freedom for child from parents essay

Informed Families - The Florida Family Partnership

• Board of Trustees
• President's Bio
• Annual Report
• Red Ribbon Campaign®
• Lock Your Meds®
• Safe Homes Smart Parties
• Red Ribbon Certified Schools
• ALERTS / NEWS
• President's Monthly Message
• Community Connections
• School Administrators
• Webinar Videos
• The Parent Report Card
• Parent Peer Groups
• Learn About Our Ambassador Program

Informed Families Catalyst

Why granting kids more freedom is good.

Posted by Informed Families on December 3, 2021 at 10:00 AM

The debate over free-range parenting began a few decades ago, with the rise of news reports about increases in a kidnapping. Suddenly, kids who for generations had roamed the neighborhood on their own, playing with their friends after dark, and walking alone to school, were under 24-hour lockdown.

Driven to and from school, to play dates, and to supervised sporting events, kids may have been safer, but they also lost the sense of freedom to explore, to develop autonomy, and the ability to learn to navigate their place in the world.

Free-range benefits

The idea of granting kids more freedom may seem to go against everything Informed Families has been discussing for years. We strongly encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s lives, especially to help prevent drug and alcohol abuse.

But the concept of free-range parenting—that is, allowing children more freedom to roam and function independently—also involves judicious parental supervision, Dr. Kyle Pruett, M.D., Clinical Professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, told Good Housekeeping magazine.

“Free-range parenting supporters say that it encourages problem-solving skills, promotes creativity, strengthens personality formation, and builds confidence,” he said. It’s the opposite of permissive parenting, where kids are allowed to do anything they want without oversight or guidance.

Small steps

Of course, you need to be aware of the laws in various states regarding unsupervised children, and LetGrow.org provides a handy reference by state. 

But if you want to give your child more room to roam, introduce their freedoms gradually, depending on their age and their individual maturity level.

“Don’t just give your child free access to the neighborhood their first time out,” psychotherapist Amy Rollo told Romper.com.

“First allow them to bicycle on the driveway while you are inside. Maybe the next step is 10 minutes on the sidewalk on [your] street. With each success, your child is learning independence, building confidence, and proving they are ready.”

Once they leave the neighborhood, you can follow them at a distance the first few times to ensure they’re ready.

And thanks to today’s technology, you can keep in regular touch with them while they are out of your sight by, say, having them text you when they get where they’re going.

Also, be sure to teach them about stranger danger and anything else you might be concerned about.

Topics: childhood , safety

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent posts.

• News & Events
• Participate

Informed Families 2490 Coral Way Suite 303 Miami, FL 33145 (305) 856-4886

Employee Login

How Much Freedom Should Parents Give Their Child?

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through the link, I may earn a commission. Learn More.

I asked my son, “How much freedom should parents give their children?” His answer was, “All of it.”

Not a surprise.

Freedom is important for all people, but it’s a difficult power to bestow upon children who are still learning about themselves and their place in the world.

*FYI, some of the links in this article about how much freedom should parents give their child may be affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, we may get a commission (at no extra cost to you). For more info, please see our disclaimer.

How Much Freedom Should Children Have?

Children need to have enough freedom and space to grow and mature while also being protected and guided. Trust is an important part of the parent-child relationship. When it comes to freedom, the balance between too much and not enough is a delicate balance.

This is How Much Freedom to Give Each Child – Based on Age

Freedom is the absence of domination. It’s the ability to act and speak without restraint. Freedom is something that everyone desires, but how much is too much?

How Much Freedom to Give a Toddler?

Freedom doesn’t start as soon as a child is born. A baby is fully dependent upon a parent from day one.

However, those early days of swaddling, nursing, and diapering don’t last long. Once a child starts to crawl, they start craving their independence.

A toddler, walking and grabbing everything in sight, learns what it means to have a strong will.

A little independence goes a long way during the toddler years. It starts with choice . From the toddler years through pre-school age, children need choice rather than fully realized freedoms.

For example, instead of saying, “What snack do you want?” ask, “Do you want grapes or apple slices?” Instead of telling a child to wear a specific outfit, show them two different ones and let them decide.

Choices like this give children a taste of freedom while leaving the parent in the driver’s seat. Children learn how to make good choices, and parents begin to learn to have a looser grasp on the child’s reins.

How Much Freedom Should a School-Age Child Have?

The elementary school years offer a new type of independence. A child naturally has more freedom when they start school. They choose their friends, their recess activities, and the crayons they use for art.

This is also a time when they begin to truly learn about themselves. A child eating a school lunch may realize that they don’t like corn, but they do like carrots.

In the classroom, children might find that they love math but are bored by geography. Learning about themselves in this way makes them desire more freedom in their daily lives.

As parents, we fear that giving our children too much freedom might be dangerous. We have difficulty finding the balance between helicopter parenting and being fully hands-off.

However, kids this age need to be able to make some of their own choices. Let them decide who they play with, what sports they want to try, and what they wear to school.

Draw the line when it comes to safety (bicycle helmets are a must), health (eating vegetables is non-negotiable), and basic rules (the school dress code must be followed).

How Much Freedom Should a Tween Have?

In my experience, the tween years are the most difficult. This is a time when children are torn between being kids and adults.

They want freedom, but they don’t have the life experience to always make the best decisions. This is a time when parents need to try to remember what it was like to be 11 years old.

The struggle between wanting to be cuddled by mom and wanting to run away from home is never stronger. With hormones suddenly in play, decision-making becomes even more difficult.

Increasing freedom a bit more is the best option.

My children went to sleepaway camp for the first time as tweens. They were able to walk to and from school on their own if they wanted. They were also given later bedtimes and their own cell phones.

How Much Freedom Should a Teenager Have?

During the teen years, children are still learning how to be fully independent. They require less severe oversight but still need a parent to give them rules.

It has been proven that more freedom is good for a teen’s mental health . At the same time, too much freedom might lead to life-altering and even dangerous situations.

Keep rules in place but give kids more space to make decisions and mistakes. Otherwise, they will never learn how to be their own people.

At the same time, parents need to always be there for their children. Kids can’t feel as though they are completely on their own when they still have years before they are grown.

The brain isn’t fully developed and matured until age 25 , which means a parent still needs to be there for their kids well past the teen years.

It’s Not a Simple Answer

As it turns out, the simple answer isn’t all that simple. Kids need freedom, but the amount of freedom changes depending on the child and that child’s age.

How much freedom do you give your kids? Share your stories in the comments.

Have You Read These Yet?

• What Age Should You Let Your Child Bathe Alone?
• What Age Should You Let Your Child Go Out With Their Friends?
• What Age Should a Child Put Themselves to Sleep?

Frequently Asked Questions

Teenagers need enough freedom to grow and mature, but they can’t have so much freedom that they make decisions that could cause long-term harm to themselves.

It all starts with trusting your child and starting early with giving age-appropriate freedom little by little and seeing how your child responds with that.

At that age, kids should be able to put themselves to bed and do any pre-bedtime activity by themselves.

About the Author

ParentsPlusKids.com is the go-to resource for new moms and dads who are trying to survive motherhood and fatherhood.

The New York Times

The learning network | how much freedom have your parents given you.

How Much Freedom Have Your Parents Given You?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

• See all Student Opinion »

How old were you when your parents first let you cross the street alone? Walk home from school or a friend’s house? Take public transportation alone? How much, in general, do your parents hover and worry over your academic, physical and psychological development? Would you call them “helicopter” parents? Why or why not?

If so, is this a bad thing?

In “Parenting Advice From ‘America’s Worst Mom,’ ” Jane Brody writes:

Lenore Skenazy, a New York City mother of two, earned the sobriquet “America’s Worst Mom” after reporting in a newspaper column that she had allowed her younger son, then 9, to ride the subway alone. The damning criticism she endured, including a threat of arrest for child endangerment, intensified her desire to encourage anxious parents to give their children the freedom they need to develop the self-confidence and resilience to cope effectively with life’s many challenges. One result was the publication in 2009 of her book “Free Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts With Worry).” A second result is the Free Range Kids Project and a 13-part series, starting Thursday on Discovery Life Channel, called “ World’s Worst Mom .” In it, Ms. Skenazy intervenes to rescue bubble-wrapped kids from their overprotective parents by guiding the children safely through a sequence of once-forbidden activities and showing their anxious parents how well the children perform and how proud they are of what they accomplished. The term “helicopter parents” applies to far more than those who hover relentlessly over their children’s academic and musical development. As depicted in the first episode of the series, it applies to 10-year-old Sam’s very loving mother, who wouldn’t let him ride a bike (“she’s afraid I’ll fall and get hurt”), cut up his own meat (“Mom thinks I’ll cut my fingers off”) or play “rough sports” like skating. The plea from a stressed-out, thwarted Sam: “I just want to do things by myself.” In an interview, Ms. Skenazy said, “Having been brainwashed by all the stories we hear, there’s a prevailing fear that any time you’re not directly supervising your child, you’re putting the child in danger.” The widespread publicity now given to crimes has created an exaggerated fear of the dangers children face if left to navigate and play on their own. Yet, according to Peter Gray, a research psychologist at Boston College, “the actual rate of strangers abducting or molesting children is very small. It’s more likely to happen at the hands of a relative or family friend. The statistics show no increase in childhood dangers. If anything, there’s been a decrease.”

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— What do you think of Lenore Skenazy’s decision to allow her 9-year-old to ride the subway alone? Why?

— What do you remember from your own childhood in terms of the freedoms your parents allowed you, or didn’t? Were you raised to be somewhat “free range,” or were you always directly supervised?

— What milestones of independence or bravery do you remember from childhood? How did your parents handle them?

— How much “helicoptering” do your parents do now? Do you wish they did more or less? Why?

— How do you imagine you’ll raise your children in terms of allowing them freedom to try things that feel somewhat dangerous or risky to you? Why?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Excellent topic. I suggest teachers expand on the idea by discussing what are the best and worst things about being certain ages. A good opportunity for students to reflect on their pasts.

I think that it was fine for her to let her kids ride the subway alone. There’s tons of cameras and cops watch the subway, plus it’s not like it’s the middle of the night when it actually gets dangerous. It’s during the daytime and plenty of people are there. I have about as much freedom as I want as long as I do what I’m supposed to. My parents don’t really helicopter me and just make sure I get good grades.

Excellent Topic , I feel as though if that if they let her ride the subway they are being An unfit Parent Also as an newyorker ive seen alot of crazy people going on the train and arguing with people for no apparent reason this kid is being put in an bad predicament.What kind of freedom i have is if i want to hang out with somebody my parents will have to meet their parents and get their number for safety purposes my first time ever going somewhere with an friend is when i was l3 at that ages supervised but now that I am 15 i can get a little bit of free range being that i am almost 16 and im going to be allowed to drive.My first idependence was being able to stay home that was an big adjustment to independence.My parents Do very little helicoptering they keep an close eye and keep contact with me but its to an low minimum.I will teach my kids that if im hovering its for an good reason and its out of love and safety and you so many kids getting abducted then their parents were never to watch over them and that makes you be more protective growing up and ill teach them to watch their sourroundings.

As a teenager, my mother would not let me ride the subway alone. How do you expect a nine year old to ride one? Parents should give children their freedom, but definitely not this much. It was a risky choice and Ms. Skenazy decided to take it along with other accusations of child endangerment. A child should not be left alone at that age, especially on a subway where there are tracks and hundreds of people around. it is extremely easy for a child to get lost or get hurt. When I was a child, my parents were the original helicopter parents. I could not go anywhere alone or even cross the street myself. My parents were always breathing down my neck. I could not blame them though. From a parent’s perspective, they would have believed that I had enough freedom. From my perspective, not being able to walk to school by myself until the 6th grade was challenging and unfair. How come I didn’t have as much freedom as the other kids? My favorite milestone of independence was riding the public bus on my own for the first time. I felt like an adult, even though many other kids that were younger than me could ride it. For me, it was a big step from just being able to cross the street. I remember seeing my mother crying out the window as I left. As a parent myself, I would probably be as strict as my parents were. It is the only way that I can be sure that they are safe just like I was. I am sure that when my daughter or son rides that bus alone for the first time that I would cry too.

