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Title: Free-Range Maryland Family Cleared of Child Neglect Charge
Source:
Reason
URL Source: https://reason.com/blog/2015/05/26/ ... -maryland-family-cleared-of-ch
Published: May 26, 2015
Author: Lenore Skenazy
Post Date: 2015-05-26 21:08:19 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 17706
Comments: 85
Hallelujah! Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Dec. 20 incident when they let their kids walk home from the park in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Washington Post reports: A Maryland couple investigated for neglect after they let their two young children walk home alone from local parks have been cleared in one of two such cases, according to the family’s attorneys and documents. The new Child Protective Services finding, which follows an appeal, comes as the experiences of “free range” parents Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have drawn national attention, sparking debate about parenting choices and how far local officials should go to enforce laws designed to protect children. It overturns a previous CPS decision that held the Meitivs responsible for “unsubstantiated” child neglect, a finding typically made when there is conflicting or insufficient information for a more definitive conclusion. The change came as a welcome surprise to the Meitivs, who were informed in letters they received May 18 that neglect was “ruled out” in the case, which dates to their children’s December walk from Woodside Park. “It was an enormous relief and vindication,” Danielle Meitiv said in a Washington Post interview, the family’s first in six weeks. “Of course there’s no neglect here. There never was. There was never even a hint of it.” The Meitivs aren't in the clear yet, however; there's still a charge against them stemming from that other time they allowed their kids to walk home from a local park (the little recidivists). The kids were held for five hours, and the authorities didn't even notify the parents until about three hours in. “We’re hopeful it will be resolved in the same way,” Danielle Meitiv said. “The facts of the two are the same. They’re the same kids, we’re the same parents. They were walking in the same neighborhood. . . . Neither case is neglect so we’re hopeful that CPS will just see that and move on.” Danielle Meitiv said she stopped giving interviews April 13, both at the advice of lawyers and because the most recent experience became upsetting to talk about. She said she’s speaking out now in hopes the new ruling may assuage the fears of other parents who want to let their children venture outdoors to walk or play, but are worried about CPS involvement. “It’s also really good news,” she said. The Meitivs advocate free-range parenting, which encourages independence and exploration. The term was first coined in 2008 by New York journalist Lenore Skenazy, who developed a following for pushing back against what many saw as a hypervigilant “helicopter parent” culture. That New York journalist would like to clarify that she is not pushing back against helicopter parents—she feels parents can raise their kids however they see fit. She is (I hear) pushing back against an entire culture that sees children only through the lens of danger, trauma, and fragility, which then tends to overreact to any threat, no matter how remote. Just sayin'. But first, a woot of joy for justice, and for kids everywhere. Ye Olde Founding Mother suggests: Why not celebrate by having them walk to school today? Lenore Skenazy is host of the reality show “World’s Worst Mom” on the Discovery Life Channel, starting Jan. 22. She is also a public speaker and founder of the book and blog Free-Range Kids. 
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#63. To: Deckard, GarySpFc, SOSO, liberator, tomder55, Vicomte13, BobCeleste, Chuck_Wagon, misterwhite, sneakypete, TooConservative (#0)
My how the times have changed. EVERY kid I grew up with, including me, was 'free range.' Walked to and from school at the age of 6. Rode my bike miles from home by age 8. In the summer the kids on my street we would all get up eat a bowl of cereal and head out to a makeshift ball field and play baseball until it was dark that evening. Of course much is different these days. Back then, there was Mrs. B across the street who always kept tabs on us and gave us snacks and drinks in the summer months. Her husband was a police officer and her son was one of the best little league catchers I pitched to. Mr. B loved baseball (big Yankees fan) and after he got home from work, would pitch to us and teach us how to throw a curve ball and great stuff like that. Most of the older kids (12-14) played with us and were not dopers but athletes. We all looked out for each other too. No air conditioning (or a few had wall units for really 'hot' days and nights in the 'dog days' of NY August), so the older folk sat on their porch and questioned stangers who were mostly door to door salemen. Neighbor at the corner had two 'man eating' looking German Shepherds which gave both non- neighborhood 'family' and postal workers pause. Basically everyone looked out for each other and their kids. You learned a lot from those older folks sitting on their porch. The stories of wartime America, the rationing, the family that served in WWII...Wow, I'm glad I grew up when I did. I try my best to contribute to my neighborhood these days. We have turned out to be like Mr. and Mrs. B, as Mrs. RLH makes sure the kids get drinks and a quick snack in the summer time and after school and I pass on what I learned from Mr. B with regards to baseball. We try but the environment is much different. Most neighbors keep to themselves; kids stay close to their own property for fear of 'stranger-danger' and there is much to be concerned about. It seemed 'back in the day' child predators 'were handled' differently and great policemen like Mr. B made sure his neighborhood was safe---all the dads did so too. A lot more kooks, perverts and drug abusers running around middle class neighborhoods these days. Which give parents a lot of pause and why what used to be standard kid roaming is now called stupidly "free ranging."
