JAMIE WELLS:
Free-range parenting
is a movement that came
about in response
to helicopter parenting.
So helicopter parenting would
be when everybody is
over-scheduling their child
and really not allowing them
to breathe
and worrying
about every possible thing that
can possibly go wrong.
I think the problem about why
people view different stances
of helicopter parenting
or free-range parenting
as controversial
is that people want to think
in absolutes, and that's just
not the way of life.
It's very
important at some points
to allow your child to go out
on their own,
be independent, learn
from their own mistakes.
And there are moments where
there is true and accurate
danger, where it's very
important for parents
to intervene heavily and avoid
a negative outcome
for their child.
A good thing
about free-range parenting
would be not having your child
over-scheduled allows them to be
innovative,
allows them to be imaginative,
to occupy their time
and not have to be
beholden
to electronic techniques,
classes to entertain themselves,
because you need-- and you will
thrive in life-- when you have
the capacity to enjoy moments
even in the stillness.
That's very
important to your mental health
and well-being.
It's very important to know
that this one child should not
be raised exactly the same
as this sibling of that child.
People are individuals.
It's not
a robot-existence childhood,
and it shouldn't be.
And we shouldn't be wanting
to raise drones.
We should be wanting to raise
expressive kids who are going
to be innovators, who are going
to change the world in better
ways.
And stripping them
of this creativity
is not going to benefit
themselves, nor will it ever
benefit society.