Excellent topic which I have thought a lot about, am not young (79) but was given great freedom as a child, rode a bike everywhere and after moving to NYC for a few years, moved to Tucson. My conclusions, from being around women who trailer their horses, ride in the outback, are that a great gift you can give a child is a sense that the world is safe. A friend who was a child in Germany in WWII is much more cautious, afraid to take the chances that I do and love. I am grateful for the sense that the world is my friend, given to me by my parents, and growing up in the suburbs of NYC. That feeling has stayed with me all these years and enables my joy in life.

Once upon a time there lived a young dreamy prince and a small nest of talking birds-oh wait…that’s right, we live in the real world. Although many people would like to believe we live in a safe, sheltered world where fairy god mothers appear at our worst moments, the truth is the world is not a really great place to live. Don’t get me wrong, there are still good people out there, but we have to be realistic with ourselves and realize we live in a world full of bad people waiting for the opportunity to do bad things. In terms of Lenore Skenazy’s decision to allow her 9-year-old to ride the subway alone, I think it was a bad decision. Of course Ms. Skenazy has the right as a parent to make whatever decisions she thinks are right, but in my own personal opinion, it is far too dangerous for a child to be taking the subway alone. My own childhood was, I think, the epitome of balance. My parents were realistic people who knew that danger was everywhere but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have fun as a kid. I was allowed to play outside with my brothers, as long as I stayed in front of the house where my mom could check up on us and came in when it got dark out. A milestone of independence I remember started when I turned 14 when I was allowed to go out with my friends alone. My mom handled this by making a curfew and demanding I send her texts every few hours. I think it was reasonable of her to have some rules to ensure that that freedom can be enjoyed safely. But before that, I was always supervised when I played outside and my parents never let me walk home alone. My mom doesn’t hover as much nowadays as much as she used to when I was a kid. I’m allowed to go out with my friends alone, but of course I have to text my mom often and I have a curfew. Although any teenager, myself included, would tell you they wanted more freedom, I agree with my mom. It’s not safe to be left alone out at night so I respect that I have a curfew. If someday or somehow in the unforeseen future I decide to have children, I think I’ll raise them the same way I was raised. When they’re younger, I’d never let them walk home alone, stay home alone, play outside alone, etc. I agree with the statement made in “Parenting Advice From ‘America’s Worst Mom,” by Jane Brody, “The damning criticism she endured, including a threat of arrest for child endangerment, intensified her desire to encourage anxious parents to give their children the freedom they need to develop the self-confidence and resilience to cope effectively with life’s many challenges.” I hope that I’d never be stifling as a parent but safety is always something you have to make a top priority when your trying to protect the ones you love.

To begin with, I personally wouldn’t let a 9 year old child ride the bus on their own, just because I feel that is too young of an age and there are many crazy things happening in the world. I would be a little more lenient if the child was a little older if I absolutely had to, but otherwise, I wouldn’t allow it. I may feel like this because when I was younger and even now, my parents didn’t let me do everything I wanted to do, but they weren’t necessarily “helicopter” parents. They let me do things like hang out with friends and create social media accounts, however, I wasn’t allowed to hang out anywhere I wanted to, or go out by myself. I had only been allowed to cross big streets and walk to school by myself when I was fourteen.

A big milestone I remember is when my parents became more lenient by the time I started High School, I was able to do many things as long as I asked for permission first. To me, this is pretty fair and I like their parenting. I felt protected and safe, but I wasn’t being hovered over. Although my brother and I grew up with just the right amount of supervision, I have noticed my parents let my younger brother do more things than I could’ve done at his age. As of right now, I still enjoy the middle range of supervision, not too much and not too little. When I have children, I believe I will raise them like my parents raised my brother and I. On whether I would let them do what they want, it all depends on their age and what the situations are. If I were to feel something is dangerous, I would always want to protect my children and do what would be best as a loving parent.

As shocked as I am, I think Lenore Skenazy was not too careful with her choice. I do not think it is an Okay decision to let a 9 year old to use the subway on their own. It’s a subway, crowded with people, easy to get hurt or lost. I personally think she should have waited for some more time before she allowed her child to ride the subway at the age of 9. What if her son didn’t come back home? What if something happened? I am pretty sure no parent can see that happening. I find there is no exception to this thought, giving freedom is absolutely fine, but giving the freedom that hurts your child is not freedom, it’s nonsense. In terms of freedom, we could say I had a lot but, there is a thin line between freedom and breaking the rules. My parents did supervise me, but they didn’t stop me from trying new things like roller skating. In fact my parents wanted me to try something new. They always raised me with one fundamental; I could have all the freedom I want as long as I stay on the right path, and am always honest. Yes, it is true that they would restrict me from using the bus alone when I was 9, but it was because I don’t get hurt. I wouldn’t call that being imprisoned, in fact I am glad because this is the way they show their feelings for me. For me, the milestone of independence was when I was able to go the movies with my friends, without any parents or siblings to take us. My father was fine with it, as long as my friends were with me. My mother was a little a skeptical about it at first, however after I went a couple of times, she seemed fine with it. I think it was a milestone because that was the first time I went somewhere using the public transportation for the first time. My parents don’t “hover” over me too much, or too little. I believe it’s balanced, and there are limits. Yes, they do not want their little girl making any wrong mistakes, and I completely understand, but sometimes when they do “hover” too much, I notify them and they understand. My parents give me the right amount of independence, and I use that freedom in a positive way. For example, they don’t ground me for accidentally forgetting to do something important. They do get mad at me, but I take it as a way of them showing love towards me. If they didn’t love me, than they wouldn’t get angry, they wouldn’t care if I did something right or wrong. My parents are very understanding and give me enough freedom to pursue my dreams and ideas but I know that there is a really thin line between freedom and breaking the rules as I stated before. In the future, I would give my children the amount of freedom my parents gave me. My parents gave enough freedom, however they waited until the right time to let me do a few things that would be risky for my age. I want to keep their freedom balanced and I want my children to understand that they can have freedom, however that doesn’t mean they can break the rules. I would encourage the same fundamental my parents influenced upon me. They can have the freedom they want, however they have to be able to determine what’s right and follow the right path, and be honest. I want to give my children the type of freedom that allows them to establish more of a moral friendship with me rather than a parent-child relationship.

As shocked as I am, I think Lenore Skenazy was not too careful with her choice. I do not think it is an Okay decision to let a 9 year old to use the subway on their own. It’s a subway, crowded with people, easy to get hurt or lost. I personally think she should have waited for some more time before she allowed her child to ride the subway at the age of 9. What if her son didn’t come back home? What if something happened? I am pretty sure no parent can see that happening. I find there is no exception to this thought, giving freedom is absolutely fine, but giving the freedom that hurts your child is not freedom, it’s nonsense. In terms of freedom, we could say I had a lot but there is a thin line between freedom and breaking the rules. My parents did supervise me, but they didn’t stop me from trying new things like roller skating. In fact my parents wanted me to try something. They always raised me with one fundamental; i could have all the freedom I want as long as I stay on the right path, and am always honest. Yes, it is true that they would restrict me from using the bus alone when I was 9, but it was because I don’t get hurt. I wouldn’t call that being imprisoned, in fact I am glad because this is the way they show their feelings for me. For me, the milestone of independence was when I was able to go the movies with my friends, without any parents or siblings to take us. My father was fine with it, as long as my friends were with me. My mother was a little a skeptical about it at first, however after I went a couple of times, she seemed fine with it. I think it was a milestone because that was the first time I went somewhere using the public transportation for the first time. My parents don’t “hover” over me too much, or too little. I believe it’s balanced, and their are limits. Yes, they do not want their little girl making any wrong mistakes, and I completely understand, but sometimes when they do “hover” too much, I notify them and they understand. My parents give me the right amount of independence, and I use that freedom in a positive way. For example, they don’t ground me for accidentally forgetting to do something important. They do get mad at me, but I take it as a way of them showing love towards me. If they didn’t love me, than they wouldn’t get angry, they wouldn’t care if I did something right or wrong. My parents are very understanding and give me enough freedom to pursue my dreams and ideas but I know that there is a really thin line between freedom and breaking the rules as I stated before. In the future, I would give amount of freedom my parents gave me. My parents gave enough freedom, however they waited until the right time to let me do a few things that would be risky for my age. I want to keep their freedom balanced and I want my children to understand that they can have freedom, however that doesn’t mean they can break the rules. I would encourage the same fundamental my parents influenced upon me. They can have the freedom they want, however they have to be able to determine what’s right and follow the right path, and be honest. I want to give my children the type of freedom that allows them to establish more of a moral friendship with me rather than a parent-child relationship.

I do not think that allowing a young child to ride the subway alone or any public transportation alone is valid. The child is not old enough to make the smart and wise decisions if anything bad were to happen. A young child could be kidnapped easily if he/she does not know what to do or to think in the moment. I remember in my childhood, my grandma would always hold my hand when crossing the street, and only recently when I was at the age of twelve she let me ride the public buses. I was somewhat free ranged, it just depended on the event. If I were to hang out with my friends, my grandma would need approval that she knows them, and at what time I would be coming home. I remember the first day that I had rode the public bus, and my grandma was fine with it, but was also calling me to make sure how far I was from home. I started to feel the independence at that point, and I have been recently getting a lot of it. Most of the reason is that the age describes the independence and freedom for a child, from a parents’ perspective. My grandma always “helicopters” me and always wants me to do my best in school, which is a good thing. When it comes down to my grades, she always asks me everyday which grades have gone up or down. If I raise a child of my own someday, I would like them to have their freedom and independence, and would want them to do their best, but I would want them to be as safe as possible. I would wait until they are about my current age or a few years less to let them start using public transportation etc.

Allowing a young 9-year-old child to ride the subway alone only brings horrible things to my mind. A 9 year old is supposed to experience losing their first tooth, learning how to ride a bike, or even crossing the street alone, but there is an extent (limit) to how much freedom you can give to a young child. By the age of 9 you should start giving your child the minimal amount of freedom such as allowing them to choose their own clothing or allowing them to join a sport, ext. This is what I believe the freedom of a 9-year-old should consist of. Even today, my mother is still skeptical about letting me go out alone, but I understand completely. The world is a dangerous place filled with dangerous people. Sometimes it isn’t even that, its about how I will react or behave when I am alone or with friends without a guardian. When you are surrounded by young adults you usually act silly or goofy ,which can be a dangerous thing in reality. I believe that my parents are more on the stricter side, but I have learned to except it and understand. I wouldn’t believe that I would be as strict as them on the other hand because children should begin to experience different things in society, since mommy and daddy will not always be holding your hand across the street. The beginning of high school showed a new side of my parents because, they learned that I can be trusted. They allowed me to do things that many other teenagers do as well. I was directly supervised my whole life by my whole family. If I had to go somewhere they would take me and watch me until I was done such as going to the library. My parents were definitely considered “helicopter” parents when I was younger because they would always make sure I did the right thing and not the wrong. Today, my parents are much more less of “helicopter” parents, but sometimes I wish they would give me a little more freedom. I understand why they are doing this, and why they are more secure on me than other parents on their children. I imagine that I will raise my children the exact same way, but with minimal changes. Such as where they can go alone without a guardian. I would also be a little less strict a parent if I feel I can trust my child like my parents trust me. I know the things my parents do are for my own sake and I will always be grateful because without them I would not be where I am or who I am today.

This is a great topic to bring to light, especially in today’s society. Parents need to be in their children’s life more but not overbearing. Balancing that is super hard.

At this point in time we hear about a lot of scary things that happen such as kidnappings and disappearances. I feel that parents hover and protect their children so much from the dangers that they dont realize how much they are making their kids miss out. There isn a certain point in trust that you should be able to give to myour children because you raised them and you wou[ldnmt questrion your parenting. Although, there is a fine line between too much freedom and the amount of protection you give yoyur child. From the article I read that Lenore Skenazy allowed her 9 year old ride the subway alone. I feel that is an example of crossing the line. She gave too much freedom to her child. I belive that when I was 9 my parents wouldnt even let me cross the street alone. Her child could have easily gotten lost and not know how to get back home. I would be worried if my child didnt know where they were or where they were going. Also if my child were to ask for help in the situation I wouldnt be comfortable allowing my child to be speaking to complete strangers. Today, there are some things that I wish my parents would allow me to do that my friends are allowed to do. In the end I understand why my parents limit my freedom because anything can honestly happen in any second in time. Im not trying to say that by my parents not allowing me to do some things would prevent dangerous things from happening but it will be a way to reassure them that I am okay and I always respect their decisions.

