"A parent supervising downtown visits hasn't been the norm for my daughter and her friends for about a year. The kid's grandma handed them over and confirmed they could walk around solo and be picked up at a designated time and place. Next thing I know, the mom is texting frantically that her kid should not be without an adult, and can we go find the girls immediately?"
"I get it! I think back to when I was a preteen and would intentionally hang out at my friends' houses whose parents would let us walk around without supervision. This was because my own parents were a bit more protective and wouldn't let me. It's always been true that some parents have their kids on a tighter leash than others, and that's OK. We won't all parent the same."
An 11-year-old invited a same-age friend to walk around a very safe downtown area and get ice cream. The friend's grandmother handed the children to the parent and confirmed they could walk around unsupervised and be picked up at a designated time and place. The other child's mother later texted frantically that her child should not be without an adult and asked that the girls be found immediately. Parental norms about supervision vary, and differing comfort levels are normal. Confirming permission from the caregiver constituted reasonable due diligence. The parent did nothing wrong. Explicitly stating supervision expectations in advance can prevent misunderstandings.
Read at Slate Magazine
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