Jess Olson ([info]jessbunbun) wrote,
@ 2008-04-04 08:48:00
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How is this for parenting - and other news from NYC?
http://www.nysun.com/news/why-i-let-my-9-year-old-ride-subway-alone

Some of you have kids, what do you think of this story? Personally, I like it.

I've found some weird site that apparently has stories I like to read because here is something about congestion pricing coming to NYC. (Congestion pricing is an answer to scarcity of streets for the [high] number of people that want to drive on them.) Instead of paying for the streets in time, you pay in cash. Enjoy:

http://www.nysun.com/blog/culture-congestion/one-cheer-congestion-pricing

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[info]mkwhite
2008-04-04 04:06 pm UTC (link)
I'm not a parent, but I was raised by at least one, and sometimes two, parents who had a similar philosophy. And I greatly appreciated it. We left urban life and moved to a small town when I was 12, and at that point they'd never let me take the Metro by myself (though I'm not sure they would've said no if I'd asked to). But I was allowed to wander the neighborhood alone for hours, cross major streets, etc. when I was still pretty young. They never insisted that we stay near them in stores, never had a problem with dropping us off a the movie theater or roller rink and picking us up hours later.

I know there are a lot of dangers out there, but honestly, being twitchy and overprotective isn't going to keep people safe ... danger can always find a way in. And independence and self-reliance are good. I think that people will turn out as more responsible adults if they have to take a little responsibility as children.

But again, I'm not a parent.

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[info]ramhist
2008-04-04 05:50 pm UTC (link)
Ditto -- as long as I told my folks where I'd be and when I'd be back, my parents were usually pretty happy for me to wander by myself in the neighborhood or in stores.

And I definitely agree that helicopter parenting isn't the best way to go -- I think it does more for the parents than it does for the kids.

Again -- not a parent.

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