from teacher's unions and property owners. Jenna states that school systems can't truly be equal when they are geographically appropriated because the wealthier families will always have a leg up by being able to move to the more desired school districts. Zak adds that the argument that home education is expensive may not be as valid as families think when you consider the price for living in a “good school district.” Plus there are so many free resources available and even options for parents who both work full time.    Jenna asks, what are some ways parents can deschool, particularly those who want to trust in self-directed learning but find it challenging because of their schooled mindset? When a child begins to develop a curiosity and pursue it, deschooling has reached its end. Peter Gray's work was transformation in bringing a language to this concept for Zak. Zak has seen most success in families where the parents have guardrails in place which allow students to access their interests by imploring them to use their own skills or money to access it, while also providing numerous opportunities for them to absorb information about their interests. An example of this would be  Lenore Skenazy's story from the Let Grow organization, who let her kid ride the subway home in New York and was dubbed America's worst mom. Deschooling is hard sometimes, but be patient with yourself and your child.    Jenna asks what is the best way to prepare young adults for the ever-changing workplace? Zak says as many apprenticeships or mentoring opportunities as possible. Turn to hiring managers in the field you want to pursue for feedback on skills and requirements your students should be acquiring. Young adults should get really good at cold emailing people. You can sign up for Zak's masterclass to learn how to write professional emails. Finding out how you can add value to the company and explicitly telling the hiring manager that, will help the company place you and give them an incentive to let you intern with them. You can find out what skills would add value to the company by doing a bit of homework in advance and acquiring those specific skills beforehand.    Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show   Deschool Yourself Podcast    Pints with Aquinas    Zak Slayback Website   The End of School by Zak Slayback   How to Get Ahead by Zak Slayback   Free Resources for Homeschoolers Masterclass: learn to write professional emails Lenore  Skenazy's: Let Grow Nathaniel Brandon Zero to One by Peter Thiel Episode 11 and 12 with Naomi Fisher   Ways to Connect Email me: contact.roguelearner@gmail.com Facebook  Instagram Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rogue-learner/id1543224038 Google Play: https://podcasts.google.com/search/rogue%20learner Spotify: https://roguelearner.libsyn.com/spotify YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCocbWsxxAMSbUObiCQXPg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/rogue-learner

It's bad enough when politicians and bureaucrats act like they're doing us a favor when they strip away our freedom. But, as John Daniel Davidson explains, when big tech begins treating us like idiot children to protect us from forbidden ideas, we've got a serious problem. Speaking of being treated like children, Lenore Skenazy has the story of how two children, ages 8 and 10, were escorted home by firefighters after a neighbor called 911 to report unsupervised kids. Skenazy reminds us that living under constant adult supervision shouldn't be a government mandate. Neighbors calling the authorities over non-emergencies has become an unfortunate part of life in the age of COVID. Doug Casey warns of the dangers of the growing "snitch" culture in America and what it portends for our future. Reading old books may seem anachronistic in the Digital Age but it's far more than just another way to pass the time. Jeff Minnick has a timely message about how books and those who read them are the real endangered species. Wouldn't it be wise to learn from those who built Western Civilization rather than just the ones trying to tear it down? www.thebryanhydeshow.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

It's bad enough when politicians and bureaucrats act like they're doing us a favor when they strip away our freedom. But, as John Daniel Davidson explains, when big tech begins treating us like idiot children to protect us from forbidden ideas, we've got a serious problem. Speaking of being treated like children, Lenore Skenazy has the story of how two children, ages 8 and 10, were escorted home by firefighters after a neighbor called  911 to report unsupervised kids. Skenazy reminds us that living under constant adult supervision shouldn't be a government mandate. Neighbors calling the authorities over non-emergencies has become an unfortunate part of life in the age of COVID. Doug Casey warns of the dangers of the growing "snitch" culture in America and what it portends for our future. Reading old books may seem anachronistic in the Digital Age but it's far more than just another way to pass the time. Jeff Minnick has a timely message about how books and those who read them are the real endangered species. Wouldn't it be wise to learn from those who built Western Civilization rather than just the ones trying to tear it down?  Sponsors:  Landmark Risk Management & Insurance Monticello College Pure Light HSL Ammo Subscribe to the podcast  Support this program by becoming a Patron  

