Did it again

The Island Packet did it again.

It grabbed my attention.

A week or so ago, the first page headline was “Free range parenting bill supported by Senate panel.”

That bill, according to the article, means that kids would be allowed to play outdoors unsupervised at times.

At first glance, the bill seems to fall into the realm of the absurd.  Of course, kids should be able to play outdoors without adult supervision. 

I know that the Mister, his brother and their friends were seriously under-supervised. Oh, the (naughty) things they did.  The (dubious) places they went. I won’t go into detail here lest I reveal activities that might be outside the statutes of limitation.

I, on the other hand, was never not supervised.  My parents put my bicycle in a bay window in the attic, kick stand down for stabilization, support and safety.  I pedaled in-situ for many years.

One of us is well adjusted.  The other not so much. 

Every day in the summer, our boys went outside, first thing in the morning, deep  into our woods.  They came home when they heard the dinner bell.  What they did during those days is a mystery to me.  And will remain there in perpetuity.

Life clearly isn’t as simple as it was then.  I have great empathy for today’s parents.  When to hold on tight; when to let go?

There just aren’t any easy answers.  Free-range parenting bills notwithstanding.

Image thanks to humanechoice.com.au