EVERY kid I grew up with, including me, was 'free range.' Walked to and from school at the age of 6. Rode my bike miles from home by age 8. In the summer the kids on my street we would all get up eat a bowl of cereal and head out to a makeshift ball field and play baseball until it was dark that evening. And you didn't even have a cell phone to call home with.
LOL. Yep, no cell phones at all back then. Today some parents 'use' the kids cell phone like a trucking company uses GPS to track their trucks on the highways. One time a mom came driving by my house real slow from another neighborhood. I was outside, she asked is my son in your house with your son? Of course I never met this woman before, but her son always played on our street. I knew the kid of course. I told her yes, he just rode his bike down the street. She apparently tracked her son's cell phone to 'find him.' Which means she had no idea her son left her house nor where her son was going. Technology's great huh? :) Let iPhone do your parenting:) Here's another thing different from the 60s and 70s and even 80s...Staying on 'campus' during school time. My son's HS just enacted a rule only seniors can leave campus for lunch. I was shocked that was not rule already in place. Back in my day only seniors were allowed cars on campus. So my son tells me kids from freshmen to senior year were allowed to drive or walk off campus at lunch to visit the local pizza place and restaurants. They will stop that this next school year. Apparently, some kids were caught shoplifting in a local gas station store.
LOL. Yep, no cell phones at all back then. You forgot the cop that walked the beat and knew everyone in the neighborhood. And the local candy store owner (Joe please make be a malted), Saturdays at movie theater for 25 cents for 25 cartoons, two B movies, Movietone News, an install of either Superman or Flash Gordon, and, a few Three Stooges or Abbott and Costello shorts - and if you were lucky a copped feel of two (thank you Kathy).
I didn't have that,but I did have two cops that lived within a block of me,and they knew everyone that lived around them. One had a channeled 32 Ford coupe with a hemi Chrysler engine in it with 6 carbs. He and my brother were friends. Saturdays at movie theater for 25 cents for 25 cartoons, two B movies, Movietone News, an install of either Superman or Flash Gordon, and, a few Three Stooges or Abbott and Costello shorts - For me it was 3 movies at the movie theater maybe 10-12 blocks away that I walked to (my parents wouldn't take my anwyere. I had to get there by bicycle or walking if there was no bike rack). There would be 3 movies playing each Saturday for 35 cents,and they were always 3 of a kind. Cowboys,war movies,etc,etc,etc, and if you were lucky a copped feel of two (thank you Kathy). and if you were lucky a copped feel of two (thank you Kathy). No such luck for me. When I was 12 my parents moved from the city to a place where there weren't even any telephones within 10 miles,the closest movie theater was 25 miles away,and there were no buses. The nearest female that wasn't related to me that was under 30 was about 10-12 miles away,and she wasn't going to have anything to do with me because I lived to far away to see her other than at school. I have never forgiven them for that.
Tough environment to grow up through, Pete. Wish it'd have been different. You aren't so much a student of "hard-knocks" as much as a professor. "Normal" is different for everyone, but your youth experience was really atypical and beyond any scope of "normal." Especially for a burb-guy like me or Red. It's a wonder your resentment didn't set you off in a tailspin in a waaay different direction. In a certain sense it did (coercive family and the God thing.) But despite that, you've retained a set of values, ethics and decency in dealing with life's challenges as well as with your fellow man. I reckon the service became a much needed escape for you -- as well as the semblance of "normal," "family," values and belonging. The service has wound up re-calibrating life for quite a few guys (and friends) in the positive. Me? I'd have NEVER made it. Can't take orders. My father loooved being in the service, the camaraderie, the traditions, the system....even THE MUSIC. I learned all the big military tunes from him. He was in both the Army AND Navy (during the Korean War.) If he wasn't marrying my mother, he'd have been a career guy. HUGE difference: He didn't see the type of action you'd experienced.
There are no replies to Comment # 74. End Trace Mode for Comment # 74.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThe new Child Protective Services finding, which follows an appeal, comes as the experiences of “free range” parents Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have drawn national attention, sparking debate about parenting choices and how far local officials should go to enforce laws designed to protect children.
#64. To: redleghunter (#63)
My how the times have changed.
#65. To: sneakypete (#64)
And you didn't even have a cell phone to call home with.
#66. To: redleghunter, sneakypete (#65)
And you didn't even have a cell phone to call home with.
#70. To: SOSO (#66)
You forgot the cop that walked the beat and knew everyone in the neighborhood.
#74. To: sneakypete, redleghunter (#70)
Replies to Comment # 74.
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