Lenore Skenazy's son had been riding the Manhattan subways his entire life and wanted to make a solo trip. With subway fare, map in hand, and quarters should he need to call for help, he successfully navigated his way home from Bloomingdale's Department store. He was elated, but the firestorm attacking this parenting decision was a surprise. Skenazy was thrust into the national spotlight with appearances on the Today Show, MSN, NBC, Fox News, and NPR. Says Skenazy, “I was disheartened, to say the least, and shocked by all the things that were being said about me.” In response to the public outcry, Skenazy started a blog called Free-Range Kids supporting the concept that children are smarter and safer than our society gives them credit for. The popular blog morphed into the nonprofit Let Grow, which counters the culture of overprotection. Let Grow's mission is to “future-proof” children by producing media content that relates to the positive effects of giving kids more independence and responsibility. The organization also provides curriculum to bring diverse child development viewpoints into schools. They hope to show principals, teachers, and school counselors that treating children as if they're emotionally fragile can have negative impacts. Let Grow is also sponsoring research into the short- and long-term effects of overprotection as well as the positive effects of free play, free time, and “beneficial risk.” The goal is to scientifically determine how much physical and emotional protection is truly necessary and how much is counterproductive. Another important initiative is safeguarding parents who choose to nurture independence in their children without fear of repercussions. They are advocating and pushing states to decriminalize free unsupervised time with “Free-Range Parenting” laws. Skenazy's efforts have gained momentum and will soon be chronicled in a feature-length documentary film Chasing Childhood. Says Skenazy, “Without any kind of independence, self-regulation doesn't get a chance to kick in, curiosity doesn't get a chance to kick in, or the development of resilience. We can't take important building blocks of character and resilience out of their lives. We are dedicated to giving independence back to kids and making it normal again.”

Lianne Castelino of Where Parents Talk speaks to Lenore Skenazy, President of Let Grow and Founder of Free-Range Kids about parenting during the pandemic, helicopter parenting and other topics. Skenazy's 2008 New York Sun column entitled, "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone," grabbed the headlines in North America, leading to her establish the Free-Range movement.

Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, a non-profit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. She is also a speaker, blogger, syndicated columnist, author, and reality show host. A mother who lives in Queens, her controversial decision to let her then-9-year-old son take the New York City Subway home alone became a national story and prompted massive media attention. She was dubbed, "America's Worst Mom." In response, Skenazy founded the book and blog "Free Range Kids," with the aim of "fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape." Let Grow, co-founded in 2018 with Daniel Shuchman, Dr. Peter Gray and Prof. Jonathan Haidt, continues the quest to make it "easy, normal and legal" to give kids back some old-fashioned independence of thought and deed. More places you can find Lenore: Twitter - @FreeRangeKids Website - https://freerangekids.wordpress.com/ Book - Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry)

