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[quote=Anonymous] Nanny here.  If I were the parents, I would definitely describe myself as "free range."  As a nanny, there are obviously some  major limits on how much freedom I can allow my charges due to liability.  That said, I definitely prefer to work with families who view the role of parents and caregivers as supporting and being a resource to children in exploring their own  boundaries, rather than on placing arbitrary boundaries for the children.

What this means in practice is that the rules and limits ai enforce are based on the demonstrated aptitude of my charges rather than being one-size-fits all.  I also do not view it as a problem to be corrected every time I see them struggle; it is an opportunity for them to grow, so I try to offer help only if it is truly needed.

So my charges definitely do things that are more risky than some would permit.

My 6yo charge right now loves to cook and (via demonstrable understanding of and respect for safe limits) has worked his way up to being allowed to using a veggie peeler and steak knife as well as using the stove.  He can make certain meals (scrambled eggs, tacos, soup from scratch) independently while I work on something else nearby.

His 4 yo sister loves to climb and I allow her to go as high as she wants.  From the time she could walk, I never helped her climb up or down from any structure and she was allowed to fall many times as a 1yo, so by age 2, she had a strong sense that she was responsible for her own safety and is very cautious.  She climbs very high, but always tests the strength of a structure before moving her weight onto it and always plans how she will get back down.  She has not fallen off of any structure in my care in over a year.

The 2yo is permitted to play with some "choking hazard" items because she has shown that she will not put them in her mouth.

Now, all of these things I am close by (supervising the cooking and legos and spotting the climber), but I let them take risks because I (and their parents) believe they will be safer overall if we teach them that THEY are responsible for making safe choices, rather than that WE are responsible for keeping them safe.[/quote]

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