When I did my first long-distance bicycle rides in Amish country 12-13 years ago, it brought back memories of my childhood. Kids were outside playing in their yards. Since then I’ve had Amish kids race me out on the road, pony vs bicycle, or bicycle vs bicycle. I like it. You seldom see kids enjoying the outdoors any more. I chalked up the change to video games and television. Now I’d add the Internet.
But I just now learned about another possibility that I must confess I hadn’t thought of: Parents are afraid to let their children play outside. I learned about this phenomenon from Lenore Skenazy, a columnist and reporter for the New York Sun.
She got into the topic when she let her kid go riding the New York City subway alone, for which she was greatly reviled by the safety-obsessed among us.
For her action, I hereby give her a Leviathan Ankle-Biter award.
She won’t bring down the welfare-police state all by herself. For all I know, she may have voted for Obama. But such behaviors are a threat to those who want to define freedom as security. (She did choose not to be one of the Obama groupies in the MSM. I haven’t heard whether the others avoid socializing with her because of her lack of fervor.)
She has a blog: Free Range Kids. The subtitle: Let’s give our children the freedom we had!