I feel that my parents give me right amount of freedom for my age. When I think about it I see some little kids maybe seven or eight alone on the streets. When you see these kids I think to myself where are there parents? I feel that as generations go on more and more childrens parents dont care. Like when I was there age I couldn’t just go on the streets and walk around alone. I would have to have an adult with me. As you get older you get more freedom and we shouldn’t take it for granted. Some people take freedom that parents give them to another extent and do many things that aren’t right. Now I see just little kids running on the streets. I always worry about these kids, like what if they get lost or if something happens to them what will there parents do in that situation. They will probably regret leaving them alone, but why leave them alone in the first place. The privalges I got when I was eight compared to kids now that are eight is way different. I remeber my parents holding my hand to cross the street and wouldn’t leave my side. I see eight year olds doing really stupid things that can put their lives at stake and anything could happen. Little kids sometimes don’t know better and good get themsleves in situations which would affect there life. I see kids that are eight like trying to outrun red lights or just riding a bick on the street. I can see that little kids want freedom seeing older kids walking in the streets but there parents have to teach them they are older and should get that freedom and can’t just tell there kids to do literly whatever they want. There so many things that kids that are young need to learn before going out on there own. I don’t even know how parents can stand themselves letting there little one go out alone at the age of seven, eight, and nine. When I am a parent I wouldn’t let my kids go out on there own till I felt they were mature enough and they know what they need to know what to do. I see eight year olds at eleven pm and I just say why are not going home and why aren’t there parents coming to get them or even calling them to tell them to come home. I feel that parents need to care more about there children at a young age because they act as mature as they can be and try to be like the older kids. They have to wait until there a certain age and when there parents feel its comfotable but I feel at the age of eight and nine it isn’t the right age to leave your kids alone on the streets.

My parents give me enough freedom for my age. My mother does not like me outside pass a certain time. She always tells me to keep my phone on loud and never walk with headphones in my ears. Its not that she “Helicoptering” me she just wants me to be safe and be able to come home to her. Now everyone is being hurt or killed and parents have to be more protective over their children. If i was to have a child I would do exactly everything my mother is doing. I don’t want my child to sneak around me, I want he/she to know that care without being so strict on him/her.

I think that the mom was in a way right to let her child go on a subway alone because she’s preparing the child for the big world but it’s also telling the child that she doesn’t care that much. I was raised to be somewhat freely raised because I was allowed to walk alone to and from school, but I was also supervised considering that my mother would make me call her occasionally when I’m out. My parents don’t helicopter me a lot now but i was considering that they would check my phone. I like it that my parents don’t helicopter me around because it shows me that they trust me to do what’s right. In the future, I will raise my children the same way my mother does because I think she does a very good job and I also feel like I am a good person and daughter.

To be honest, I think that parents do whatever they believe is right with their kids. If that mother thinks that letting her daughter ride the subway alone is right, then so be it. I think that the reason why parents give permission to their kids is because the parents trust their children. I do not think it is wrong that the mom let her child ride the subway at 9 years old. There are a lot of people in the subway and also in the stops, so if anything happens or if anything is wrong, the boy can ask for help. I was raised with freedom I can say. I used to walk home from school since I was in second grade since my mom could not pick me up. Also, now I have more freedom since I am a teenager. My mom lets me out with friends. Obviously, she checks up on me once in a while during the time that I am out. I feel like she trusts me, and to me that is the reason why she lets me out. She has always told me that she trusts me enough to believe me every time I say I am going out, with who, and to where. She also says to please never disappoint her because I will lose that trust that she has with me. I don’t think that this mom should be called ‘the worst mother in America’ just because she trusts her son and believes that he will be alright.

I personally think that Lenore Skenazy’s decision on letting her 9 year old son wasn’t right but I also feel like people shouldn’t give her the title “America’s Worst Mom.” It was a mistake that should be taken care of but shouldn’t be put out of proportion with that title. I don’t think she should have let her 9 year old on the subway because its common sense. There are people on the subway that can and will kidnap your child and ask for ransom money. When I was younger I wasn’t really allowed to do much without my parents but as I got older and more mature my parents would let me do things that I wouldn’t be able to do when I was 10. I honestly only remember 1 milestone of independence and it was when i was finally allowed to go to the park for football practice by myself. This was when I was 11 and it wasn’t much because it was only down the street. I would say that my parents don’t helicopter much because they only need to know where I’m going to be and at what time I’m going to be there. I would say that I wish my parents wouldn’t helicopter as much because I feel that I’m mature enough to not be hovered at as much. I imagine myself letting my children do risky things as long as I am there so that things don’t get too out of hand. I would also let them do risky things as long as they are in their mid to late teenage years because I feel that you can’t just protect someone forever. In my eyes, people need to learn things from experience even if it means that they are going to get hurt because life is about learning as you go along.

Well from a very young age my parents have noticed that I am a very responsible, independent child. So since my elementary school was within walking distance I began to walk to school at the age of 8. My parents give me a lot of freedom. They occasionally allow me to decide what I would like to eat or do on certain days. Also, when I was around 13 is when my parents allowed me to hang out with friends or do things with them. They gave me the amount of freedom that was necessary at the time. Also, my parents are also very lenient when it comes to grades. This is because I have always been a good student, so they never worried about me failing a class or doing something bad. They will occasionally check powerschool to see how I am doing in my classes, but thats like once every 2 months. So I would not classify my parents as “helicopter parents”. On the other hand I will raise my children to also be independent and intelligent so that they gain my trust as teenagers. However, I don’t know how much freedom I would give them simply because I don’t know what kind of kids they are like, who their friends are, or in what community I will be in to raise them. I also think my freedom has to do with me being a boy, but Im not too sure.

I would have to agree with Ms. Skenazy. Children should be taught how to be independent. There will not always be a parent or guardian hovering over you to protect or make decisions for you. The age of the child does not matter. All that does matter is whether or not you educated them properly. It is only a matter of time when children begin to grow up into adults. The world is not a small place. It could be scary, but I do not think that they should face it unprepared. When I was younger, I was very limited to what I could do by myself. Being the youngest and only girl, my parents were very protective of me. They still do that to this day. I was not usually allowed to go to a friend’s house or party unless one of my older brothers came along with me. It was quite annoying. I was not granted the freedom to go to the mall or a friend’s house by myself until I was about 13 years old, and even then, I still have to constantly check in with my parents. I never really had any milestones of independence or bravery because I was always watched over. The only reason why I was allowed more freedom was because I begged my mom, and she finally said yes. Yet, I still had to prove to her that I could handle it. The first time I was allowed out to the mall with my friends, alone, my dad had to drive all of us to and from the mall. My mom had to approve of the movie we would watch, and I had to tell her whatever was planned. My parents do not only hover over me, but they also hover over my academics. My mom checks how my grades are constantly, and she questions the slightest of change. All through grammar school, my mom had to make sure my homework was checked by one of my brothers or by herself to make sure it was done. She even made me get tested if I had a test or quiz coming up. When I got to high school, she finally let me handle homework and tests by myself, but she would still be checking my grades every now and again. I do not think I would be as strict as my parents in raising my kids. Of course, I would be protective of them, but like my parents did, I would educate them so that they will be prepared.

When I was nine, the extent of my unsupervised travels was the five-minute walk to and from my elementary school each day. The reason for that limit was that I knew I was not physically and emotionally prepared to venture outside of my comfort zone. It was not because my parents had any major limitations on my movements, or that they did not have confidence in my choices. If Lenore Skenazy knew her nine-year-old was ready to ride the subway alone, and her nine-year-old felt like he was prepared to undertake this feat, then I believe her choice was made in good faith. Personally because a nine-year-old is not old enough usually to defend themselves well or to stay clam in the heat of pressure, I would not entrust my nine-year-old to embark on such a task. Nevertheless I don’t believe people should criticize Lenore Skenazy on her decision. During my childhood, my parents allowed me a wide range of freedoms including but not limited to, being able to walk to school myself (4th grade to 8th grade), coming home for forty-five minutes each day and eat lunch by myself (8th grade), being able to go anywhere within walking distance after school if I had my cellphone (6th grade to current), calling over friends to hang out (6th grade to current), cooking for myself (5th grade to current), and staying home alone for more than three hours at a time (6th grade to current). As you can tell, my parents raise me in a “free range” style of parenting. Their motto seems to be “Call us if you need anything, but otherwise you are on your own”. This is especially true since I am an only child and have no siblings in my house. The most notable milestones I remember from my childhood are walking to school alone for the first time and riding on the NJ transit bus from my house to Port Authority. During the summer after third grade, I remember my parents questioning me on whether or not I felt comfortable walking to school (it was four blocks away) and back for the duration of the year. Hard-set on reaching past this barrier, I agreed and on the second day of fourth grade I walked to school, and at 3:15 p.m. walking back in the other direction. After I reached home, my mom had a catharsis, and was able to “let go” of all her pent-up worries and fears. My dad called an hour later, and told me congratulations. Two grades, three crushes, and one death (it was my grandmother’s) later my second prominent milestone occurred. This time instead of walking to my grey-stoned school, I rode public transportation alone. Before I began what seemed like herculean task of bravery, my mom warned me to avoid strangers who could be hiding behind interested faces who had disingenuous interests. My mom also waited with me until I boarded the bus in Weehawken. When, my dad picked me up in Port Authority he praised me on my success and bought me an extra-large mango smoothie. My mother never said anything to me about my milestone. My parents participate in little helicoptering, even though sometimes I wish they would do more. For example, I participate in a competitive tennis program every Saturday, and at the end of my matches I jump into my mom’s dented Toyota. In a sticky sweat, I usually recount the details of my matches, hoping that she will be able to picture the action. However, secretly I wish that she would spare some time occasionally to watch me from the sidelines during my matches.

When I have children, I will most likely let them participate in activities that I think are somewhat risky or dangerous. Sometimes the best lessons are not taught but experienced through risky or dangerous behavior. Dr. Gray, author of “Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life,” said “If children are not allowed to take routine risks, they’ll be less likely to be able to handle real risks when they do occur.” On a flip side, that also means I will not let my children do anything too risky like lighting fireworks or juggling with knives.

On the day to day bases, some level of trust and mutual respect is necessary. However, it’s very acknowledged that the ways from the time of our parents differ hugely than us. Some say for better and some for worse. Why people would say for worse, maybe because of our access to any and everything? As a generation we are very exposed and engaged with fast pacing world. I would say this is our downfall, and then some say we’re privileged because of what we have at the touch of our fingertips. Just as with everything, there are pros and cons to every situation. My freedom is based off of my responsibility and ability to conduct myself in a way of positive representation of my family and myself. It should vary child to child; I have enough for my age to not ask for much more. I am completely content with my boundaries because I understand why they are set, and that’s what parents should sit down and explain to their children.

Taking care of your child is important, overprotected kids tend to be weak and scared later in life. As said in the article “the widespread publicity now given to crimes has created an exaggerated fear.” Therefore parents tend to be subconsciously overprotected. Even though crime seems to be everywhere, that is only due to it being over exaggerated. As generations become more aware and educated, crime actually goes down. When I was younger my parents were reasonably liberal parents, but still didn’t give me as much freedom as Lenore Skenazy did. There is a fine line between bravery and foolishness. You become an adult at 18 for a reason, at that age you have fully grown and are strong and wise enough to deal with the world on your own. Kids are dependent on their parents in their growing years and it is a parents responsibility to look out for a child’s well being. My parents gave me freedom whenever required and i think it is imperative to find a balance. I will raise my kids the same way my parents raised me. I will give him or her freedom where it is due and instill the values to not take advantage of the freedom. In conclusion i think it is imperative to find a balance while raising kids. Too much freedom leads to danger during childhood while too less freedom leads to suppressed kids.

