A Child’s Liberty is the Key to a Happy and Fulfilling Childhood

Freedom; all adults want it and so do your children. However, in this day and age, many parents are constantly worried about allowing their children too much freedom when it comes to where they go, what they do, and with whom they associate. Yes, the world can be a scary place. However, a child’s liberty is important, as it is the key to a happy and fulfilling childhood.

Remember Your Own Childhood Experiences

Some of us rode in cars without seat belts, on bicycles with no helmets, drank out of water faucets, and talked to strangers. We survived.

There is a difference between adventurous behavior and risky behavior. It is important to help your child recognize and distinguish between the two. Adventurous behavior involves exploration, creative thinking, and imagination. Risky behavior, as the name implies, involves a dangerous activity.

If you think back to your childhood, the memories which stand out probably involve some type of adventure. I remember following the drainage ditch behind the golf course and retrieving lost golf balls, we would then sell them and use our earnings for ice cream and candy at the corner store. When we lived up north, all the houses on our block backed up to an area that was originally an alley. No longer used, it was overgrown with brush and trees. Our children spent hours playing in what was alternately called a “jungle” and the “forest.”

Search Out and Create Opportunities for Freedom

Summer and Day Camps

Camps provide supervised activities away from a child’s normal daily routine. Many programs offer recreational activities, however, there are many camps catering to specific interests. Karate camp, theatre camp, and cooking camps are only a few of the many specialized camp experiences available for children. Check local availability by contacting churches, schools, service organizations, and your local community college.

Areas to Explore in Your Community

Allowing your children freedom does not require leaving them completely alone. A park playground can provide a safe environment for exploration as you sit in the shade on a bench reading and occasionally glancing up to assure safe behavior. Also, explore nearby zoos, aquariums, and art museums. Many have child specific activities and exhibits appealing to children.

Use Your Own Backyard

Provide jars for collecting, examining, and then releasing specimens. If this makes you nervous, a sketchpad and pencil is a good alternative. Young children love playhouses and older children tree houses. A good swing set provides hours of entertainment. Place it in sight of a window if you really want to keep an eye on your child.

Be Realistic About Actual Dangers

Sometimes we worry about danger unrealistically. Only five or six people in the U.S. die from snakebite each year. Moreover, it is estimated that there are 115 child "stranger abduction" cases each year, which means the child was taken by an unknown person. It is actually more dangerous to take your child to school in the morning than to let them roam the woods behind your house or walk to the neighborhood store for a treat.

With a bit of thought, you can find places close to home and even in your own backyard to provide opportunities for your child to experience the liberty that is a key to a happy and fulfilling childhood.