Tag: parenting

“Free Range” Parents Found Responsible For “Unsubstantiated” Child Neglect

Filed in National by on March 5, 2015 12 Comments
“Free Range” Parents Found Responsible For “Unsubstantiated” Child Neglect

Is it just me, or is this crazy?

Remember the Maryland parents who let their two kids walk home from a park alone and then had to deal with police and child protective services? They heard from the state today. The couple was found responsible for “unsubstantiated” child neglect, a confusing charge that resolved nothing and left the couple possibly more nervous and paranoid than ever.

In December, Danielle and Alexander Meitiv let their 10-year-old son, Rafi, and his 6-year-old sister, Dvorah, walk 1 mile home through Silver Spring, Maryland, alone. The kids got picked up by the police, who then turned the case over to child protective services. The Meitivs, as it happens, are “free-range parents” who have a very coherent philosophy about giving children more independence. They had let their children walk home alone that day only after practicing and felt the kids were ready.

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My Pet Peeve Doesn’t Seem To Be Going Away

Filed in National by on January 15, 2014 67 Comments
My Pet Peeve Doesn’t Seem To Be Going Away

I really don’t understand why things like this keep happening.

Acclaimed molecular gastronomy chef Grant Achatz caused a stir over the weekend when he took to his Twitter account to ask his followers if a ban on babies was in order at his three-Michelin-starred Chicago eatery Alinea.

The clearly ruffled Achatz paused his dinner service to complain about a couple at his restaurant who brought in an eight-month-old, who promptly started to wail.

“Tbl brings 8mo.Old. It cries. Diners mad,” Achatz tweeted. “Tell ppl no kids? Subject diners 2crying? Ppl take infants 2 plays? Concerts? Hate saying no,but..”

Alinea obviously doesn’t encourage diners to bring their babies — there are no high chairs on site; the baby sat on its mother’s lap — but it doesn’t have a written policy prohibiting their presence.

The establishment uses a ticketing system which requires would-be patrons to reserve, and pay for, their entire meal (minus the drinks) weeks in advance. If something comes up at the last minute, Alinea allows customers to sell their reservations or hand them off to someone else.

Personally, I found Achatz’s tweet extremely reasonable.  I would have kicked the couple out, but I’m mean and this has always been one of my pet peeves.  Yes, Virginia, there are places you shouldn’t take your children.

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The Mommy Wars Leave Out The Kids

Filed in Delaware, National by on November 19, 2010 2 Comments

There are some things I agree with in Erica Jong’s WSJ article, but there’s a lot I do not.  While she goes to great lengths to make the point that mothers shouldn’t feel guilty the point gets lost amid the guilt she dishes out. Cooperative child-rearing is obviously convenient, but some anthropologists believe that it […]

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Sunday’s Open Thread

Filed in Delaware, National by on April 12, 2009 2 Comments

The Obamas get a dog and the newspapers write the obligatory “pet” articles. Pastor Warren is too exhausted to talk.  Hey, maybe miracles really do happen! And it’s really a good thing we don’t have big problems or we wouldn’t have time to worry about important things. Meanwhile, Dobson admits defeat in the culture wars. […]

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Adventures in Parenting

Filed in National by on June 9, 2008 17 Comments

My 11 year old son has gotten to the point that he requests WSTW be played when we are driving somewhere. Tonight as we drove to the Bear/Glasgow YMCA for a quick swim, I started listening to the lyrics of the song playing on the radio. The song is “I Kissed a Girl,” a techno-rock […]

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