I believe that Lenore Skenazy was wrong to let her 9-year-old son ride the subway alone. Nine is too early an age for a child to engage in such an activity. In my opinion, a more appropriate age would be 12 or 13, by which age children are becoming more responsible and mature teenagers. Skenazy is correct in giving her son freedom, but riding the subway by himself at 9, is TOO much freedom. I just think back to when I was 9-years-old in the 3rd grade. There was no way my mother would allow me to do that. I wouldn’t even trust myself to ride the subway at that age. I was, for the most part, raised to be “free range.” I advanced through a number of specific “milestones of independence.” I could play with my friends around my house without adult supervision at 7. I rode my bike myself for the first time at 8. I got a cell phone (a little flip-phone—not an iPhone) at 10. I was allowed to walk to and home from school at 11 years old. I could go to the park by myself (but only with my dog) at 11 as well. My attainment of each milestone was accompanied by the tears of my mother, who lamented that it meant I was growing up and wouldn’t be her little baby anymore. Yet, her tears were also tears of joy; she was proud of me and looked forward to my progress toward the next milestone. A few milestones lie ahead—for example, I’m still not allowed to take the Light Rail by myself. At present, my parents do very little “helicoptering”—neither has a pilot’s license. My parents rarely interfere with my academic activities, other than to offer encouragement. I am allowed to play whatever musical instrument I choose and I never feel pressured by my parents to perform. I can prepare whatever food I want by myself and I can play any sport I want, regardless of the possibility of injury. I don’t wish for my parents to do more or less “helicoptering.” I know that I am allowed a lot more freedom than my friends, and I am thankful for that. I can, most of the time, do what I want when I want. I am happy with my freedom. I expect that I will raise my children with the same degree of freedom I was allowed by my parents. I believe it is necessary to allow children to experiment and try things that are somewhat dangerous or risky. But there must be a “golden mean” of freedom given to children, and I believe that my parents gave me that golden mean. Too much freedom can result in an unrestrained child who gets into trouble all the time. Too little can produce a timid child afraid to voice his own opinion. It’s a risky business—raising a child—but if my parents could do it right, so can I.

What 9 year old has the ability to react to any situation, or take care of a problem if it were to occur? Almost everyone knows the answer to that. I strongly believe that Lenore Skenazy made the wrong decision letting a 9 year old ride the subway alone not taking it into consideration of the consequences that could occur. A child cannot be left alone at a place where the subway moves 70 mph, and surrounded by tons of people they don’t know. The 9 year old child could have gotten hurt, kidnapped, or even lost not knowing their way back home. What little kid knows not to talk to strangers, or take things from stranger such as candy? Any little kid gets distracted easily, and that only makes them more of a target. Something so small can lead to something extremely horrible. I can see my childhood playing like a tape right now. I will say I had not too much freedom, and not too little freedom, but just the right amount. Many people have a different way seeing what freedom is, but the way I see it is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. As a child my parents always wanted to be there for me for everything I did, and everything I said. They always cared about anything I did, but the biggest freedom I felt like I’ve ever gotten when I was a child was playing outside in front of my house with a bunch of my neighbors around my age. Most of the time no one had to watch us. On the other hand I also had no freedom for other things, such as going to the corner store alone, or simply anywhere besides being on the block. At the time it was annoying seeing my older neighbors go get something from the store and coming back quickly without any adult going with them, but when I look back, I can see that my parents really cared about me and didn’t want anything happening to me. My parents always gave me the freedom to watch TV whenever or go on the computer but to a certain extent because they didn’t want me getting so addicted. I still remember the time my mom had to let go like it was yesterday, the first time she let me use public transportation all alone. I was 11 years old and I had an orthodontics appointment. My mom couldn’t bring me, neither could my dad. My mom walked me to the stop and told me where to get off. As I got on the bus and sat beside the window looking outside for her. As the bus took off, she was waving bye to me like there was no tomorrow. I wouldn’t call my parents ‘helicopter’ parents as of right now. I feel that my parents have gained the trust and all respect from me. They see me as a mature young lady who knows what she’s doing. I’m always allowed outside, going far away places from my house, hanging out with friends, just as long as my parents know where I’m going, who I will be with, and when I will be home. They always want be being safe at all times. I’m always thinking about how much freedom I’m going to allow my children having as they’re growing up, and when they grow up. I want to give them the same about of freedom my parents gave me, because I had no problems with it, and I’m sure they wouldn’t. I will never let them do anything that I feel is too dangerous or risky. I will allow them having more freedom as they grow up and when I feel like they are mature and can handle things on their own. I want them being happy, and have the time of their lives, but most importantly while being safe.

What's Next

Teaching Kids Responsibility by Increasing Freedom

Are you following the same rules your parents set without assessing if they're right for your family?

Granting Freedom to Teach Responsibility

When my twin sons were 7 years old, I saw a public service announcement on television that caught my attention. It encouraged parents to prepare kids to make healthy choices when they were teens by teaching children to make healthy decisions when they were younger, no matter what their age.

This made great sense to me. My job was to help my children learn how to responsibly manage increased freedom , and I needed to start by giving them greater freedom. I vowed to take this advice to heart.

First, I considered all the decisions and choices I was presently making for my kids. Were there any I could turn over to the boys to make for themselves? With this review I bumped into a sugar rule handed down to me from my mother. I had been following this rule since my own childhood, and both as a kid and an adult, I hated it. The rule? There would be no sweets until a well-balanced meal had been eaten; and only one sweet a day was allowed.

[Read: 9 Lessons I’ve Learned About Feeding Kids .]

Should this rule be modified during Halloween and other sweet holidays? Do you know how many sweet holidays there are in a year? Almost every month there's some sort of celebration that involves eating prodigious amounts of sugar. What about when Nana comes over for an unannounced, impromptu tea party that includes cupcakes and my children have already eaten their sweet treat at lunch? And when pancakes or waffles drizzled with syrup are served for breakfast, is that a meal or a sweet for the day?

I was now ready to implement my new strategy. Instead of being the sugar police, monitoring how much of it my children ate in a day, I was going to turn this responsibility over to them. After all, ultimately I wanted my children to mature into people who made good choices to support their own bodies. How would they learn what that meant if I was making choices for them rather than allowing them to (if they so chose) eat too much sugar and discover how lousy they felt? I wanted them to limit their sugar intake based on the feedback they got from their own bodies, rather than fear breaking one of “Mom’s rules.”

The process of teaching my children how to handle the additional personal responsibility of eating sugar was relatively simple. My courage was bolstered because I had just read a study proclaiming that children who were offered unlimited sweet treats and fruit and vegetables eventually chose to eat fruit and vegetables instead of sugar. The sugar binge was the first inclination of the children, but eventually the novelty of eating unlimited sugar wore off and better, more nutritious foods were chosen. Taking a leap of faith and with a large dose of hope, we began the great sugar experiment.

I told my sons that their dad and I no longer wanted to be in charge of how much sugar they ate. Instead we were asking them to tune into their own bodies to determine how much was enough and how much was too much. We cautioned them that there was a possibility the new policy of giving them total personal freedom to determine how much sugar they each ate could be tempered: If we observed either one needed more guidance, we would step in and help.

[Read: Want to Stay Connected to Your Growing Child? Eat Dinner Together .]

Amazingly, this experiment worked. There were only a few times when I asked one child, “Are you sure you want another piece of birthday cake?” or “Do you think one more handful of Nana’s M&M's will feel good in your tummy right now?” On occasion, one son in particular would remind me that he was in charge of his sugar intake, not me.

They earned increased freedom by demonstrating responsible choices. If a child demonstrates through behavior and choices that he cannot handle greater freedom, parents need to step in and help the child learn.

I learned two important lessons from this experiment. First, when I was willing to give my children more control and freedom to make choices for themselves, they each experienced the consequences of their choices. Each learned how to make good choices, and learned self-discipline skills to avoid making poor choices.

When they became teens and were experimenting and tempted with cigarettes , alcohol and more dangerous substances, each child used his own body awareness and feelings to decide whether to go further down that unhealthy path or not. Simply knowing that using or abusing these substances was illegal and against his parents' wishes may have contributed to each child's decision to say, “No.” But the stronger, more important deterrent was knowing how their bodies felt when they made these unhealthy choices. It turned out the PSA advice was wise and accurate. The key to helping my children learn how to make healthy decisions was teaching them how to do so beginning well before they were adolescents.

[Read: Picking Your Battles .]

I also learned that the first step to becoming a peaceful parent is to become a conscious parent. How many rules did I create and ask my children to follow simply because these were the rules I had grown up with? Did I like these rules? Did I agree with them? Just because my parents had rules that worked for them, did I want to keep following these same rules? Taking some time to consider, review and evaluate the rules I was setting for my children made me a conscious parent – and a better parent.

12 Questions You Should Ask Your Kids at Dinner

Tags: parenting , family , family health

Most Popular

Patient Advice

health disclaimer »

Disclaimer and a note about your health ».

Your Health

A guide to nutrition and wellness from the health team at U.S. News & World Report.

You May Also Like

Moderating pandemic news consumption.

Victor G. Carrion, M.D. June 8, 2020

Helping Young People Gain Resilience

Nancy Willard May 18, 2020

Keep Kids on Track With Reading During the Pandemic

Ashley Johnson and Tom Dillon May 14, 2020

Pandemic and Summer Education

Nancy Willard May 12, 2020

Trauma and Childhood Regression

Dr. Gail Saltz May 8, 2020

The Sandwich Generation and the Pandemic

Laurie Wolk May 6, 2020

Adapting to an Evolving Pandemic

Laurie Wolk May 1, 2020

Picky Eating During Quarantine

Jill Castle May 1, 2020

Baby Care During the Pandemic

Dr. Natasha Burgert April 29, 2020

Co-Parenting During the Pandemic

Ron Deal April 24, 2020

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

How Much Freedom to Give Kids

To the Editor:

Re “ The Wrong Way to Keep Kids Safe ,” by Michelle Stevens (Op-Ed, April 15):

I applaud Ms. Stevens for doing what she believes will best allow her son to develop independence and for helping others see that doing best by our children does not mean shielding them from every possible danger — which no parent can do, much as we yearn to.

Because my legal clinic serves the low-income minority parents whose parenting is disproportionately scrutinized by children’s services agencies, I am acutely aware that many parents don’t have the freedom that Ms. Stevens does to make the choices she believes best for her family. If low-income minority parents leave a 7-year-old home alone, as Ms. Stevens writes about doing, children’s services would very likely take their children from them and consign them to foster care.

In the wake of tragic child deaths, children’s services has been charged by the media and politicians with the impossible task of shielding every child from every possible danger — espousing as policy the exact mind-set that Ms. Stevens compellingly argues turns out to be bad for kids.

Children would benefit if we supported the right of all parents to make the decisions they believe best for their kids except in the rare cases of unequivocal danger.

CHRIS GOTTLIEB, NEW YORK

The writer is co-director of the New York University School of Law Family Defense Clinic.

As a child care provider in Marin County, California, the land of helicopter parents, I observe many children whose growth is inhibited by overprotective parents. This is most apparent on playgrounds, when parents and caregivers continue to hold on even when kids are so ready to push forward. Children fall, bruise and even bleed, or they succeed. Both situations allow for growth. Most kids are so much more capable than they are given credit for.

However, this article left me feeling disturbed. Michelle Stevens may be overcompensating for her own anxieties. She writes of her son: “When he was 3 months old, I let him cry it out, so he could learn to fall asleep without my help.” Infants communicate mostly by their crying. There are negative consequences in a child’s development when these cries for help go unmet. Let’s just start with feelings of abandonment.

The purpose of sending a 9-year-old boy 3,000 miles away to a camp unknown to him with unknown people eludes me. Aside from concerns about abuse, if the child were to have an accident it would take hours for the parent to travel to his side.

Children naturally want to please. I am sure this little guy is a great kid. It just might be, though, that he has learned to put his mother’s needs above his own.

MARY JANE MURRAY SONOMA, CALIF.

When they were 8 and 10 years old, I took my boys from our home in Crested Butte, Colo., to New York City for a school year and received a lot of heat from other parents for allowing them to navigate the city on their own. Later, with money he’d saved from summer jobs and no set itinerary, I allowed my older son, Jackson, to drop out of high school for a semester at age 15 and travel to the Mideast and Europe on his own. He claimed to be a burgeoning poet and that the experience was crucial to his development as an artist (by the way, his first CD came out a few weeks ago). He did finish high school and recently graduated from Brown University. My younger son, Joshuah, made it back to the city and is studying film at New York University.

What’s the point of this narrative? While our story is highly anecdotal, I agree with Michelle Stevens that it’s good to err on the side of independence — and there’s no substitute for experience.

RICHARD MELNICK CRESTED BUTTE, COLO.

The writer is the author of “Parents Who Don’t Do Dishes.”

