Kids on top of the big toy at school

There was a fundraiser a couple weeks ago at the island school, a pancake breakfast and rummage sale, and the playground was filled with families.  A clump of the six to eight year olds made the familiar climb to the roof of the big toy, and their parents (with infinite good sense) tried not to watch too closely.  There aren’t safety nets or foam rubber mats underneath this structure; no railings or fences or warning signs.  Our children learn to trust themselves by being trusted.

A friend of mine here recently told me about the Free Range Kids website/blog.  It was the first time I’d ever known that anyone in the outside world felt the same way about kids.  Check it out; the person who started that blog will be on Dr. Phil on Sept 29.  Risk is something crucial that we’ve lost from child-rearing, and it’s not replaceable through other means.