Walking while young.
That seems to be against the law in Silver Springs, Md. As you have probably heard, parents Danielle and Alexander Meitiv are fighting an investigation by Montgomery County Child Protective Services for having let their kids do just that.
It was a Saturday in December when the Meitiv kids, ten and six, were walking home with their dad. (Mom was out of town.) They passed their favorite park and the kids asked dad if they could play there for a while — without him — and then head home by themselves, about a mile.
The Meitivs are a family that believes in Free-Range Kids, the movement I started (more on that in a sec). So papa said yes. But a little while later, someone spotted them walking unsupervised and called the authorities.
The cops sprang into action, scooped the kids into the cruiser, and brought them home. When dad answered the door, the policewoman asked to see his ID.
More @ NRO
Doesn't suprise me, given the incident occured in an east coast liberal state. Zero common sense applied to the situation, but a total "we're only following orders" mindset. We do have a problem with childhood obesity and overall lack of physical fitness, in part due to the lack of regular exercise (aka kids not spending enough time outdoors playing). But since it was not done in the politically correct, state approved method, the dad is considered to be a criminal. More conditioning of the public,to be good little surfs ...er....citizens to the state.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, I walked or ride my bike to school, which was about a mile away daily regardless of the weather. Yes, that means in the rain or the sub zero cold. That just the way it was, and one just dressed for the weather.
As for playing outside without the consant need to have an authority person watching/spying on you: I was from that era when mom would tell you to go outside an play. With the only rule or admonition being, "just be home in time for supper (or lunch".
Dad, pack your bags, take your kids, and get the hell out of that state.
Dad, pack your bags, take your kids, and get the hell out of that state.
DeleteAmen and similar.
When I was a boy, my mother would say
"If it snows, you don't see Brock from after breakfast until it's dark."
http://www.namsouth.com/viewtopic.php?t=3286&highlight=snow
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Check this one out.
http://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-jersey-incident-what-motivates.html
The author "invented" the "Free Range Kids" movement?
ReplyDeleteDang, I was running "Free Range" as a kid in the 70's and 80's.
During summer, I'd head out in the morning after breakfast, check in at lunch (either phone call from a friend's house or come home for lunch) and be home when it got dark for dinner.
Never suspected it might be some kind of movement. I guess my mom was a pioneer, along with every other mother around that time, by throwing the kids out of the house to play all day.
Evidently. :)
DeleteIs it a crime to pay with $1.00 bills. Laughable moment, indeed. Crimes, crimes,
ReplyDeleteeverywhere a crime.
http://rt.com/usa/229051-arrest-one-dollar-tax/
Funny. Thanks.
Delete