The latest news of sexual predators preying on children, this time by faculty at Choate, brings shudders and raises questions for parents and school officials. Michelle Stevens has suffered her own unbearable trauma in the form of predatory sexual abuse. She is correct to remind us that the vast majority of sexual abusers are people known to the child, not strangers. Nonetheless, the decisions she makes about her own child go against everything we know about child development. The idea is not to teach children how to be “self-sufficient,” but to be self-confident and able to turn to trusted others for help. This comes from trusting relationships with caregivers.

As a psychoanalyst, I know that we all bring our histories into relationships with others. When we have experienced trauma, we bring our traumatized histories into our relationships. Trauma overwhelms the mind and the body. This can make us, for example, push our children into independence out of our own dissociated fears of vulnerability, rather than from any reality of the child’s readiness to be on his own.

MIRI ABRAMIS, NEW YORK

It was distressing to read Michelle Stevens’s prescription for raising independent children, competent to deal with the real risks of adult predators. I, too, am a psychologist with a specialty in trauma. Growing up in the Bronx in the 1940s, I was all too familiar with these risks, and raised to be an independent, spunky person. I learned to navigate, however, with some instruction.

At 14 I began singing with a professional chorus that performed at Carnegie Hall, with weekly evening rehearsals downtown. What to do if being followed on the way home? Duck into a bar, my streetwise mother recommended; the bartenders, often off-duty police officers, will help you. And they did. What to do if feeling threatened by a man getting off at your subway stop late at night? Pretend to know some other stranger and ask if he or she would walk with you. Again, they did. And so forth.

If your child is going to overnight camp, the camp may forbid cellphones and monitor the letters sent home. Arrange a code so that your child can tell you that something is very wrong: “Wish you could see the lovely trees up here” will get no one’s attention but yours. Children should not be left without the help of the adults as they gain these, sadly, all too necessary skills. Going it alone is not an option until they do.

MARIAN KAPLUN SHAPIRO LEXINGTON, MASS.

This article certainly struck a chord with me. I feel sorry for kids whose parents are so protective they cannot go anywhere alone until a fairly advanced age. I, too, went away to camp for the first time when I was 9 years old. I didn’t want to go, but by the end of camp I didn’t want to go back home. I went to camp for four years and learned how to look after myself and be independent.

In 1943 I stayed at home in Manhattan during the summer and my 12-year-old self roamed the city on my own. When I was 14 I spent a month with a cousin in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, traveling alone across Canada on overnight trains and staying with relatives in cities along the way. In 1946, at age 15, I took my first flight, alone, to spend the summer with my father, then working in London.

I believe that my traveling this way at an early age was tremendously beneficial. One must learn to take care of oneself, how to spend money, and to gain self-confidence, profiting by the mistakes that were made. Perhaps this does not work for every child, but I consider myself very fortunate to have had parents who had the confidence to let me go without constant supervision.

PAUL SILVERSTONE, NEW YORK

For every kid who has been left to cry himself or herself to sleep, left home alone or allowed to roam the neighborhood unsupervised at a young age in the name of self-reliance, there is another child with poor bonding skills who struggles with lifelong issues of intimacy and is vulnerable to those who prey upon the emotionally needy.

There is no slam-dunk answer. As parents, we muddle through as best we can. But I would prefer to err on the side of caution. And to comfort that crying child.

GARRETT TOMCZAK GOLDEN VALLEY, MINN.

Understanding Children’s Right to Freedom

Right to freedom.

Freedom is a sacred and inalienable right that all human beings possess. It is the power to act according to its will, while respecting the law and the rights of others.

What are the freedoms of the children?

Personal and collective liberties.

• Personal liberties : They correspond to the liberties that all individuals possess. The most fundamental personal freedoms are the freedom of speech, expression, movement, thought, consciousness, religion and the right to a private life.

• Collective liberties : They correspond to liberties for groups of people: freedom of association, peaceful meeting, collective labor  and the right to strike.

These liberties are absolute but can be limited ( restrictions to the liberties ).

Freedom of the children

Nevertheless, they have liberties which it is important to respect. It concerns mainly liberties of “citizenship”;  the freedom of speech, expression and association, and “spiritual” or “religious” liberties; the freedom of thought, consciousness and religion.

The rights to liberty of opinion, expression and association of the children

Children have the right, as do the adults, to have an opinion, to express it and to meet in order to share their point of view.

Liberty of opinion

Children have the right to have an opinion different from their parents. While taking into account their age, as well as their degree of maturity and discernment, children have the right to have their opinion considered. States, communities and parents have the duty to listen to the children and to consider their opinions when the decisions concern them.

Liberty of expression

The freedom of expression for the children also involves their right to be informed. It is the right of the children to know what happens and to access information which interests them. Then children can comprehend current problems, inquire and build up their own opinion on topical subjects.

Freedom of association

Like adults, children have the right to meet in order to consult and react on issues which directly concern their rights and their well-being, but also on news headlines which interest them.

Thanks to these liberties, children have the right to participate in the life of their society. (See: The stakes: the right to participation of the children )

The right of the children to liberty of thought, consciousness and religion

The children have the right, like the adults, to think freely and to adhere to the values, convictions and the religion of their choice.

Freedom of thought

The freedom of thought is the right for every person to determine freely, in its spirit, its conceptions and its intellectual and spontaneous representations.

The children are free to have thoughts which evolve and change according to their degree of maturity and discernment.

Freedom of consciousness

The freedom of conscience is a freedom halfway between the liberties of thought, opinion and the freedom of religion. This freedom, strictly connected to the ethical and philosophical convictions of a person, is the assertion that all human beings have a consciousness and a reason. So, the children are free to determine what will be the principles which will guide their existence.

Freedom of religion

Children can freely determine the religion or the conviction of their choice, as soon as they reach a sufficient level of discernment. A religion doesn’t have to be imposed to them.

• Right to Freedom around the World
• Issues of Freedom : children’s involvement
• Issues of Freedom : restrictions on individual liberties
• Other fundamental rights

  Find out More!

• Freedom of religion and belief : an essential human right
• Unicef, State of the World’s Children 2003: Child Participation
• Human Rights Education Associates, Freedom of Expression
• University of Minnesota, Human rights library : Freedom of religion

Petition to Stop the Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest

BE HEARD! Advocate for the protection of child rights by calling for an end to fires and deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest!

Parenting and Adolescent Freedom

As the teenager keeps pushing to be let go, parents have to do some holding on..

Posted January 11, 2021

The very breath of adolescent life, freedom of choice, is continually required to create room to grow. Without a sufficient amount of it, teenagers can feel stifled, particularly when they have some friends who are given more, which is often the case. “Everybody else can! Why can’t I?”

How much freedom to allow

Now parents can feel caught between two extremes. There is over- parenting by protectively and oppressively getting in the way of independent growth with excessive supervision or restriction. And there is under-parenting by permissively or neglectfully allowing more experience than the young person is prepared to safely manage.

At times, parents sometimes can find themselves at each extreme, but mostly they chart a middle way—moderate-parenting where “some” has to be enough. Moderate means striking or negotiating a working compromise between what the teenager presses to get and what the parents are prepared to allow. “We’ll give you more freedom as you demonstrate more responsibility.”

How freedom isn’t free

Freedom is “freedom of choice.” However, as the adolescent soon finds, freedom of choice comes with many constraints. Consider a number that the adolescent painfully discovers through personal experience.

• Choosing is limited: Much in life is not from personal choice. “Most of how things are isn’t up to me!” Social rules determine what’s allowed, while social circumstance brokers opportunity.
• Choosing is losing: One choice preempts making others. “If I do this, then I can’t do that!” Each decision forecloses on pursuing other options at the time, and maybe forever after.
• Choosing is thinking: Decision-making requires thoughtful effort. “It’s really hard to make up my mind!” Weighing the pros and cons of what to do can take a lot of figuring out.
• Choosing is chancy: The choice one makes creates the risks one takes, like a roll of the dice. “I never expected this!” The most careful planning doesn’t keep the unpredictable from happening.
• Choosing is complicating: All choices create outcomes. “Deciding that, now I have to deal with this!” Because all choices come with consequences, every choice creates new demands.
• Choosing is emotional: Choices are not simply a matter of judgment. “What felt right at the time turned out wrong!” Feelings are not always good advisors.
• Choosing is changing: Choices alter the course of one’s life. “Now things will never be the same!” Choices are steps through life that determine the winding path one makes and takes.
• Choosing is revealing: Choices express one's character. “My decisions show how I am!” Decisions are autobiographical; they offer testimony about what a person is truly like.
• Choosing is taking charge: “What I decide to do or let happen in my life is up to me!” Sometimes it’s easier to be told what to do than to direct one’s self.
• Choosing is accountable: “When it’s me deciding, then it’s me who gets the blame!” Every decision comes with a measure of personal responsibility.
• Choosing is forever: “I can’t undo my choices!” All decisions are irrevocable, but making other choices can change the effects of the choices you already made.

In all these ways and others, freedom proves to be un-free.

Adolescent ambivalence

One of the hardest realities that adolescents struggle to understand is how mixed freedom can be. No wonder they can feel ambivalent about it. Part of them wants it, but another often does not. So it’s easy to get hung up: “I want to be able to go to college, but I can’t make myself complete the application!”

Not wanting what one wants is a very common adolescent dilemma when it comes to more getting more freedom. “I really want to try out, and I also don’t!” “I really want to go, and I also don’t!” “I really want to see what that experience is like, and I also don’t!” “I really want to fit in, and I also don’t!” “I want to change how I am, and I also don’t.” “I want to make my own decisions, and I also don’t!” “I want to act more grown-up, and I also don’t!”

I believe the picture of a purely freedom-loving teenager is mostly a false one. In fact, they are often tormented by freedom. A middle school student who was planning to take her new hairstyle to school aptly called this choice “the big dare.” In doing so, she testified to a truth parents should appreciate: Asserting adolescent freedom can often be an act of courage.

So when it comes to freedom, here’s the deal. A healthy adolescent keeps pushing for more freedom to grow, while healthy parents keep restraining this push when concerned about preparedness and safety. And this conflict of interest unfolds over the course of adolescence as teenage dissatisfaction frequently contends with parental disagreement. “I want to now!” often argues against “You’re not ready yet!”

Thus personal freedom becomes a more contentious issue in their relationship during adolescence, which is how it should be.

Carl Pickhardt Ph.D. is a psychologist in private counseling and public lecturing practice in Austin, Texas. His latest book is Holding On While Letting Go: Parenting Your Child Through the Four Freedoms of Adolescence.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

  Jan-2017

• Urdu English

How Much Freedom Should Parents Give Their Child | Children's Freedom

تفسیر قرآن کریم.

• Freedom For Children

Message to parents

Give children freedom

Asif Jahanzaib Attari Madani

Respected parents! You must have heard this saying before, ‘Excessive scolding and telling-off makes children rebellious.’

This is a fact that taking freedom away from children in the age when they want freedom will subsequently result in having negative impact on their personality. When children grow in the light of these negative effects, then they fall prey to inferiority complex. It harms their self-confidence. It ceases their ability to face challenging times and make decisions. At every stage of life, they constantly fear making mistakes, and all these things make children’s future bleak.

Remember! Only a correct upbringing assures a child’s bright future. Therefore, when children are at upbringing phase, do give them freedom of a few things, some of them mentioned below:

1. Freedom to experience

If your children try to do something new and good, do not stop them and tarnish their capability; rather, give them advice and help them in the light of your own experiences.

2. Freedom from fear

Remember! Unnecessary fear makes children lack courage and makes them coward. If you exercise your power of force on them, they will develop fear within them. They will feel frightened to talk to you or seek your advice, or they will become stubborn, as telling-off children unnecessarily makes them develop a sense of fear in their minds. Try to develop softness in your attitude. Give children a chance to find their shortcomings. If they fail in exams or other important tasks, you need to encourage and motivate them instead of shouting at them and telling them off.

3. Freedom of speech

Due to lack of attention, a communication gap develops between you and your child, due to which, the child feels a bit hesitant towards you. Provide your child with such an environment that he deems you his well-wisher and talks to you openly about everything.

4. Freedom of advice

If you want to strengthen your child’s decision-making abilities, then give him the freedom to give advice so that he may develop the skill of giving advice within himself.

