August 25th, 2008 - Go outside and play
Thanks to my brother for sharing “Remember ‘go outside and play?’” from the LA Times. This is our philosophy for Maggie–she’s already doing it this summer at just 3.5. The only precautions are an adult has to let her out (the doors are kept secure due to the animals–if we had none, we’d probably let her go out on her own) and the gates are secured (one is locked, the other one she’s not strong enough to open). The article mentions a new blog, Free Range Kids that I think I will love! Maggie can play outside for an hour at a time or even longer. Sometimes she wanders in to tell us something or use the toilet or ask a question, then she heads right back out. Since neither of us are particularly into hanging around in the backyard, we love that she’s independent!
I wish she could range the neighborhood…maybe when she’s 5 or 6. I don’t really like that our neighbor girls (18 months and 7) do–it just seems too dangerous for the younger one and the older one shouldn’t be in charge of her kid sister at that young of an age. At this point, Maggie doesn’t know enough about safety to not have an adult with her outside the backyard. For instance, she doesn’t understand looking for cars before crossing the street. No way will we let her roam before she understands that one! (The 18 month old, for instance, doesn’t get that one either to our occasional horror. Luckily so far her sister has been vigilant.)