In fits and starts, the weather is beginning to turn warm in my locale. Despite that, May 17th seems a long way away. Nonetheless, I want to prepare myself and if you are interested— you— not to go along with the crowd on that day. Granted, it sounds misanthropic to oppose “Kids to Parks Day” but hear me out.
According to the National Park Trust, “Kids to Parks Day” encourages children and families to explore local, state, and national parks. That sounds lovely, but my hesitation stems from knowing that in the same year that this day was instituted by the government, a different day was proposed by a private citizen.
In 2010, Lenore Skenazy introduced “Take Our Children to the Park … and Leave Them There Day,” scheduled for the Saturday before Memorial Day. Who was she? Lenore was a Manhattan mom who became famous—or infamous— for her 2008 article about allowing her nine-year-old son to ride the NYC subway alone. This sparked intense media backlash, earning her the title, “world’s worst mom.” Lenore used the controversy to endorse granting children independence and the opportunity to develop life skills by meeting challenges without constant adult supervision. Largely due to her advocacy, many became aware of the concept of Free-Range parenting. Her website‘s credo reads:
“Fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape.”
Many of you probably remember summer days spent outdoors from morning until evening, with a small lunch break defining the only time you returned home. My own mother often had no idea whether I was at a friend’s house, riding my bike, or playing punchball in the street—and that was perfectly normal. Children didn’t need to be encouraged to go outside and play; they simply did that. By 2008, however, parents were increasingly afraid to let their children play without supervision. It didn’t help that Child Protective Services was intervening authoritatively to determine if children could walk to school, visit the store alone, or even play in their own yards without an adult hovering nearby.
Ms. Skenazy doesn’t recall hearing about “Kids to Parks Day” before promoting her own “Take Our Children to the Park … and Leave Them There Day.” Perhaps the former was a response to her idea—I don’t know. Regardless, I still stand by what I wrote about Lenore in 2011. Her idea represented an empowering concept while “Kids to Parks Day” reflects a pleasant sentiment. It bothers me to see her idea watered down.
P.S. I’m having great fun watching my Substack numbers grow. I hope Happy Warriors enjoy reading some Musing and Practical Parenting pieces from the past. I especially appreciate your subscribing (its free!) and inviting others to do so. Join me in helping to encourage healthy families by touching one heart at a time.
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