Show notes & links available here. In this episode, I'm talking to Lenore Skenazy about how letting her 9-year-old son ride the subway alone in New York City led to her being labeled the "World's Worst Mom" and sparked the Free-Range Kids movement. Her book, Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry, along with the programs developed and promoted by Let Grow, counter the culture of overprotection. Big Ideas Over the last decade, Lenore has been fighting the societal belief that our children are "in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape." People feel so much fear for their kids' safety, even when there's no reason to be afraid. A free-range childhood means kids can go outside after school and play with their friends without it being a structured, supervised activity. There are 5 reasons why parents today are so much more afraid for their kids: Media -- news, films, and crime shows. Laws and fear of litigation. Experts in books and magazines that produce anxiety. Marketplace and safety products that capitalize on our fears. Technology that allows parents to monitor kids at all times. The Let Grow organization promotes two school initiatives: Let grow Project: Kids get a homework assignment to do something on their own, without their parents' help. This promotes independence, a sense of pride, competence, and confidence." Let Grow Play Club: Kids stay after school or arrive early for extended, unstructured playtime with other kids. The Let Grow movement is promoting Free-Range parenting laws in states around the country. The bills define 'neglect' as a blatant disregard for a child's safety and wellbeing. It's not letting a kid walk to school, come home with a latch key, or play outside. Quotes Lenore: "It's not like parents are crazy, it's that we are being fed so much fear from so many corners of our life and culture that it's almost impossible not to breathe it in. It's like pollution. You're just breathing it in and it gets into your body." Audrey: "I look to you as a hero because you were at the forefront when this crazy overparenting came into play." Lenore: "It feels so much less safe, even though statistically the crime rate is lower now than it has been in 25 years." Lenore: "Your brain works like Google. It takes in all this information and then when you ask, 'Is it safe for my kids to walk to the bus stop today?' up pops the pictures or stories you've heard about, whether it was from 30 years ago or a Law & Order episode yesterday. Those stories are so easy to recall but they're not the most relevant results...so we start making our decisions based not on any kind of statistical reality, not on any kind of reality at all, but on the basis of all these terrible stories that have been shoved into us as we've been growing up." Lenore: "The media is certainly an enormous reason that we are so much more afraid than our parents who weren't as saturated with these fears as we were." Lenore: "We live in a litigious society. When you start thinking like a lawyer, which we all do, nothing seems safe enough...So you take something that is extremely safe and it is rewritten through the lawyer brain as potentially dangerous and you see everything through the lens of risk." Audrey: "People perceive camp or especially letting your child go to camp as being so risky and dangerous. But what's amazing is that statistically, summer camps are far safer than people's backyards." Audrey: "I think parents feel like when someone's not under their exact, very close supervision, there's this fear. You really want to trust other people with your kids, but there is always a risk." Lenore: "(Technology) gives us this level of omniscience that is actually very oppressive to parents because it feels like you have to know literally every breath your child is taking." Lenore: "It's as if our child is in such danger that we better be on high alert all the time or something terrible will happen and it's all our fault. That's why I feel sorry for parents raising kids in this era. The pressure to know everything and be aware of everything and worry about everything is at a breaking point." Audrey: "I think it has actually gotten worse than what you were talking about back 12 or 13 years ago when you first wrote Free-Range Kids." Lenore: "Let Grow, rather than working on changing minds, is focused on changing behavior. And the behavior we're thinking about is extremely similar to what happens when parents send their kids off to camp. We are trying to give kids a smidgen of independence and when they get that they're less anxious afterward and the parents are less anxious, everybody is allowed to grow." Lenore: "Until you see that they can do something on their own, you don't even know if it's going to work, this great experiment with the people you love the most. But when you see that they're blossoming, they can handle it, it's just a remarkable transformation. And you don't go backward...You watch them and your heart fills." Lenore: "The Let Grow project is just a way to make it easy to let go because everyone's doing it. Either everyone in the class or the school or the or the school district.  