Posted By: lallen08 @ 05/01/2008 8:19:04 AM
Comment: We live in an affluent, low crime, busy urban neighborhood. When my 10yo daughter started making the half mile walk home from her small private school every day, everyone noticed and had an opinion which they all felt free to express. Teachers were supportive while other parents (moms) questioned my judgment. One mom was so appalled that she offered to drive my daughter home every day. I began to question my own judgment and then read "Protecting the Gift" by Gavin De Becker, about making these sorts of calls about what is safe and what isn't and how to mitigate risk while promoting autonomy as opposed to eliminating risk while quashing autonomy. And I did the research to defend myself from the criticism. In the 70s when I was riding my bike all over town by myself, I was fully twice as likely to be victimized by a stranger as my daughter is now and I had no clue how to keep myself safe if necessary. The world is a safer place and our children are better informed than we were.