https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:56:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852840 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:53:31 +0000 aprk 852840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mewtill: Agree. I like the idea of having conversations with your child and to me, it's like taking as many chances as you can to capitalize on a learning opportunity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852822 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:50:20 +0000 FarmWifeGina 852822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, I'm definitely a free-range parent. It helps that we live in the middle of nowhere, in a small, safe farming community. Ha, maybe living here is helicopter parenting at its finest, lol. My kids play outside a lot. I watch from the windows and yell if I see them going into the barn or workshop (they're 4 and 2). Otherwise they wander and ride their tricycles and when they come in I pick the ticks off of them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852796 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:38:21 +0000 rawrasaur 852796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I identify loosely with free-range parenting.<br /> I feel like no matter what you do, there is always the chance of something bad happening. I want my kid(s) to live life and explore while making sure they understand where dangers exist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852795 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:37:30 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 852795@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprk: RIE clicks for me too. Not everything, but I like the take on things like sportscasting. </p> <p>@zippylef: I feel like I'll be somewhat free range. Right now he's only 8 months and I try not to entertain him &amp; let him play/discover for himself. I want to give him the freedom to learn his own lessons &amp; build self-confidence. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852773 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:29:35 +0000 aprk 852773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: it's pretty interesting. I don't subscribe to ALL of it, but I like the basis behind it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852702 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:57:25 +0000 immabeetoo 852702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprk: that is on my list of books to read! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852675 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:45:49 +0000 immabeetoo 852675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think my parents were pretty free range with me and I appreciate how it encourages independence and creativity. I am definitely a worrier but I try to temper that as much as I can! The first 3 months mellowed me out more than I would've ever imagined, so I'm hoping that continues as LO gets more active and older. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852664 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:40:34 +0000 hummusgirl 852664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really want to be a free range parent. I am kind of neurotic and paranoid but I do think that kids need to find their own way and that the world is actually just as safe or safer now than it's ever been. I just hope the rational side of my brain can convince the worrywart side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852656 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:37:58 +0000 banana 852656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think by nature I'm more of a helicopter parent. I'm a worry-wart and always have been! I always thought I would be a super duper helicopter mama. But I've become so much more laid back when we found out my son had some developmental delays (mainly speech but it affects so much). We let him do a lot of things on his own and let him figure it out. If he wanders away from us, we let him get "lost" (we're watching him of course) so that he learns to stay close. We'll let him bump into something or fall off something if we think he won't get seriously hurt because he needs to learn to balance. We let him play outside unsupervised for as long as he wants. We'll let him touch something hot (as long as it won't burn him) so that he learns what hot feels like. We'll encourage him stay in his room and play with a box and markers for an hour so that he can unleash his creativity. We let him eat dirt and play with bugs and just be a boy. Dirt and bugs would've been no-no's before (yuck!). He's definitely changed me as a parent. So I think sometimes you just have to follow your child and adapt your parenting style to match their needs. I've become a lot more chameleon-like. I guess that's my parenting style? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852621 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:23:47 +0000 CottonCandy 852621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. I am a helicopter parent, and I totally admit it. I worry way too much and I know its not doing my kids any favors by being like that. I actually admire parents who are laid back and able to relax a little (within reason, of course). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852564 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:03:00 +0000 Maysprout 852564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let her explore more than I've seen other parents do, I want her to know how to do stuff independently and be capable but at the same time I am a worrier so I try to balance the two. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852490 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:32:41 +0000 Lindsay05 852490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am very free range! This may sound crude but the only thing that warrants sympathy is if she is sick or hurting from teething. Bumps and bruises get nothing (i mean if its really bad we confort but dont let her play it up). She is learning very quickly that whining gets her nothing :) i watch my LO as she stands on a stack of books trying to climb the tv stand lol. I would obviously stop it if it got too dangerous but kids need to learn the hard way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852474 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:24:12 +0000 Anagram 852474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a big worrier by nature, but I think I'll strike a balance between total free-range parenting and being a helicopter parent. My parents were free-range parents (as many parents were in that generation), mainly because they had 6 kids and couldn't possibly watch all of us at once.</p> <p>We lived out in the country and roamed pretttttty freely--VERY freely by today's standards, but things did happen as a result of that.<br /> -My sister fell down the stairs (no baby gates!) and broke her leg at the ripe old age of 2.<br /> -I got a hairline fracture of my skull from the top of my head to behind my ear (and a severe concussion) at 5, because I would always climb up my older brother's sisters' legs and flip backwards (no one ever told me not to!)<br /> -a neighbor boy completely severed his finger in our backyard from falling from our playground equipment to the ground (and getting a finger caught on the way down). My mom had to find the finger, pack it on ice, and call 911 (they were able to reattach it).