GainesvilleMoms.com

So, read the article and let me know what you think. Was she wrong? Are people over reacting? Are we 'coddling' our children in America?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/133103

I think it's really hard....would I let my 10 year old ride a subway in New York alone..no, but I do feel like sometimes we can be too overprotective. I mean when I was a kid, my parents let us do stuff that if they had done it today I'm sure someone would have called DCF! I think it has to do with how much information we have today....we hear everyday about a child gone missing out of their own house and it's scary! It's really hard to find a balance between teaching them to be confident in their abilities and making sure they get home safe.

I'm with bishop. I would never let my 10 year old ride the subway alone. However, so many of our children know no independence. They've been hand held all of their lives and don't know how to think or act for themselves. I think that because the population continues to sky rocket and because of the internet and news outlets, it seems as if there are more bad things happening today than there used to. More kidnappings, more sexual assault, more violence. In reality I bet that these numbers haven't changed much over the years.

as children, very young in the 60's, we were allowed to ride the subways in NY alone. But so much has changed since then too. I mean I can remember the crimes going on in our area.

I have not lived in NYC since I was 8 yr/old. and have never returned to NYC either, but I can't imagine things getting better...especially for children.

Because of the way society and time has changed, I too would not let my 10 y/o ride alone. The risk is to high. I hope the article does not spark something to make things worse for the child...even if I can understand why folks are complaining about it.

I always am in the in between the two extremes. My son is wanting to be so independent, but at the same time I have such a hard time letting go.
For me, letting him play outside around the house is good for me. Maybe in another year or two, I will let him ride his bike around the neighborhood, but right now I don't feel comfortable with it.
It is so hard to find that right balance. Sometimes being the only parent in the house I feel more pressure to make sure the kids are safe. But I know in reality we live in a really safe neighborhood, generally speaking.
I don't think I would let my child ride public transportation along till closer to teenager, but that is because my kids are used to the country also.

I know a lot of people were calling this mom "progressive." But had something had happened to the kid, had he been hurt, can you imagine what people would have been saying?

IMHO, I would rather err on the side of being too protective They will have the rest of their lives to learn independence ; ) Of course, we are raising them to be thoughtful, responsible, independent adults, but there has to be some sort of balance of slowly giving them their independence. Just my .02.