Steven Levitt has also talked about encouraging his daughter to learn how to walk to school and back on her own.

My biggest concern with doing anything like that is getting reported to the state and charged with negligence. Many states have essentially criminalized childhood and even where they haven't, you never know how a particular state agent is going to act.

Undisciplined

There was that woman who wrote about letting her child ride the subway in NY. 

Reason also interviewed her. 


Bell_curve

earth

Japan is so child-friendly

cryotosensei

As a parent, I certainly understand the appeal of "better safe than sorry", but kids do need those experiences of independence in order to become functional adults.