5. Freedom to play

Many parents stop their children from playing due to the fear of injury, whereas, it is an injury that teaches a child (how to observe) precaution. Children should be provided with such an atmosphere where they do not get major or deep injuries. Small scratches or falling over is a means of strengthening their physique and shaping up their personality.

6. Freedom to speak the truth

If a child is shouted at because of telling the truth, then he will feel frightened to tell the truth and incline towards lying. Give your children the freedom to speak the truth. Instead of shouting at them when they make a mistake, make them understand in a pleasant way so that they develop the courage to understand their mistake and speak the truth.

Dear Parents! In the light of the aforementioned points, keep the element of freedom in view while upbringing your children so that their character can develop, resulting in their future being bright instead of dark and they may live as a successful individual in the society.

Children bring immense happiness to a household.

After Jumuʿa prayer, I had lunch and laid down to observe the Sunnah practice of a siesta.

Six names for boys and girls, along with their meanings and associations

Imagine the Day of Judgement has begun. Humanity, from Prophet Ādam

Today we will focus on nurturing teenagers, i.e., children between the ages of 13-19. This is a critical age in which the child

Children are gifts from Allah for which parents have a duty of care. Parenting is an art that has to be learned,

Paradisical scenes of lush fields and orchards lined with rows upon rows of trees hanging with delicious fruits

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was sent as a mercy and a teacher to teach mankind how to live with honour and civility.

Essays About Freedom: 5 Helpful Examples and 7 Prompts

Freedom seems simple at first; however, it is quite a nuanced topic at a closer glance. If you are writing essays about freedom, read our guide of essay examples and writing prompts.

In a world where we constantly hear about violence, oppression, and war, few things are more important than freedom. It is the ability to act, speak, or think what we want without being controlled or subjected. It can be considered the gateway to achieving our goals, as we can take the necessary steps. 

However, freedom is not always “doing whatever we want.” True freedom means to do what is righteous and reasonable, even if there is the option to do otherwise. Moreover, freedom must come with responsibility; this is why laws are in place to keep society orderly but not too micro-managed, to an extent.

5 Examples of Essays About Freedom

1. essay on “freedom” by pragati ghosh, 2. acceptance is freedom by edmund perry, 3. reflecting on the meaning of freedom by marquita herald.

• 4.  Authentic Freedom by Wilfred Carlson

5. What are freedom and liberty? by Yasmin Youssef

1. what is freedom, 2. freedom in the contemporary world, 3. is freedom “not free”, 4. moral and ethical issues concerning freedom, 5. freedom vs. security, 6. free speech and hate speech, 7. an experience of freedom.

“Freedom is non denial of our basic rights as humans. Some freedom is specific to the age group that we fall into. A child is free to be loved and cared by parents and other members of family and play around. So this nurturing may be the idea of freedom to a child. Living in a crime free society in safe surroundings may mean freedom to a bit grown up child.”

In her essay, Ghosh briefly describes what freedom means to her. It is the ability to live your life doing what you want. However, she writes that we must keep in mind the dignity and freedom of others. One cannot simply kill and steal from people in the name of freedom; it is not absolute. She also notes that different cultures and age groups have different notions of freedom. Freedom is a beautiful thing, but it must be exercised in moderation. 

“They demonstrate that true freedom is about being accepted, through the scenarios that Ambrose Flack has written for them to endure. In The Strangers That Came to Town, the Duvitches become truly free at the finale of the story. In our own lives, we must ask: what can we do to help others become truly free?”

Perry’s essay discusses freedom in the context of Ambrose Flack’s short story The Strangers That Came to Town : acceptance is the key to being free. When the immigrant Duvitch family moved into a new town, they were not accepted by the community and were deprived of the freedom to live without shame and ridicule. However, when some townspeople reach out, the Duvitches feel empowered and relieved and are no longer afraid to go out and be themselves. 

“Freedom is many things, but those issues that are often in the forefront of conversations these days include the freedom to choose, to be who you truly are, to express yourself and to live your life as you desire so long as you do not hurt or restrict the personal freedom of others. I’ve compiled a collection of powerful quotations on the meaning of freedom to share with you, and if there is a single unifying theme it is that we must remember at all times that, regardless of where you live, freedom is not carved in stone, nor does it come without a price.”

In her short essay, Herald contemplates on freedom and what it truly means. She embraces her freedom and uses it to live her life to the fullest and to teach those around her. She values freedom and closes her essay with a list of quotations on the meaning of freedom, all with something in common: freedom has a price. With our freedom, we must be responsible. You might also be interested in these essays about consumerism .

4.   Authentic Freedom by Wilfred Carlson

“Freedom demands of one, or rather obligates one to concern ourselves with the affairs of the world around us. If you look at the world around a human being, countries where freedom is lacking, the overall population is less concerned with their fellow man, then in a freer society. The same can be said of individuals, the more freedom a human being has, and the more responsible one acts to other, on the whole.”

Carlson writes about freedom from a more religious perspective, saying that it is a right given to us by God. However, authentic freedom is doing what is right and what will help others rather than simply doing what one wants. If freedom were exercised with “doing what we want” in mind, the world would be disorderly. True freedom requires us to care for others and work together to better society. 

“In my opinion, the concepts of freedom and liberty are what makes us moral human beings. They include individual capacities to think, reason, choose and value different situations. It also means taking individual responsibility for ourselves, our decisions and actions. It includes self-governance and self-determination in combination with critical thinking, respect, transparency and tolerance. We should let no stone unturned in the attempt to reach a state of full freedom and liberty, even if it seems unrealistic and utopic.”

Youssef’s essay describes the concepts of freedom and liberty and how they allow us to do what we want without harming others. She notes that respect for others does not always mean agreeing with them. We can disagree, but we should not use our freedom to infringe on that of the people around us. To her, freedom allows us to choose what is good, think critically, and innovate. 

7 Prompts for Essays About Freedom

Freedom is quite a broad topic and can mean different things to different people. For your essay, define freedom and explain what it means to you. For example, freedom could mean having the right to vote, the right to work, or the right to choose your path in life. Then, discuss how you exercise your freedom based on these definitions and views. 

The world as we know it is constantly changing, and so is the entire concept of freedom. Research the state of freedom in the world today and center your essay on the topic of modern freedom. For example, discuss freedom while still needing to work to pay bills and ask, “Can we truly be free when we cannot choose with the constraints of social norms?” You may compare your situation to the state of freedom in other countries and in the past if you wish. 

A common saying goes like this: “Freedom is not free.” Reflect on this quote and write your essay about what it means to you: how do you understand it? In addition, explain whether you believe it to be true or not, depending on your interpretation. 

Many contemporary issues exemplify both the pros and cons of freedom; for example, slavery shows the worst when freedom is taken away, while gun violence exposes the disadvantages of too much freedom. First, discuss one issue regarding freedom and briefly touch on its causes and effects. Then, be sure to explain how it relates to freedom. 

Some believe that more laws curtail the right to freedom and liberty. In contrast, others believe that freedom and regulation can coexist, saying that freedom must come with the responsibility to ensure a safe and orderly society. Take a stand on this issue and argue for your position, supporting your response with adequate details and credible sources. 

Many people, especially online, have used their freedom of speech to attack others based on race and gender, among other things. Many argue that hate speech is still free and should be protected, while others want it regulated. Is it infringing on freedom? You decide and be sure to support your answer adequately. Include a rebuttal of the opposing viewpoint for a more credible argumentative essay. 

For your essay, you can also reflect on a time you felt free. It could be your first time going out alone, moving into a new house, or even going to another country. How did it make you feel? Reflect on your feelings, particularly your sense of freedom, and explain them in detail. 

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

View all posts

Forgotten password

Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password.

• Poetry All Poetry Free Verse Song Lyrics Sonnet Haiku Limerick Ballad
• Fiction All Fiction Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Scripts & Plays Thriller/Mystery All Novels Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Thriller/Mystery Other
• Nonfiction All Nonfiction Bullying Books Academic Author Interviews Celebrity interviews College Articles College Essays Educator of the Year Heroes Interviews Memoir Personal Experience Sports Travel & Culture All Opinions Bullying Current Events / Politics Discrimination Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking Entertainment / Celebrities Environment Love / Relationships Movies / Music / TV Pop Culture / Trends School / College Social Issues / Civics Spirituality / Religion Sports / Hobbies All Hot Topics Bullying Community Service Environment Health Letters to the Editor Pride & Prejudice What Matters
• Reviews All Reviews Hot New Books Book Reviews Music Reviews Movie Reviews TV Show Reviews Video Game Reviews Summer Program Reviews College Reviews
• Art/Photo Art Photo Videos
• Summer Guide Program Links Program Reviews
• College Guide College Links College Reviews College Essays College Articles

Summer Guide

College guide.

• Song Lyrics

All Fiction

• Action-Adventure
• Fan Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Realistic Fiction
• Sci-fi/Fantasy
• Scripts & Plays
• Thriller/Mystery

All Nonfiction

• Author Interviews
• Celebrity interviews
• College Articles
• College Essays
• Educator of the Year
• Personal Experience
• Travel & Culture

All Opinions

• Current Events / Politics
• Discrimination
• Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
• Entertainment / Celebrities
• Environment
• Love / Relationships
• Movies / Music / TV
• Pop Culture / Trends
• School / College
• Social Issues / Civics
• Spirituality / Religion
• Sports / Hobbies

All Hot Topics

• Community Service
• Letters to the Editor
• Pride & Prejudice
• What Matters

All Reviews

• Hot New Books
• Book Reviews
• Music Reviews
• Movie Reviews
• TV Show Reviews
• Video Game Reviews

Summer Program Reviews

• College Reviews
• Writers Workshop
• Regular Forums
• Program Links
• Program Reviews
• College Links

Freedom for Children

Freedom is meant by someone can do whatever they want in their life as long as they do not against law. Nowadays, many parents did not trust their own children and some of them take an action by control their children’s life and also their activities. This is not the best way for children because it makes they feel stress and it will lead them to do crime and vandalisms. In my opinion, children should be given freedom because they can learn how to manage their own life without hoping from others. So, children of today should be given freedom for their own benefits. Firstly, children should be given freedom to make their own decision in what they want to do in their life. In this way, children know how to manage their own life and their will learns how to solve any problems that they will face in future. In this case, parent should give a supports and not just condemn or control them for do anything their want. All children in this world have their own life and they always want the best in their life. For example, children can make their decision to choose their course in university and parents should gives big support to them as they know their ability on what they can do and they can accept. Besides, children should be able to do what they want as long as they did not against law and their own parents. Parent can admonish their children if they do any mistakes but do not stuck them to do something that they like because they also should given a chances to overcome their own mistakes. For me, parents can control their own child but make sure they can do something that they want to do because parent cannot treat them as they do not know in anything. Just give them chances to go along with their life and their hobbies or anything that can lead them to manage their life. Last but not least, parent should give their children in freedom to choose their own friends because this will help them how to communicate with others even in different races or gender. Children have their personal possessions to make and choose friends as they know what they need in friendship and parent need to monitor their children to avoid them to take a wrong way in their life but not shackle their life. So, in this way children will feel that they have their own life and they have a parent that always support them in whatever they do so the relationship between parent and children will become more tide. In a nut shell, children need their own freedom to make their own decision, do what they want and even choose their own friends. In this issue, we need to know that all people have their own freedom even for children because different people have a different story in their life. Remember that success in not the key of happiness but happiness is the true key off success. So, if children happy in what they do they will be successful in their life.

Similar Articles

Join the discussion.

This article has 8 comments.

• Subscribe to Teen Ink magazine
• Submit to Teen Ink
• Find A College
• Find a Summer Program

Share this on

Send to a friend.

Thank you for sharing this page with a friend!

Tell my friends

Choose what to email.

Which of your works would you like to tell your friends about? (These links will automatically appear in your email.)

Send your email

Delete my account, we hate to see you go please note as per our terms and conditions, you agreed that all materials submitted become the property of teen ink. going forward, your work will remain on teenink.com submitted “by anonymous.”, delete this, change anonymous status, send us site feedback.

If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. Please note that while we value your input, we cannot respond to every message. Also, if you have a comment about a particular piece of work on this website, please go to the page where that work is displayed and post a comment on it. Thank you!

Pardon Our Dust

Teen Ink is currently undergoing repairs to our image server. In addition to being unable to display images, we cannot currently accept image submissions. All other parts of the website are functioning normally. Please check back to submit your art and photography and to enjoy work from teen artists around the world!