So you're not the crazy mom. So there are other kids doing it, other parents doing it." Audrey: "Because we're in a time where people look askance at the child or two siblings walking to a park to play. It's too bad. But being able to say, 'Oh this is an assignment from school.' You almost have to give your kids the words they need in order to defend themselves doing something that they are perfectly capable of doing and giving parents the permission to let their children do this." Audrey: "If you and all of your friends at school are all letting your kids do this stuff, you're going to start talking about that. The community will start understanding--it is genius." Lenore: "Kids have been so stunted, in a way. When there is always around somebody who's saying, 'Let me handle that for you.' We say, always helping kids isn't always helping them. And so, going to a store and talking to strangers, well, it's a store full of people. And I guess they're strangers, but they're just people. They're not criminals. And they just felt so much better about themselves and better about the world that they were making more friends. That was a, a bonus that I didn't expect." Audrey: "People think, 'Oh well my child's not ready for such and such.' But the thing is, the way you get ready for things is practicing. And if we don't let them practice, then are they ever going to feel competent and confident and capable." Audrey: "I'm always encouraging parents to just have kids do little things like making dinner or handling the checkout at the store. If you're not comfortable sending them on your own yet, let your child do the talking and handing them the card and running it through the thing or putting in your phone number and just let them try it in front of you until you feel confident." Lenore: "It's not just fun for kids to do things for their parents, it's also telling them that their parents trust, believe in and need them. Those things feel so great. It's great to know that your parents don't think you're so endangered or incompetent that you can't do things on your own." Audrey: "One of the reasons so many adolescents feel so bad is because they feel unneeded. When we are doing everything for them and not letting them start doing for themselves or helping others then they don't feel needed or valued, or necessary to a household, or to a school or a community. That's a terrible feeling." Lenore: "When you rise to the occasion on the playground and there are little kids there and you're the grownup, cause you're a fifth grader or a fourth grader, it is a great feeling. It's not just the leadership, it is the kindness that you get into yourself and realize this is fun. They didn't even realize what they were enjoying was empathy." Lenore: "I think camp is one of the last bastions of childhood freedom. And I think kids who are lucky enough to have it, whether it's day camp or overnight camp, they should take advantage and parents should take advantage too, because, as you said, the parents feel a lot more relaxed when they finally get to take their eyes off their kids for summer. Summer should be a time of freedom." About Lenore Skenazy After her column "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone" landed her on every talk show from The Today Show to Dr. Phil, Lenore Skenazy got labeled “America’s Worst Mom.” Nice. She turned around and founded “Free-Range Kids,” the movement that says kids are NOT in constant danger. That grew into “Let Grow,” a non-partisan nonprofit working to make it easy, normal and legal to give kids back some independence. To that end, Lenore has lectured all over (Microsoft, DreamWorks, Sydney Opera House...) and been profiled everywhere from The New York Times to The New Yorker to The Daily Show. A journalist herself, she spent 14 years at the New York Daily News and has written for everyone from The Wall Street Journal to Mad Magazine. Yep. Mad! Her reality show “World’s Worst Mom,” airs on Discovery Life (from time to time, late at night, in re-runs). Last year, Utah became the first state to pass a "Free-Range Parenting Law," guaranteeing parents the right to let their kids do things like walk to school or play at the park without a security detail. Links Website: Let Grow: Future-Proofing Our Kids & Our Country Let Grow Project (for schools) FREE-RANGE KIDS has become a national movement, sparked by the incredible response to Lenore Skenazy's piece about allowing her 9-year-old ride the subway alone in NYC. Parent groups argued about it, bloggers blogged, spouses became uncivil with each other, and the media jumped all over it. A lot of parents today, Skenazy says, see no difference between letting their kids walk to school and letting them walk through a firing range. Any risk is seen as too much risk. But if you try to prevent every possible danger or difficulty in your child's everyday life, that child never gets a chance to grow up. We parents have to realize that the greatest risk of all just might be trying to raise a child who never encounters choice or independence.     Interviews with Lenore Skenazy https://vimeo.com/56107897 Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind Jonathan Haidt and Lenore Skenazy co-authored "The Fragile Generation," Peter Gray, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life Free-Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom we had without Going Nuts with Worry, Lenore Skenazy Related Ep. 60: The Importance of Outdoor, Child-Directed Free Play with Andy Pritikin Ep. 65: Raising Engaged, Happy Kids with Mary Hofstedt Ep. 78: The Danish Way of Parenting (Part 2) Ep. 87: The Impact of Camp Experiences with Laurie Browne, Ph.D. American Camp Association The Camp Impact Study 

