Sen. Lincoln Filmore (R), the Utah bill’s chief sponsor, said he introduced the legislation to encourage more self-reliance among children.
“I feel strongly about the issue because we have become so over-the-top when ‘protecting’ children that we are refusing to let them learn the lessons of self-reliance and problem-solving that they will need to be successful as adults,” Filmore told Yahoo Lifestyle last week.
Advocates of free-range parenting have celebrated Utah’s new law.
Freedom-Loving Parents Rejoice!
Utah passes “Free-Range Kids” bill, unanimously. Governor signs it!#LetGrowOrg@Reasonhttp://reason.com/blog/2018/03/20/freedom-loving-parents-rejoice-utah-appr …
This is wonderful news; could be a turning point in America’s long slide into oversupervision of kids… let them walk to school, play in parks, without putting parents at risk of being charged with neglect. https://twitter.com/LetGrowOrg/status/976270274646691841 …
“We live in a fear-infused culture in which we’ve lost perspective on safety,” Lenore Skenazy, who coined the term “free-range parenting” about a decade ago, told Yahoo Lifestyle. “Common activities like leaving a child in a car are often presented as though they pose enormous threats to our safety.”
“Yes, anything can happen. But I hate the idea that imagination becomes the basis of law,” she added.
Article Appeared @https://www.yahoo.com/news/utah-just-passed-america-first-113313748.html