Sample details

• Views: 1,258

Related Topics

• Volunteering
• Quality of life
• Values of Life
• Decision Making
• Responsibility
• Overcoming Challenges
• Family planning
• Reconstruction

Should Parents Give Children Freedom? Argumentative Essay

“Parents must larn to raise their boies and girls on a good way. and they have duty for the behaviours of the childs “ . This is speech from Arabic civilization. The precedence for parents is to educate and train their kids. Children need some freedom to construct their assurance that parents see their kids as their hereafter. Although some people give more freedom to their kids and they think that their determinations are in right way ; others think that more freedom has negative influences on children’s behaviour. It seems to me that more autonomy has the negative influences on the moralss of the kids for several grounds.

Society has the largest impacts on the kids manners. if the parents give to their kids the brand connexion with society without control. the kids will do dealingss with anyone in the community. Basically. kids don’t have any experiences in the their life’s and this relationships toward to bad state of affairs. For illustration. in my state. some research have taken for many old ages and studied the beginnings of the drugs offense. Consequently. the psychological people found that was the highest per centum of the offenses with kids who lived in the same country and these offenses related the kids who took the drugs. So. these consequences show that the society has negative feedbacks on the susceptiblenesss of the kids. An old Arabic history said that parents should take the appropriate accompanies for their kids. On the other manus. some people think that the kids must hold good connexions with the community to construct their experiences and they can educate from the society how to cover with other people.

ready to help you now

Without paying upfront

Children will pass more money if parents give more independency for them. Nowadays. kids need more money for their lives in the schools and the colleges and parents have to assist and give their kids what they need from money. However. parent should follow and keep accountable their kids for this money. In add-on to giving more money for the kids has unfavourable effects on the feeling of kids. For illustration. in the high schools. pupils have more money and can purchase anything. such as drugs.

Furthermore. more money will make the large jobs between the hapless and rich people in the school. For illustration. in my state. rich kids bring expansive nutrient like apple and others. but the hapless kids can non convey any nutrient. So. in some states. the authoritiess have made the good Torahs that there is no difference between the pupils and the rich people must non convey any money from their houses because they can take the breakfast from the schools. As a consequence for giving more money for the kids won’t be dependent on their lives and they don’t attention about the money. In the contract. some people think that they must subsidy their kids by giving to them more money and don’t ask people to borrow from money.

By giving more freedom to the kids. parents can non command and train their kids and parents will lose the good connexions if they give more rescue to their kids. So. kids don’t obey their parents and they will take their sentiments by themselves. For illustration. presents. the parents can non command their kids because the connexions between the kids and the parents are really weak. Even though the kids and the parents live in certain topographic point. they don’t have any connexion between them. Consequently. the relationship between them become weakly. Because. kids will decline any order from their parents and do non obey them at all.

To sum up. the freedom for the kids is really significant. However. more freedom give negative consequences for the children’s behaviour. In my sentiment. the parents shouldn’t give more autonomy to kids for many grounds. such as. the society affects. influences of disbursement money and the parent will lose their self-respect behind their kids.

Cite this page

https://graduateway.com/should-parents-give-children-freedom-essay-6658-essay/

You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers

• Difficulties
• Perspective
• Entrepreneurship
• Conversation
• Grandmother
• Teenage Pregnancy
• My Neighborhood

Check more samples on your topics

Life lesson that give us our parents.

Parents are often the ones which give us a different life lesson. Most of the time, we learn lessons when we experience it in real life. There are various instances when we have had a setback and we understand the things we should not do the next time. I strongly agree with the saying that,

Are women better parents than men Argumentative Essay

            The topic that is selected for the argument is quite interesting and at times considered as one of the hot debates to talk. However, I would opt to go for ‘Argument through Description’, and then try to give a logical explanation behind my opinion and final conclusion and recommendation supported by my logic. Introduction The parents

Explain why parents are sometimes strict? Argumentative Essay

Nobody wants their child to grow up without guidance which is why parents are sometimes strict. Strictness is one thing a parent can do to properly show that they care and love them while they are in the age where they absorb unnecessary things and get rebellious. Parental guidances is a big factor for many families

Argument Parents and Video Games Argumentative Essay

Video Games

Many believe that the parents of current teenagers are raising a generation of narcissist, but could you really say its the fault of the teen, or is it the fault of the parents? Many people say its the job of the parent to be the parent and not a friend. In this generation of teenagers violent

Parents Are the Best Teachers Argumentative Essay

Who doesn't make a mistakes? Everybody do. Who have to teach us how to live? Should our parent's teach us? I think parent's are not the best teachers in children's life. They are very subjective. Parent's have their own experience based on their life. Of course it's priceless, but we all have deterrent way. I

Desire for Freedom and Desire for Limitations on Freedom

Both a desire for freedom and a desire for limitations on freedom are essential for peaceful living, as people can have both. Absolute freedom is unattainable as removing constraints also removes freedoms. Without societal rules, individuals could harm each other without consequences. We value freedom because restrictions hinder our autonomy over our bodies. Our physical bodies are

The Influences That Parents Have On Their Children

The Impact of Parents on Their Children In today's world, the concept of influence is highly important as it explains why individuals act and behave the way they do. The impact a child receives from their parents greatly shapes their view on life and has long-lasting effects. However, the key question remains: where does this influence

Experiences of Parents/Caregivers Who Lost Their Children –Teen Suicide

Introduction/Demographic Data – Teens and Suicide The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines suicide as, “death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior” (2018). Death by suicide varies by country, suicide is a worldwide health crisis. In 2013 there were 804,000 deaths worldwide at approximately one death

Parents’ Hesitation About Getting Their Children Vaccinated

Vaccination

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful and enlightening experiences one could ever be part of. It is absolutely extraordinary that a man and a women can come together to create, grow, and give birth to another life. From the first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat to the moment your doctor places your baby

Hi, my name is Amy 👋

In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready to help you write a unique paper. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and she'll connect you with the best match.

How much freedom should parents give to their teens?

Visual Stories

Meaning of Freedom

The real meaning of freedom according to books is. Freedom refers to a state of independence where you can do what you like without any restriction by anyone. Moreover, freedom can be called a state of mind where you have the right and freedom of doing what you can think off. Also, you can feel freedom from within.

The Indian Freedom

Indian is a country which was earlier ruled by Britisher and to get rid of these rulers India fight back and earn their freedom. But during this long fight, many people lost their lives and because of the sacrifice of those people and every citizen of the country, India is a free country and the world largest democracy in the world.

Moreover, after independence India become one of those countries who give his citizen some freedom right without and restrictions.

The Indian Freedom Right

India drafted a constitution during the days of struggle with the Britishers and after independence it became applicable. In this constitution, the Indian citizen was given several fundaments right which is applicable to all citizen equally. More importantly, these right are the freedom that the constitution has given to every citizen.

These right are right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion¸ culture and educational right, right to constitutional remedies, right to education. All these right give every freedom that they can’t get in any other country.

Value of Freedom

The real value of anything can only be understood by those who have earned it or who have sacrificed their lives for it. Freedom also means liberalization from oppression. It also means the freedom from racism, from harm, from the opposition, from discrimination and many more things.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Freedom does not mean that you violate others right, it does not mean that you disregard other rights. Moreover, freedom means enchanting the beauty of nature and the environment around us.

The Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the most common and prominent right that every citizen enjoy. Also, it is important because it is essential for the all-over development of the country.

Moreover, it gives way to open debates that helps in the discussion of thought and ideas that are essential for the growth of society.

Besides, this is the only right that links with all the other rights closely. More importantly, it is essential to express one’s view of his/her view about society and other things.

To conclude, we can say that Freedom is not what we think it is. It is a psychological concept everyone has different views on. Similarly, it has a different value for different people. But freedom links with happiness in a broadway.

FAQs on Freedom

Q.1 What is the true meaning of freedom? A.1 Freedom truly means giving equal opportunity to everyone for liberty and pursuit of happiness.

Q.2 What is freedom of expression means? A.2 Freedom of expression means the freedom to express one’s own ideas and opinions through the medium of writing, speech, and other forms of communication without causing any harm to someone’s reputation.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

• TODAY Plaza
• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show

I loved raising a teenager. But I had no idea it would be so hard when he left

I watched him, my only child, over the course of a week go through every item in his room. One by one, the trappings of childhood went into donation boxes, recycling bins and the trash. I opened my mouth several times, only to shut it before sound came out. I reminded myself it was not my place to say anything. It was my job to simply ask the questions I’d been asking him every time we sorted his room for the entirety of his life: Keep it in your room, store it in the garage for later, or get rid of it? I didn’t want to place my sentimentality onto his possessions. I didn’t want to put the burden onto him of cushioning that blow to me of getting rid of stuffies and that ceramic pot he made when he was first learning to throw clay. I needed to break that cycle of keeping things just for others. He simply needed my support. I simply needed to set my feelings aside and give it.

At the end of the week, his room looked exactly like we were moving out, complete with nail and screw holes that needed to be filled and patchy paint above the closet door that was peeling off from LED light strips. It seemed his worldly possessions were cut more than in half and I wasn’t quite prepared for the empty and hollow feeling both in his room and in my chest. That feeling? No one tells you that it feels just like a breakup. A slow-motion moving on. A fracturing of the family that I cannot stop even when it is none of those things. I teared up but averted my eyes and busied myself as he made several trips to the garage, arms full of yesterday’s treasures.

Raising a teen was my favorite part of parenthood. I should say “so far” at the end of that sentence, but I can’t quite picture what’s to come. I’m too in the thick of him leaving. I found the younger days taxing and tedious, blending endlessly in a sea of "Curious George" and Hot Wheels and bodily fluids and too few naps (mine) and too many tears (also mine). Never good at play, I longed for the days when I could talk to my child coherently instead of the petty squabbling lobbed toward him over uneaten lunches and too much screen time, which I almost always foisted onto him to carve just a few minutes for myself. I relished, almost daily, that I only had to do all of this once. One time through potty training . One time through tantrums in the grocery store. One time through night terrors and separation anxiety . During those days, I wanted time to hurry up. Skip to the part where I had a person who could talk in robust sentences and drive himself and, then … well, nothing. I honestly never imagined how short those years would be and never once imagined a life beyond his high school days. 

You realize you’ve grown a human with opinions and thoughts and dreams and plans of their own. But then you realize those plans are the same plans that months from now will cut short your teen utopia and signal an end to everything you’ve grown to love.

And then, we did skip to that part, and raising my teen was glorious. I didn’t find belligerent behavior or a sullen child who wouldn’t talk. Instead, I had a concert buddy and long Saturdays binging YouTube while laughing ourselves hoarse. Even the times of growth where choices and behaviors felt loaded were welcomed over missed naps and playground bullies. Together as a family, we navigated narcissistic pseudo-friends and girls who pushed too much and broken hearts and taking giant steps toward independence. In raising my teen I found myself saying things like “Do you think King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard is really just trolling the entire world?” and ending up having an hour-long conversation about the musical stylings of Australia’s finest and in the middle of it realizing you’ve grown a human with opinions and thoughts and dreams and plans of their own. But then you realize those plans are the same plans that months from now will cut short your teen utopia and signal an end to everything you’ve grown to love and that hollow feeling in your chest tightens and you wonder, not for the last time, why no one adequately prepares you for this part. Book upon book about the first several years. So few about the last. Is it just too painful to talk about properly? Did I just not listen? Why aren’t they being written?

Being the parent of an only, I’m realizing that while you remember and openly share all of the “last times” you are grateful to leave behind, you often forget you also get only one time through the things you want to hold onto longer, like first concerts and first cars and when they finally find a passion, and then it’s your only shot for graduation where, after, you have a suddenly empty nest. Where there’s an only child, there is no dress rehearsal. You get one shot at everything: good, bad, milestone or mundane.  And when you out-of-the-blue remember, that pain that feels like a breakup makes you wince. 