Lenore Skenazy joins us from LetsGrow.org to talk about independence for children. :: Orwellian Home Visits Mandated for Newborns :: Confusing Twitch Topless Policy :: Anxious Sarah :: Black Market Sales of Cannabis Still Dominant in Mass, Cali :: HOSTS - Ian, Mark

Lenore Skenazy was once dubbed, "America's Worst Mom" for letting her son ride the New York subway alone. In response, Skenazy founded the book and blog "Free-Range Kids," with the aim of "fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape."  

Patt Morrison talks with Lenore Skenazy, a columnist, author, and reality show host, about what outdoor liberties to allow there children and that the risks are exaggerated. Skenazy is the founder of the book, blog, and movement "Free Range Kids"

Lenore Skenazy is an American blogger, columnist, author, and reality show host. A mother who lives in Queens with her husband and two sons, her controversial decision to let her then-9-year-old son take the New York City Subway home alone became a national story and prompted massive media attention. She was dubbed, "America's Worst Mom." In response, Skenazy founded the book, blog, and movement "Free-Range Kids," with the aim of "fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape." To find out more about the "Let Grow" movement go here: https://letgrow.org/

We moderns take pride in the fact that we no longer burn witches. But can we be so certain that we've emerged from the "Dark Ages" to a new enlightened state of mind? Lenore Skenazy sees some of the markings of a modern-day witch hunt in sex-offender registry laws. There's no doubt that we need mechanisms to protect potential victims of sexual violence, but Skenazy argues that these registries enact draconian yet ineffective punishments – often branding relatively innocent minors for life, lumping them in with some of the most heinous criminals. It takes bravery to advance this view, given the unpopularity of the cause (don't expect a March for Sex Offenders' Rights anytime soon). But demonization hasn't stopped Skenazy from making common-sense arguments – with a heavy dose of humor – about this and other modern-day witch hunts. She was labeled the “World's Worst Mom” for allowing her 9-year-old son to ride the NYC subway and writing about it in the New York Post. The controversy led her to start a now-global movement of “Free Range Kids.” She now frequently speaks and writes to debunk myths like the ubiquitous kidnapper, and the incurable sex offender (the most common age of people on the sex offender registry is 14 years old). Skenazy's latest project encourages parents and schools to grant kids more autonomy – to let go, and Let Grow – as such experiences, and the small risks involved, are essential to learning. She joins Bob this Sunday – fresh off a Cato Institute symposium, titled, “You May Be a Sex Offender if…” – to restore sanity to the conversation around sexual harassment, sex offenders, and over-sensitivity on college campuses.

She was crowned the unwanted title of "World's Worst Mom" when she decided to let her nine-year-old son ride the New York subway alone back in 2008. And while Lenore Skenazy was surprised by the reaction to what she felt was an important step towards independence for her son, she didn't let the backlash stop her. Seizing the opportunity to discuss her disdain for society's increasingly protective stance as parents, Lenore founded Free Range Kids, a site that showcases the extreme lengths that we've gone to through "helicopter parenting." A fierce advocate of free range parenting and unstructured play, Lenore is a frequent speaker on the subject in an effort to help all of us shed our fears of letting our kids be kids. In 2017, she co-founded the Let Grow project as the latest step in her quest to help parents and educators pull back the reins on helicopter parenting.  

You can't have too much of a really good thing. That's why we decided to invite Lenore Skenazy,founder of Free Range Kids, to make a welcome return to "How Do We Fix It?" She was a guest on an earlier show. Lenore is the passionate and playful campaigner, who says most American kids don't have nearly enough unstructured free time, when they can be curious and engage the world on their own terms. "Free time is unsupervised time," Lenore tells us. "It's not a parent sitting there saying 'oh, that was really good, or try it this way.' Sometimes you've got to do things that are really bad and try it the wrong way, because that's the creative process." Lenore says parenting styles have changed in the past 30 years, especially for many urban and upper-middle classes Moms and Dads. Risk avoidance seems more important than stimulating a child's imagination. "Think back on your own childhood. Your parents loved you... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the past 10 years Free-Range Kids' Lenore Skenazy,  New York City journalist and mom of two, has been taking one for the team. The Free-Range Kids author and blog founder has been on a one-woman mission to give kids back the freedom and autonomy they need to grow into self-actualized adults. I can't get enough of every single thing she has to say, including stats like: Crime is back to the level it was when gas cost 29 cents a gallon, says the Christian Science Monitor. Crime is back to the level it was before color TV, says The Week magazine. 2013 gun crime rate back to level of early 1960s, says Pew Study. 2014 violent crime rate down another4.4%, says USA Today. Pedestrian, bicyclist and car deaths ALSO at lowest rate in decades, says The Council on Foreign Relations. And here’s an overall report on crime over the last 25 years, which includes the graph below: Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School All violent crime in the U.S.: Down  48% 1993 – 2012 All homicides: Down 50.5% 1993-2012 Forcible rape: Down 34.5% 1993 – 2012  Violence Against Children 2-17 is going down too (and not just because we are helicoptering. Crime is down grown men and women  too, and we don’t helicopter them): Physical Assault: down 33% 2003 – 2011 Rape, attempted or completed: down 43% 2003 – 2011 In fact, the most dangerous thing your kids can do? RIDE IN A CAR!! I love Lenore's informed candor about what is happening in the world, and what you and I can do about it. Examples: Let your kids walk to the bus stop alone. Let your kids play at the playground alone. Let your kids stay home unsupervised while friends are over -- unsupervised. Let your kid do their own homework.  My only problem with the Free-Range Kids movement is that it isn't adopted widely or quickly enough -- despite my eff-you nature I still feel pressure from other parents to hover, coddle and bake way more cupcakes than are good for my time management or public health. I resent that when I am forced to spend time with my kids at the playground, those are hours I cannot work -- or do something less mind-numbing. For moms like me, Skenazy created Free-Range Friend Finder, a no-cost site where you can connect with like-minded (i.e. sane, with a life of your own) parents in your neighborhood. Check it out!   

Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. www.freerangekids.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. http://www.freerangekids.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

http://www.freerangekids.com http://www.livingwealthyradio.com Lenore Skenazy thinks America is creating whole generations of dependent, frightened children who will never be ablel to make it in the world. Overly-dependent "helicopter parents" hover over their kids' every move, stifling their inate curiousity and desire to explore their world.  The result, says author and "World's Worst Mom." Skenazy, are thousands of kids unable to fend more themselves or perform simple tasks such as using a knife to cut an apple or take public transportation. Sometimes controversial, always interesting, Lenore Skenazy is author of "Free Range Kids," and a vocal advocate for allowing children to discover the world for themselves and grow into mature, confidant adults.

What family would commit this kind of act? A Missouri mother and grandmother, aunt and co-worker of the aunt staged a kidnapping of the 6 year old son, grandson and nephew because his family felt he was being too nice to people. The little boy's family was lured into a pickup truck, tied up, threatened with a gun, taken to a basement where his pants were taken away and he was told he could be sold as a sex slave. The boy was told he would "never see his mommy again" and that he would be "nailed to the wall of a shed." When the boy began to cry a gun was produced and he was tied the remainder of the assault continued until his mother revealed herself and lectured the child on "stranger danger." The motheris charged with felony kidnapping and felony abuse and neglect of a child. The rest of them are charged with felonious restraint. The mother, grandmother and aunt see nothing wrong with what they did. Guest: Lenore Skenazy. Author of the book, blog and Twitter feed: World's Worst Mom. Host of World's Worst Mom on the New Discovery Channel. Was this kidnapping motivated by one of Skenazy's television show guests? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lenore Skenazy first made waves after writing a column about how she let her nine-year-old son ride the New York City subway home alone. This was followed by a public outcry, including the accusation of "World's Worst Mom," which led Lenore to defend her position on TV programs like The View, The Today Show, and Anderson Cooper 360. Skenazy eventually repurposed her accusers' label for a TV reality series titled, "World's Worst Mom," in which she helped to keep "helicopter parents" from hovering so close to their children. What has changed in America? Parents no longer send kids out to play in their neighborhoods. Strangers are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Even halloween candy is viewed suspiciously (despite no reports of any kid poisonings, ever). Lenore Skenazy believes this is no way for a free society to operate. Not only is it dreary, but it might be completely unnecessary. Perhaps it's time we looked at the numbers and broke down the risks, as Lenore does in her book, "Free Range Kids." Whether you have kids or not, you'll want to hear Bob and Lenore discussing the real threat to life and liberty ? our own paranoia.

