Dangerous Things Kids Should Do


With today's paranoia of terrorists, child molesters and more, kids are missing more and more opportunities to go out, have fun and well...be kids. To fight this, a new parenting mentality has started to arise, arguing that kids should go outside to play rough, even if it means getting a few scrapes and bruises along the way. The free-range parenting movement has been getting a lot of steam lately and the idea has been a hot topic of debate. A recent book called Fifty Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do) has taken the concept one step further and actually recommends fifty different potentially dangerous activities that can help children learn about science, athletics and more.
The question is, is it ok to put your child in mildly dangerous situations if the danger is largely negligible and it means they get to learn and grow as a person? What do you think? Should we let our kids learn things on their own even if it means potential risks, or should we keep them protected as much as possible until they turn 18?