By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 1 minute

This Is Not Neglect. Not a Crime. Not Abnormal. WE Are Abnormal

The idea that kids can't do anything alone till they're 29 is NEW, as this vintage ad reminds us. A young child could run an errand, talk to an adult,...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 3 minutes

One Teen’s Argument for Why Parents Shouldn’t Read Texts

There's been a lot of focus on how technology is changing kids' relationships with each other, and the need for parents to closely monitor their kids' interactions online. But what...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 2 minutes

Why Are Maya Children’s Attention Spans So Much Better Than American’s?

NPR reported the fascinating results of a study on children's attention spans. It found that Maya kids who grew up in Guatemala paid attention at twice the rate of the American...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 3 minutes

How Dare the News Report This Non-Event as an “Attempted Abduction at Rest Stop”?

The headline is terrifying: Mother gives warning after attempted abduction at rest stop And yet the story is anything but. See if you feel the same. 10TV.com in Columbus, OH,...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 3 minutes

School Pick Up Is a Pain. Why Can’t Kids Self-Dismiss?

It's a question I get all the time. "School pick up is such a pain. Why am I required to pick my kid up when he's fine walking home by...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 5 minutes

How to Overcome Fear Based Parenting

It's a natural instinct for any parent: the need to protect their child from danger. The problem is, parents these days seem to see danger everywhere they look. How you...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 3 minutes

Let Grow Celebrates the Passage of the Utah Free Range Parenting Law

Ten years ago I wrote an article that sparked a media firestorm: "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone." The excitement led to a movement known as Free-Range...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 2 minutes

What Does It Mean When 8-10% of School Absenteeism Is Due to Child ANXIETY?

Read this piece and you will see why it is SO NECESSARY to get kids doing some stuff on their own besides just homework, Instagram and structured "college-bound" activities.  ....
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 2 minutes

Why A No Rules Recess Might Be Just What Your School Needs

A New Zealand school made headlines a few years back when it introduced a No Rules Recess policy. They did away with all the don'ts at recess (except for the...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 2 minutes

Professors Reveal Secret to Succeeding at Harvard

Erika and Nicholas Christakis have noticed a troubling trend: students don't know how to play anymore. As they noted in an article for CNN, they constantly see their students struggling...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 3 minutes

Dear Media: Stop Reporting “My Kid Was Almost Sex Trafficked!” Facebook Posts as News

Dear News Media: Yesterday while jogging, I noticed a squirrel on my neighbor's lawn. I got to my driveway and THERE HE WAS AGAIN. I am POSITIVE he was plotting...
By Lenore Skenazy

Read Time: 2 minutes

The Shockingly Simple Way to Stop Helicopter Parenting

Even if you want to stop worrying about your child's safety any time they are beyond the front lawn (or on it!), we live in a culture driving us nuts...