Thowback Parenting: Why you should raise your kids like it’s 1974

The prospective parent looked at Jennifer Wheelhouse of Montessori Children’s House in Redmond with concern. “Is that safe?” she asked, and gestured to the new elementary playground. It was a beautiful day: sunny just a hint of a breeze. “I turned to look at the reality of my vision and smiled,” Wheelhouse recalled. Here are her thoughts about parenting today, and learning to let go (at least a little bit).

Since the 1990s schools have removed swing sets from school playground. There were accidents; I remember them myself, but not an epidemic. As a result, straight slides were removed, they picked up too much speed, and spiral slides became common. Metal, that got too hot in the summer sun, was replaced by heat-reflecting plastic and the term “helicopter parent” was introduced into our vocabulary. MORE ...