Not that I did any. Here’s a blog about raising ‘free range’ kids. Paul and I TRIED not to raise fearful timid kids…. but you have to remember that both of our kids have been assaulted since we moved to Vancouver, and somebody tried to abduct Katie when she was thirteen. Trying to raise free range kids in the face of that is a daunting proposition. Even so, I think of the freedom I had as a child and I think the world is hopelessly uckfayed.
In other news, I left the bedroom door open last night in case either of the kitty cats got lonely, and long about 5 am Eddie came in and serenaded me and then jumped on the bed and thought dark, “Where’s Daddy?” thoughts at me. Well sorry, bud, but Jeff’s out of town right now, and he’ll be back later. As for me, I’m off to unlimber chairs at church. Which reminds me of the scene about a robotized chair stacker in a science fiction story that I would have had critiqued by two famous sf writers at a workshop in Edmonton… except 9/11 happened. o well, I can still daydream about Unitarians in Space! I should blow the dust off that story and submit it someplace. Or maybe I should just post it here, that would be easier.
When Jenn was a small child I allowed her to go by herself and buy a cookie, BUT I was watching. If any guy came sniffing around Jenn I would have tackled him to the ground. 2 out of 10 girls will be sexually molested by a predator (most predators will be a family member or family friend) — young boys are not entirely safe either. I think I was able to provide Jenn with a sense of independence in a safe way.
It’s a tough gig, parenting.