<br /> -My brother shot me in the ankle with a bow and arrow (yup, we were allowed to play with real bow and arrows without parents around). I still have that scar, almost 28 years later. Enough said.<br /> -I was in a tornado, alone with with 1 year old sister, at the age of 7. I was scarred for about 25 years after that during every storm. My mom had left us alone at home to go pick up my sister after band practice and was made to stay at the school because of the tornado. Leaving kids at home alone for 20 minutes was VERY common then.</p> <p>There are sooo many more stories I could tell. Basically, we were allowed to experience A LOT as kids, totally on our own. Very free range indeed.</p> <p>These things make my parents seem almost negligent--but they totally weren't! They cared a lot about us and did a great job parenting, I think. But certain incidences could have been MUCH worse and it's just sheer luck that none of us had worse injuries that we did.</p> <p>Long story short-- I think there's a balance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852454 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:15:20 +0000 aprk 852454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You might be interested in the RIE concepts of this book: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Self-Confident-Baby-Encourage-Abilities/dp/1118158792" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Your-Self-Confident-Baby-Encourage-Abilities/dp/1118158792</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852450 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:13:40 +0000 runsyellowlites 852450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm pretty free-range! G's been playing outside by himself since he was 5/6... He is requested to check in periodically, has some ground rules like not playing in the ditch, barefooted (he's cut his foot before), and to be in when the street lights come on (along with the rules of the apt complex when we lived there), but otherwise he comes &amp; goes and does his thing. I've never been a helicopter parent &amp; I am in no way responsible for his constant entertainment! lol We connect during dinner &amp; through periodic things we may do together as a family but otherwise the day is for him to find himself &amp; his own day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852447 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:12:10 +0000 yoursilverlining 852447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a very laid back parent which I guess translates into "free-range". I definitely am not a helicopter parent! I think bumps and bruises are normal, and that losing sometimes is good and that getting your heartbroken is good too. (that sounds mean, haha)</p> <p>This weekend at my LO's 1st birthday I gave her a whole strawberry, which is one of her favorite foods. She prefers them whole and eats the berry right down to the stem and has never had any choking issues. This mom sees my LO with the strawberry (right after I stepped a few feet away from her) and runs over to me all "omgomgomg your daughter has a WHOLE STRAWBERRY!!!" When I explained I gave it to her, she likes it that way the other mom said she would never do that because she's paranoid about choking hazards. I just shrugged my shoulders, I dunno; she's always eaten them that way! I had never really given it a second thought ;-P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852443 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:11:15 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 852443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I subscribe to this theory and really like it. I am just by nature not a worrier so it fits my personality.</p> <p>Here's a blog I used to subscribe to on my reader - <a href="http://www.freerangekids.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.freerangekids.com/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852442 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:10:11 +0000 Andrea 852442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Isn't this just what our parents did? Not sure we need a "theory" for it. But I am a fan! I think people get too crazy about being perfect parents and having perfect kids nowadays. Let's chill out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852437 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:06:47 +0000 PurpleUnicorn 852437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i never heard of this as a theory. i feel like this is how a lot of parents used to be and our generations are so much more protective. sometimes for good reason. I was also raised similarly to how you described (haven't clicked on the links yet). Will I be a "free range" parent myself? I can't say yet. With my 7 mo baby I feel like i am free range in some ways, but over protective in others, so I guess I will see how I pan out. I don't have a "plan" of what theory/type of parent I will fit into though. I just take it one week at a time and as needed, discuss things with DH. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852430 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:04:18 +0000 MrsKoala 852430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love this style and I hope that I am able to parent this way. I'm in general a laid back person so maybe that will translate to how I am as a mom? I'll definitely read up more on it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/free-range-parenting#post-852410 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:53:48 +0000 loveisstrange 852410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I saw an article on Offbeat Families about a lady talking about how she admires a friend who practices what she calls "free-range parenting". </p> <p><a href="http://offbeatfamilies.com/2013/06/free-range-parenting" rel="nofollow">http://offbeatfamilies.com/2013/06/free-range-parenting</a></p> <p>Honestly, the friend sounded a lot like me. I don't really fit into a lot of "parenting" categories. So I did some research on it.</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_parenting" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_parenting</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.familycircle.com/teen/parenting/discipline/benefits-of-free-range-parenting/" rel="nofollow">http://www.familycircle.com/teen/parenting/discipline/benefits-of-free-range-parenting/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/free-range-parenting" rel="nofollow">http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/free-range-parenting</a></p> <p>I think the whole theory is pretty awesome. I guess I'm a free-range parent, even before I knew it had a name or was even a legit school of thought. I agree with not needing to stimulate kids all the time with structured activities. I agree with not hovering around. I do think kids need to explore and be independent and learn things by themselves, even if it does lead to a few bumps and bruises. I feel like this is how my parents raised me. I was allowed to be on our street but not go off hte street, I was allowed to play outside unsupervised, and I only had the "come home when the street lights come on" restriction during school breaks.</p> <p>I'm a very laid-back mom.</p> <p>Are you a "free range" parent? What do you think of this school of thought? </p>