Last fall, I pulled out my credit card and placed an order for a cap and gown in beautiful burgundy and gold. I showed him my tassel, silver and blue with an attached ’92 charm. Told him that was what he would want to hold on to as we sorted the options to order.  When we were done, my confirmation email slipped into my inbox.  I filed it away, now long buried under reservations and book pre-sale orders. I thought in burying it I could ignore and forget about it, but suddenly here we are, one calendar turn away from the big day.  And as the days begin to warm, just a little, his being done with school is ramping up and reminding me all the time how quickly days are flying. The only thing that keeps me from falling completely apart is trying to remember how I felt around my graduation.  Never once giving my parents’ feelings a second thought, I left and never looked back.

That is the cruelest twist of parenting. If you prepare them — if you raise them to be excited for the future, to know they always have a place to fall, to be independent, to think for themselves, it doesn’t really matter how tightly you squeeze.

It was because I never looked back and because I ran so far away that I hold tightly where my mother didn’t. Or couldn’t. Neither way right nor wrong, we each have our different motherhood journeys, but still. I squeeze. Thinking if I hold fast he won’t run as far as I did. I know it’s an illusion and, because I’ve done my job, he’s ready and easily stepping out and over the squeeze. But that right there is the cruelest twist of parenting. If you prepare them — if you raise them to be excited for the future, to know they always have a place to fall, to be independent, to think for themselves, it doesn’t really matter how tightly you squeeze. It’s ultimately an illusion just for you, to think you’re still wanted. Needed. Important. The slow-motion moving on accelerates whether you’re prepared or anyone warned you or not.

As I write this, we’re just a couple weeks away from graduation and I can’t see past his cap and gown, somehow. I can’t focus on what’s next. I remind myself that I couldn’t always see life past 40, either, or past his baby stage or past my own graduation and I made it to the other side of those. I remind myself that I’m not the first to live through this and I won’t be the last. I remind myself that this summer we’ll paint his room and get it ready for when he comes home. I remind myself that he will go and have an amazing life and, unlike the slow-motion breakup it feels like, the hollow in my chest will fill and he’ll always come back. 

But for now, I don’t believe it. For now, I cry that he was 5 and beginning kindergarten just last week and almost convince myself those toddler years weren’t all that bad and Google how to cope. For now, I question every decision I’ve ever made and I wonder at the turns that led me here. I don’t regret having an only child. It was the right decision for us for many reasons. But right at this moment, I feel a little jealous of others who can focus their energy on the next school year instead of that hollow feeling in my chest that will soon be hugging me goodbye.

Tawnya Gibson is a freelance writer based in northern Utah. Her work has appeared in a variety of places. You can follow her writing on Substack and Instagram .

• Contributors
• Newsletters

1 Trending: The Real Threat To The U.S. Economy Isn’t Election Integrity, It’s Joe Biden

2 trending: biden economics adviser tacitly admits he doesn’t understand economics, 3 trending: american universities are on a death spiral, and we should help them along, 4 trending: to be happy, women must do the opposite of everything secular western culture tells them, dod prompts gender dysphoria in military kids and hides health records from parents.

Military parents will need to be their own advocates as they appeal to Congress to restore their parental rights in this federal health care system.

• Share Article on Facebook
• Share Article on Twitter
• Share Article on Truth Social
• Copy Article Link
• Share Article via Email

Parents across the United States are being restricted from accessing their adolescent children’s online electronic health records. Not only are military parents barred from accessing all but basic information on their 13- to 17-year-olds in the military’s online health care portal, but the adolescent minor also is not allowed to have a user logon until 18. Though elected officials are tackling this issue on the state level, military parents will need to be their own advocates as they appeal to Congress to restore their parental rights.

Military insurance provider Tricare finally issued a press release in March explaining Department of Defense (DOD) policies that restrict parents from adolescent records in the portal, Military Health System (MHS) Genesis, as well as from “sensitive” physical records.

Last year, I wrote about my experience of spending months trying to obtain the official policy that barred parents from these records. Now that the policy is out in the open, it must not be allowed to stand, as it is ultimately harmful to children.

Many military parents object to providers’ having a confidential relationship with their children because they do not trust activist MHS doctors who believe a child can be born in the wrong body to counsel their children on anything in secret — as some are doing .

One sobering example of what can happen when parents are excluded occurred in Louisiana, where two civilian parents were treated as the enemy. After less than an hour behind closed doors with their 13-year-old, the provider tried to manipulate them into affirming their daughter’s new identity as a boy by asking them if they would “rather have a dead daughter or a live son.” One of the doctors involved, Dr. Ryan Pasternak, is a leader in adolescent medicine and has co-written recommendations for the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) on the management of electronic health records. SAHM’s ideal method includes permitting full access only to the adolescent, while actively blocking parents so they receive only nonconfidential information.

Even as state legislatures are moving to restore parental access to unemancipated minor medical records, the MHS seems to be plowing ahead with its efforts to keep parents in the dark. With all I’ve uncovered about adolescent confidentiality and gender activists within the MHS, parents are right to be concerned.

Congress Fails to Act

In 2017, the Defense Health Board, a federal committee that advises the secretary of defense, acknowledged in a report that the emerging field of adolescent medicine had “recently made a profound shift from its traditional role. Instead of providing preemptive guidance to parents, providers now work to reduce risk-taking behaviors with their focus aimed directly at the adolescent.” The board also recommended expanding the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to address gender dysphoria and suggested possibly including surgeries for gender-confused children in the future. The board pointed out that the Tricare Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment final rule on Sept. 2, 2016, “permits ‘coverage of all non-surgical medically necessary and appropriate care in the treatment of gender dysphoria.’” This was a final rule that came from unelected bureaucrats — not Congress.

Nevertheless, recent efforts in Congress to prohibit coverage for transgender procedures for minor military children were removed by the Senate from the House-passed fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Language to prevent the Exceptional Family Member Program from being used to facilitate child transgender transitions was also removed.

Bases, Schools Push Transgenderism

Today, adolescents can receive confidential care on military bases and in school-based clinics. For example, Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s Madigan Army Medical Center’s adolescent clinic offers subspecialty care for transgender confusion, sexuality issues, and substance use, among other services . Madigan also runs a system of school-based health clinics in 10 area schools; dependents on Tricare Prime insurance can visit the clinic once each week.

If military parents aren’t “affirming” of a transgender identity, activist group PFLAG recommends that children talk with “a school counselor, the on-base youth Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC), a chaplain (if from an affirming denomination), or an online friend or peer.” PFLAG also reveals that MHS Genesis “now allows patients to mark their gender identity in addition to their sex assigned at birth.” This will “allow transgender youth to receive appropriate care without as many obstacles.” And “military LGBTQ+ organizations are currently working with DoDEA [schools for children of military families] to incorporate the same procedures in school documents.”   

In the school-to-scalpel age, confidential care being provided to adolescents should cause alarm bells to go off. Ian Prior, founder of Fight for Schools, in his article , “Queer Whistleblower Exposes Evils of the School to Scalpel Pipeline,” shows how indoctrination into transgenderism can begin at school as young as kindergarten. In many cases, children are encouraged to socially transition at school. By the time parents find out, children can be convinced they were born in the wrong body, and doctors who favor the “gender affirmation” approach steer parents and their dysphoric children down that path of care.

Thanks to an official Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) teacher training in May 2021, we know that secret transgender transitions are happening in overseas schools for military children. Former Rep. Vicky Hartzler wrote a letter to DOD in 2021 asking why teachers were being trained at a DODEA teachers summit to transition children at school without parents’ knowledge. She never received a response — and DODEA has avoided accountability even to this day.

I spoke with a military mom whose daughter, Cami (not her real name), was enrolled in a public school in Fairfax County, Virginia, that concealed from her parents that she had transitioned to a boy at school. Though the mother only wanted Cami to see a therapist to address her depression, military medicine additionally referred her to a so-called gender clinic in the Washington, D.C., area. When the mother didn’t take her daughter to the clinic, she received a call from a military doctor who suggested Cami might need puberty blockers to give her time to decide about her sex. At the time of our conversation, the family was still reeling from the harm that “trusted” adults at school had caused.

MHS Treats Thousands of Confused Dependents

Armed with this information about a gender clinic on base, I found research conducted by active-duty medical doctors and a medical school professor that mentioned a regional referral-based adolescent medicine clinic that opened in 2014 and serves dependents between the ages of 9 and 24. It provides “services including diagnosis, puberty suppression, affirming-hormone treatment, reproductive health services … and affirming counseling, and refers for surgical, ancillary (e.g., voice therapy) and complex mental health services.”

Ft. Belvoir in Virginia fit the clinic’s description, and transgender-confused children do, indeed, seek care there. Dr. David Klein was chief of adolescent medicine at Ft. Belvoir in 2016. He and his associates have diligently documented their research on transgender-identifying military dependents. They reveal that from 2009 until 2017, more than 2,500 military dependents, ages 4 to 25, sought treatment for gender confusion from the MHS. When Tricare began to pay for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for dependents in 2016, they observed a marked increase in the number of patients seeking such care. One can only imagine how high the figures are today when taking into account estimates that the number of transgender-identifying youth in the United States nearly doubled between 2016 and 2022.

Another Klein study looked at 53 gender-confused adolescents and measured parental support for their care. Researchers looked at MHS data from 2014 to 2017 and rated strong support of parents for initiation or continuation of “gender transition” at 55.8 percent, non to moderately supportive at 25 percent, and conflicted support at 19.2 percent.

Though numerous studies show that military kids suffer from a higher rate of anxiety and depression than their civilian peers, key recommendations from Klein and his co-authors provide advice to doctors as if wrongly named “gender affirmation” is the only approach for treating gender dysphoria. They claim a transgender diagnosis is not necessarily related to other mental health concerns and that attempts “to convert a person’s gender identity to align with their sex assigned at birth are unethical and incompatible with current guidelines and evidence.”

Klein and colleagues made the news last year and caught congressional attention when they stated in their latest research , in a discussion about understanding the risks and benefits of “gender-affirming” care, that 7-year-olds can begin participating in medical decision-making. Fortunately, as former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard pointed out to Tucker Carlson, 53 percent of MHS physicians in that study said they would refuse to prescribe hormones even if trained to do so. Sadly, others would be willing to, and Klein is now the Family Adolescent Medicine Program director at Travis Air Force Base in California — training the next generation of military physicians.

Falling out of Favor Around the World

Even as MHS leaders continue to promote this harmful medicating of children, it is rapidly falling out of favor among doctors around the world, who are opting for psychotherapy as a first line treatment for gender dysphoria, after studies have shown “no demonstrable, long-term benefit” on “psychosocial well-being of adolescents with gender dysphoria.”

Additionally, the leading organization for transgender care, WPATH, was recently exposed for its lack of evidence and safeguards that led to members performing pseudoscientific surgical and hormonal experiments on minors. And, similarly, the Cass Review , released this month, detailed how England’s leading specialist youth transgender “clinic,” now permanently closed, was untethered from evidence-based medicine.

As the rationale for transgender drugs and surgeries unravels, a legal reckoning is being led in the United States by detransitioners such as Chloe Cole , who began transitioning at 12 and had a double mastectomy by 15. DOD and affirming doctors in the MHS must be included in this reckoning and held accountable for any harm suffered by military dependents under their care.

Laws and policies that allow medical records and medical treatment of adolescents to be hidden from parents are potentially harmful to children and destructive to families, and this is why military parents must urge Congress to strike DOD’s policies that drive a wedge between them and their children and to pass legislation that clarifies their right to guide the medical care of their children.

• David Klein
• Department of Defense
• Department of Defense Education Activity
• Exceptional Family Member Program
• Ft. Belvoir
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord
• Madigan Army Medical Center
• military health care
• military health system
• National Defense Authorization Act
• patient records
• Ryan Pasternak
• Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine

More from Trans Insanity

Florida, Oklahoma Reject Biden’s ‘Illegal’ And ‘Unconstitutional’ Title IX Rewrite

LGBT Activists And Accomplice Media Exploit Teen Deaths For Political Points

Trans Activists Prioritize Predators Over Women’s Safety

Kansas Republicans ‘Stand Ready’ To Override Veto Of Bill Banning Trans Experiments On Kids

How Not To Be A Toxic And Terrible Trump Running Mate

Orchid Health’s Genome Testing Promises ‘Healthy Babies’ But Delivers Morally Deplorable Eugenics

John Kirby Says Israel Can’t Eliminate An Ideology With Force. History Disagrees

Politico ‘Surprised’ Biden Donors Are Funding Pro-Hamas Revolutionaries

Introducing

The Federalist Community

Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers

Start your FREE TRIAL