Reply to Lack of independent play is creating mental health crisis among kids today -- and overprotective parenting is to blame

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Reply to " Lack of independent play is creating mental health crisis among kids today -- and overprotective parenting is to blame"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Independence doesn't just have to happen at the school aged level, if you really can't let your kids be independent.

You get a second chance in adolescence, especially once they are driving. Parents are nervous to let their teens loose on the world (monitoring their phones and driving location) but the freedom kids have at 16, 17 to drive around and hang out with their friends is a real opportunity to let them learn and explore while parents are still close enough to help out in an emergency.

I sent my son and daughter off on road trips (with friends) at 16 17 and 18 with trepidation (what?? unsupervised??!) but it worked out great, and now as young adults they have a lot of confidence in their ability to be away from home and travel solo.[/quote]

And I know that you parents of school aged kids will react to my comments about 16 year olds and think "Oh sure, but 16 is practically grown up!" but I assure you that most parents today do not give their teens very much freedom at all.  I remember a discussion recently about whether it was OK for high school seniors to do an alumni interview in a college alumni's house alone (no chaperone) and most people were HORRIFIED that parents would allow such a thing to happen.  a 30 minute interview, with the parents sitting in the car, right outside the person's house, waiting for the interview to be over. The girl was 18 years old.  "You never know what could happen!!" the parents protested! "Unsafe! She could be molested!" Parents treat their kids like helpless babies and then wonder why they can't function in college away from home.[/quote]

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