You may have heard of the uproar caused when one New York mom and blogger allowed her 9-year-old son to ride the subway alone in 2008. Lenore Skenazy armed her son with maps and subway routes and sent him on a short trip to prove that so-called “helicopter parents” are way off base in overprotecting their kids. Many people traipse down memory lane, remembering childhoods when entire days were spent roving the neighborhood unsupervised, and a bike ride down to the convenience store – un-helmeted and un-padded, no less — wasn’t out of the question. But the idea is unheard of these days among those very same people, who are now parents. On her blog, Skenazy explains she’s not reckless; she’s simply giving her child the independence he craves and needs to grow into a strong, confident man. She writes of free-range parents, “We are not daredevils. We believe in life jackets and bike helmets and air bags. But we also believe in independence.

Children, like chickens, deserve a life outside the cage. The overprotected life is stunting and stifling, not to mention boring for all concerned.” Instilling self-confidence in kids seems to be a lost art, and allowing kids to do things for themselves – anticipating those inevitable bumps and bruises along the way – is the best way to help your kids foster independence. Teach them the ways to be safe and successful, like dealing with traffic, whether on a bike or on foot, and what to do in emergency situations. The reality is that kids are safer these days than ever before – crime in most areas is lower than it was when those parents roamed the streets years ago. So give your kids the tools they need to build their wings – then step back and watch them fly.