Lenore Skenazy first made waves after writing a column about how she let her nine-year-old son ride the New York City subway home alone. This was followed by a public outcry, including the accusation of "World's Worst Mom," which led Lenore to defend her position on TV programs like The View, The Today Show, and Anderson Cooper 360. Skenazy eventually repurposed her accusers' label for a TV reality series titled, "World's Worst Mom," in which she helped to keep "helicopter parents" from hovering so close to their children. What has changed in America? Parents no longer send kids out to play in their neighborhoods. Strangers are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Even halloween candy is viewed suspiciously (despite no reports of any kid poisonings, ever). Lenore Skenazy believes this is no way for a free society to operate. Not only is it dreary, but it might be completely unnecessary. Perhaps it's time we looked at the numbers and broke down the risks, as Lenore does in her book, "Free Range Kids." Whether you have kids or not, you'll want to hear Bob and Lenore discussing the real threat to life and liberty – our own paranoia.

This show will make you think about how you parent. Lenore Skenazy became a media sensation a few years ago when she published a column describing how she allowed her nine-year old child to ride the New York subway system. Alone. Overnight she became a topic of discussion on television shows, radio call-ins, and parent play groups everywhere. Some viewed her as the World’s Worst Mom. Others viewed her as simply parenting with practical wisdom.  And, thus, Lenore’s “Free-Range Kids” platform was born. Join in the conversation today as Lenore shares thoughts on what exactly it means to raise “Free-range” kids. She shares insights about just how safe kids really are today (a lot safer than kids were when we were all growing up!), why failure is a good thing, and why it’s critically important for a child to experience their own world without Mom or Dad constantly hovering over them.  Lenore Skenazy and host Jim Higley ask:  How were you brought up?  What kind of supervision did you have?  (What about your parents before you?)  How does your own upbringing differ from that of your children or your parents? “If we only think of childhood in terms of risk, we’re only thinking about half of the equation, ” explains Skenazy. “You have to think in terms of risk/benefit.” She further shares compelling wisdom about what a child actually loses when a parent places rigid boundaries around their world.  Have you been placing these detrimental types of boundaries on your child? “Our children are safer and more competent than pop culture wants us to believe,” says Lenore Skenazy.  Are you afraid of your child being abducted?  Of their grades falling behind?  Of them failing in every conceivable way without your constant guidance?  Listen in and hear what Lenore has to say. Even if you don’t agree with everything she has to say, her perspective on parenting will get you thinking! References from this Podcast: Free-Range Kids Website

We chat about bugs, vacations and a new ELLIEISM, give a couple shout outs, get buzzed with Alli P., talk to Lenore Skenazy (author of Free Range Kids) about her upcoming reality show and get the latest news with Nodelman.  Enjoy and thanks for listening!

This week's Amy Tiemann talks to kindred spirit Lenore Skenazy, author of the book Free-Range Kids and founder of FreeRangeKids.com. Lenore has been at the forefront advancing the trend of giving kids more independence and ability to roam and explore.  Her work was one of the inspirations for Amy Tiemann to join this cultural conversation wtih the creation of Courageous Parents, Confident Kids. So join Amy and Lenore for a wide-ranging discussion!  One more bit of resonance: next month on April 19th, the new paperback edition of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry) will be published the same day as the launch of Amy's special free digital download offer for Courageous Parents, Confident Kids:  Letting Go So You Both Can Grow.  Visit MojoMom.com to learn more about Amy's limited-time offer.

Amy and Sheryl are really on the go this week.  Amy is recovering from last week's successful Mojo Recharge Retreat, and Sheryl has many end-of-semester balls in the air, but still finds time to call in to do the podcast!Then Mojo Mom talks to Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids.  Last year Lenore became (in)famous for her article about letting her 9-year-old son ride home by himself on the New York Subway, and now she has continued to explore the issues of giving kids freedom and responsibility in her book and blog.As Lenore writes, "Do you ever let your kid ride a bike to the library? Walk alone to school? Take a bus, solo? Or are you thinking about it? If so, you are raising a Free Range Kid! At Free Range, we believe in safe kids. We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school age children go outside, they need a security detail. Most of us grew up Free Range and lived to tell the tale. Our kids deserve no less."