Kids Are More Anxious. What If We Gave Them Independence?
I often report on fake “crises” pushed by media.
Here’s one that may be real:
Kids are anxious.
In my new video, Lenore Skenazy, founder of the nonprofit Let Grow, says it’s because today’s parents rarely allow their kids to experience the joys of independence.
Skenazy once let her 9-year-old ride the New York City subway on his own. For that, the media labeled her “America’s worst mom.” Law and Order, the TV show, produced an episode where the child riding alone is kidnapped and murdered.
But in real life, what Skenazy allowed isn’t so risky. Her son told me, “I know how to get around.” Nothing bad happened to him, and he gained the confidence that comes with taking care of yourself.
Skenazy argues that not letting kids take care of themselves makes kids insecure. Anxiety and depression are “spiking off the charts,” she says, citing the Journal of Pediatrics.
“How do you know the cause is lack of freedom?” I ask. “Maybe it’s social media.”
“Anxiety and depression were going up before cellphones,” she replies.
She says that the cause is the media’s hyping of isolated examples of child kidnapping and “stranger danger.”
“That actually points everyone in the wrong direction,” she says. “The biggest threat to any child is somebody that they know, not a stranger.”
Skenazy says parents should just teach kids to “recognize no one can touch you where your bathing suit covers. Resist, run, kick, scream. If somebody’s bothering you, don’t be nice. Resist. And then report.”
“Those three Rs,” she says, “keep kids way safer than ‘stranger danger’ because most strangers do not present a danger.”
Allowing kids
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.
