a robyns nest

I recieved 2 pieces of information this weekend, both related, both unsolicited....and better yet, both validating something we feel very strongly about in this house.

The first was an article my mom sent which she clipped out of Maclean's magazine (a mainstream Canadian news mag, for those who are unfamiliar). Titled Free-Range Children, the author spends 3 pages saying essentially, that if we're not careful, our children (that is to say, the children of post-boomer babies) are going to miss out on their childhoods. He says,

"Parents want to raise risk-takers (without exposing them to risk), to give them the freedom (to follow parental dreams), to be spontaneous and imaginative (pencil that in between judo and piano, if the homework is done.)"

Can I get an AMEN????

So many parents I know have their (young) children's days scheduled from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. I feel like a bit of a loser when asked "what classes are your kids in?" Ummmm...... er.......well.....we go to gymnastics once a week (which is really a time where Big Bird and one friend run around and go nuts in a big padded room).

"really? that's all you do? how do you keep them busy?"

Keep them busy, are you kidding me? They're kids! They do "busy" by nature....they certainly don't need my help.

Ok, I could go on and on...so I'll move on to the next bit of info I stumbled upon this weekend....

Somehow I found myself online looking at the UK's newspaper The Telegraph. Turns out they have a regular column called The Idle Parent, written by Tom Hodgkinson. This man, whoever he is, is my new personal SuperHero. He puts what we believe soooooo much more eloquently than I could ever do!

He starts by explaining his philosophy,

"I call it idle parenting and our mantra is: 'Leave them alone.' "

and then goes on to say at one point,

"Paradoxically, the idle parent is a responsible parent because at the heart of idle parenting is a respect for the child, a trust in another human being. It is the irresponsible parent who hands the child over to various authorities for its education and care, whether that is childminders, schools, CBeebies or the virtual world of Habbo Hotel. Or it is the parent who tries to impose his own vision on the children and does not simply let them be. "

Okay, so I have no idea what a "CBeebie" is, or a "Habbo Hotel" but, sigh.....I think I might be in love with this man.

Now why can't I write like that?


Definitely check out his column. His writing is very tongue-in-cheek (which obviously I love), and I would put money on it that at least some of what he has to say will ring true for you too.