Let Kids be Kids

Recently, I read an a blog commenting on article about an 11-year-old girl “vacationing” by herself. It turns out that this girl was actually just getting on a plane by herself to meet other family members in another state. Jessica Rosenberg, writer for the Huffington Post, commented,

Now, I’m sorry, but she’s far from the only 11-year-old traveling as an unaccompanied minor, and I really don’t think that being on your own (with airline attendant supervision) on a plane is the same thing as “going on vacation” alone.

Let’s set aside for a second the sensationalization of something rather banal in the hopes of getting readers all riled up.

I traveled as an unaccompanied minor for the first time when I was 4.

I walked to school, going from one end of town to the other, on my own, when I was 9.

I took the London Tube (the subway) and hailed cabs on my own when I was 11.

These things are not crazy. It was not a “sign of the times.” It was not irresponsible of my parents to let me do these things. They taught me to make smart decisions and then let me make them.

That is nothing more than good parenting.”

Rosenberg is standing up against this society’s need to shelter children, and I agree with her. At a young age, my mother would work until late and I would be home alone with my siblings and we would have to make our own dinner. I personally feel that sheltering children will not benefit our society in the long run because the generation will one day be running the country and they will have no idea how to decipher right and wrong from each other.

2 thoughts on “Let Kids be Kids

  1. I agree with your post! It’s not uncommon for kids to fly alone, and flight attendants usually look you for the kids, it teaches independence. Great post!

  2. I completely agree, I have started to fly alone when I was 12. It taught me to be independent and ask for help if I didn’t know how to navigate through a particular airport. Also, great addition of your personal experience. Awesome post!

Leave a Reply