Should We Give Our Kids More Freedom? Why We Support ‘Free-Range Parenting’

If your child asked if they could play out alone for the first time, what would you say? Would you encourage them, willing them to enjoy time independently? Or would you worry about what might happen, imagining the worst-case scenario?

Every decade, new parenting trends emerge – from ‘intensive’ to ‘tiger’ and even ‘lawnmower’ mums and dads. Your answer to the question above might depend on whether you’re a ‘helicopter’, or the opposite, a ‘free-range’ parent. 

Free-range parenting evolved from an American paediatrician, Dr. Benjamin Spock back in 1946, who encouraged parents to take a more laissez-faire approach to bringing up their kids. The 1990s saw a rise in “helicopter” parenting, with a focus on keeping kids safe – yet in 2009, a shift back towards the relaxed approach was noted, as documented in Lenore Skenazy’s book, ‘Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry’.

[Read More: ‘Intensive parenting’ is a 2019 trend – does it sound like you?]

In light of it being half-term, the NSPCC has shared advice for parents who might want to let their kids go out alone. “You might be wondering if your child is ready to go out alone to play and explore with friends,” the charity tweeted. “We’ve got some tips to help you make a decision.”

The charity reminds parents to talk to their kids about the dangers in advance of them playing out alone, set some rules, build children’s confidence and keep the conversation going about their safety. 

Should we all be taking a free-range approach to our parenting? We asked two parents to give us their views.