Why we Free Range it

A couple nights ago we were getting ready to take the kids to my in-laws.  They live literally a block (albeit a long block) away.  We regularly walk over there in the summer, but it's getting cold and dark pretty early here in Chicagoland now so we tend to just drive lately, plus my husband and I had plans to see a movie while the kids were with grandma and grandpa so we were planning on just dropping them off on the way to the theater

As we were getting coats and shoes on,My Big Guy said he wanted to walk to Bubbie's, by himself.  

My husband and I looked at each other, and said ok.

He's only 3, but he's a mature 3.  We've done this walk hundreds of times together, and the neighborhood we live in is exceptionally safe.

Now, we might be Free Range but we're not crazy or stupid.  We were not going to REALLY let our 3 year old walk alone in the dark (including crossing the street) to get to his Bubbie's house.   My husband walked about 20-30 feet behind My Big Guy, staying hidden so that My Big Guy thought he was in fact walking all by himself, and helped him cross the street safely.  

I drove my My Little Guy over, and waited for my walkers to arrive.  

My Big Guy came running up the driveway beaming with pride and the first thing he said to me was, "I did it!  I walked all by myself!"  He was so proud of himself, and I was so happy that he got to feel that pride and satisfaction of walking over by himself.  

I'm so glad we let him do it, it was definitely worth being late to the movie (three year olds aren't exactly speedy walkers, we didn't budget time for his walk over in our plans) to see how happy and proud of himself he was.

That feeling, and that look on his face was why we raise our kids Free Range.  We want them to grow up to be confident in their abilities, and not scared of everything that comes their way.  The mere fact that My Big Guy ASKED if he could walk by himself made me proud of him.  He wants to explore the world, he wants to do things on his own, he wants to be independent.  And that's who we want him to be.