Free Range Kids

LENORE SKENAZY is a syndicated columnist, humorist, and founder of Free-Range Kids. She has written for periodicals from Reader's Digest to The Times (of London) to Mad magazine, and been a commentator on CNBC, the Food Network, and NPR. Her books include The Dysfunctional Family Christmas Songbook and Who's the Blonde That Married What's-His-Name? She lives with her husband and two sons in New York City.

Introduction. Welcome To - Yikes!. The Fourteen Free Range Commandments. 1. KNOW WHEN TO WORRY. Playdates and Axe Murderers: How To Tell The Difference. 2. TURN OFF THE NEWS. Go Easy On The 'Law & Order,' Too. 3. AVOID EXPERTS. Who Knew You Were Doing Everything Wrong? ...Them. 4. BOYCOTT BABY KNEE PADS. And The Rest of the Kiddie Safety-Industrial Complex. 5. DON'T THINK LIKE A LAWYER. Some Risks are Worth It. 6. IGNORE BLAMERS. They Don't Know Your Kid Like You Do. 7. EAT CHOCOLATE. Give Halloween Back To The Trick-or-Treaters. 8. STUDY HISTORY. Your 10-Year-Old Would Have Been Forging Horse Shoes (Or At Least Delivering The Paper). 9. BE WORLDLY. Why Other Countries Are Laughing at Zee Scaredy-Cat Americans. 10. GET BRAVER. Quit Trying to Control Everything. It Doesn't Work Anyway. 11. RELAX. Not Every Little Thing You Do Has That Much Impact On Your Child's Development. 12. FAIL!. It's The New Succeed. 13. LOCK THEM OUT. Make Them Play - Or else. 14. LISTEN TO YOUR KIDS. They're Sick of Being Babies (Except The Actual Babies, Of Course). SAFE OR NOT? THE A-Z GUIDE TO EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT BE WORRIED ABOUT. STRANGERS WITH CANDY. Even the Folks Who Put The Faces On Milk Cartons Aren't Too Worried. CONCLUSION. SOURCES. RESOURCES. ABOUT THE AUTHOR. INDEX.