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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Is Free-Range Parenting Child Endangerment?

Parents in a suburb of Washington, DC let their 6- and 10-year old kids walk home unattended from a local park. Now they’re among the parents around the country in legal limbo for encouraging kids to grow up independent and responsible for themselves. How much supervision is too much? Is GPS monitoring the answer?

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By Warren Olney • Apr 3, 2015 • 1 min read

Parents in a suburb of Washington, DC let their 6- and 10-year old kids walk home unattended from a local park. Now they’re among the parents around the country in legal limbo for encouraging kids to grow up independent and responsible for themselves. How much supervision is too much? Is GPS monitoring the answer?

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Christine Detz

    Producer, 'To the Point'

  • KCRW placeholder

    Sáša Woodruff

    Producer, 'To the Point'

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Jenny Hamel

    KCRW

  • KCRW placeholder

    Danielle Meitiv

    "free-range parent"

  • KCRW placeholder

    Melissa Staas

    Family Defense Center

  • KCRW placeholder

    Kim Brooks

    author of “Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear”

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