[pzxc]

I grew up only having to be home by dark, too, but putting a label on what used to be normal but is being lost is actually a GOOD thing! It's not sad. It lets you track the concept's popularity, and makes for catchy slogans like "Free range parenting is not a crime".

Without a catchy label, even those who believe in it (like me) have a hard time finding words to speak up whenever a helicopter parent is around.

Because it was so natural in my own childhood, it seems self-evident that children don't need constant 24/7 supervision (and it may actually be harmful) and so I find myself grasping when I encounter someone who believes the opposite (and there are plenty). A nice sound bite like "free range parenting" just might be the tool needed to combat this trend.