Bill promoting childhood independence deserves support

Lenore Skenazy has spent the past 15 years shining a light on examples across the country of overzealous bureaucrats and law enforcement officials attempting to criminalize what were once ordinary childhood activities, such as playing outside alone or walking by yourself to the store. Her efforts led to Utah passing the nation’s first “free-range” parenting bill in 2018. Three other states — Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas — followed with their own versions of legislation embracing childhood independence. The entirely reasonable premise is that granting kids the freedom to be kids enhances their opportunities to grow into happy, confident and capable adults. Now Congress may soon be on board. Last week, Reps. Blake Moore, R–Utah; Janet McClellan, D–Virginia.; and Virginia Foxx, R–North Carolina, introduced the Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act. It would demand that states encourage independence “rather than investigate or punish the parents who permit it,” Skenazy wrote at reason.com. The bill includes numerous examples of authorities overreacting to in

Original source: Korea Times