Free Range Parenting From Modified Motherhood

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I love that term, Free Range Parenting. Today I am waiting at Starbucks, across the street from Barnes & Noble, waiting on a client. My boys, who opted not to go to camp this summer, walked across said street, money in pocket, all by their lonesome selves, to kill a couple of hours.

Would I send them from home by themselves? Nope. But this is doable. This is even doable from their school. And my boys, who are a couple of months shy of 11 & 13, are super excited.

So am I.

I haven’t dropped them off anywhere before. I’ve dropped off the older one. He’s come to The Walk after school to hit up local businesses. The other one starts sixth grade this year. It’s new for him. It’s new for me.

And I’m not panicking. D has his phone. And really, I’m right across the street, but even if I weren’t, they’re good to go. They behave. They can count their change. They can defend themselves.

Super excited. They get some well “earned” freedom and I get a matcha frappa something or other and maybe a paycheck. Woot.


This blog post Free Range Parenting was originally posted on Modified Motherhood

About Jennifer 38 Articles
Jenn has been described as “the archetype of the next generation matriarch” – whatever that means. She resides in not-so-sunny south Florida. With her children working on being nearly grown, she dreams about living in a tiny house visiting every North American Punky. Jenn runs the technical aspect of Punky Moms. Whenever there is a tech problem, she fixes it. She is the great and powerful Oz.

2 Comments

  1. I do the same with my two bigger ones. (12 and 7) They run to the book shop at our mall while I do the boring mom shopping they hate. The rules are they have to call me and let me know if they want to go to a different shop and they have to stay together. I’m a firm believer that kids learn to be responsible when they are given responsibility.

    Great post. And good for you and a little bit of mama-time.

    • Exactly! If you don’t give them a chance, how are they going to figure it out?

      PS – the 24 girl y/o still calls to tell me (or texts) if she is going someplace else. The boy, not so much, but the girl gets my need for it. My teen boys know to call/text as well, but hey, once it’s instilled, it’s a forever thing.

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