tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post1278669071502844841..comments2023-12-31T20:43:08.499-05:00Comments on THE STILETTO GANG: Free Children?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-79730429822549465972010-05-27T08:42:53.393-04:002010-05-27T08:42:53.393-04:00Wow. All I can say is WOW. I have a 7 year old a...Wow. All I can say is WOW. I have a 7 year old and there's no way in H E double toothpicks I'd ever drop him off at a park and leave. NO WAY! <br /><br />I'm wouldn't even let him walk to a friend's house alone. I agree with the author's premise that we need to have our kids play outdoors more, let them stretch their limits, spread their wings, etc, but safety has to come first always, and in these times, there are crazies out there our children need to be protected. <br /><br />No need to be a helicopter parent, but a smart one is a requirement.Misahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09841388306033941061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-10845494518939658742010-05-26T13:22:38.135-04:002010-05-26T13:22:38.135-04:00Gee--it looks like I'm not alone and for that ...Gee--it looks like I'm not alone and for that I'm grateful! Barbara, I'm glad you agree. Rachel, wait until you have to send your son into a men's room alone...there's not enough xanax in the world to keep you calm until he emerges. Zita, I have seen guys hassle young girls in this town, so it's not just the big city. I took off after some guy (a few years back) who was making lewd comments to a couple of high school girls as they walked home from school (yes, just me, my "Mom" jeans, and my 15-pound terrier) who were thoroughly freaked out. This was way before my own kids started walking to school and I was really skeeved by the whole thing happening in our sleepy little town. Laura, I'm with you on the cell phone--if it gives you peace of mind, so be it. Sending your child off to Tennessee is big stuff! (Our district winners just left yetserday by bus...god bless the parents who go with them.) 25 or 30 years old sounds about right for any of these milestones!Dea, Kia, Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01343657178001614404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-8678176547833004662010-05-26T13:11:04.373-04:002010-05-26T13:11:04.373-04:00This post speaks to me because just yesterday I pu...This post speaks to me because just yesterday I put my 12-yr-old daughter on a plane with her Destination Imagination team-mates and two adult coaches to compete at global finals in TN. We got her a pay-as-you-go cell phone to take so she can call us whenever she wants to. I know it's time to let out the reins--she's mature, smart, kind, and all that--but it's hard. My "no duh" insight for the day: Different kids are ready for different levels of responsibility at different ages. She might be ready, but I'm not sure I am!Laura DiSilveriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948548540796537864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-86197562508737348202010-05-26T12:10:11.529-04:002010-05-26T12:10:11.529-04:00I'm with you, Maggie. You might get away with ...I'm with you, Maggie. You might get away with it in a small town where everyone knows everyone and an adult will stop a stranger trying to take your child, but in a big city? Most adults don't know you or your children, so if someone walks up to a kid and they walk away together, why would they stop them? For all they know that's you or your nanny picking up the kid. Nope, 7 or 8 is way too young. I'm thinking 25 or 30 is better =).Zitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10934983183390982361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-54045683417916170232010-05-26T10:24:50.800-04:002010-05-26T10:24:50.800-04:00Like you, Maggie, I think I arrive at these "...Like you, Maggie, I think I arrive at these "separation" milestones later than most. I related to your three-doors-down anxiety. Letting my kids use a public restroom without me was a big deal. My oldest is nine, and I still won't let her ride her bike around the block unless I'm there. I'm playing odds, I think. The risk of something bad (okay, that's a euphemism for a kidnapper) happening is really small, but if I'm there, the risk is zero. It's taking me a long time to let out the leash.<br /><br />There's no way I'd like my daughters play alone at a park at this age. Everybody has a different boundary. The people whose nine-year-olds are at the park alone are irresponsible in my view, and I recognize that I'm over-protective in theirs.<br /><br />(heart palpitations) Parenting is hard! I guess we all just do the best we can.Rachel Bradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-89014245607838897452010-05-26T10:09:34.688-04:002010-05-26T10:09:34.688-04:00I have to lean toward your opinion - that there mu...I have to lean toward your opinion - that there must be a happy medium. I agree we need to "mother" our children less, or rather "mother" differently by letting our kids out of our sight once in a while. But seven or eight does seem a bit young. It's one thing if you live in a nice suburban neighborhood where they can walk down the street by themselves - but to leave them in a park? I'd suggest maybe waiting until 11 years old -- middle school age perhaps.Barb Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072071829424338777noreply@blogger.com