Children’s outside play is not neglect | Guest column
There is little that unites Republicans and Democrats these days. From the economy to immigration to tax policy, seeking common ground can be challenging. But long before we joined Congress, we had the same formative experience: an American childhood full of fun and freedom.
The kind of childhood that made us resilient, curious and creative.
Though we grew up far apart in Utah and Virginia, we both have fond memories of playing and exploring outside. Afternoon bike rides, walks through the woods, and days waiting for a fish to bite our bait brought joy and discovery to our early years.
Unfortunately, such screen-free activities are becoming less common among American youth, and it’s harming their mental health. A 2023 report in the Journal of Pediatrics found that as kids’ independence and free play have declined since the 1970s, their anxiety and depression have increased. As the report states, the evidence goes well beyond simple correlation. And it’s not necessarily because children don’t want to play outside — it’s because parents are less likely to allow them to.
Parenting norms have changed. Over the past few decades, parents have become more overprotective and are exhibiting “helicopter” tendencies, preventing children from playing outside unaccompanied, and in turn keeping them inside and on screens. This is in part due to a culture shift in parental practices, but a stealth factor has also given parents pause before sending kids outside — the fear of being accused of neglect. Lenore Skenazy, founder of the childhood independence advocacy nonprofit Let Grow, says that parents aren’t afraid of their kids getting kidnapped — they’re afraid of someone seeing them alone outside and calling 911.
There are several stories of parents being wrongfully investigated and charged because they responsibly allowed their children to practice independence. In 2014, the Meitivs, of Maryland, were investigated — not once, but twice — for letting their kids, 10 and 6 years old, walk home from the park together.
South Carolina’s Debra Harrell let her 9-year-old play at the park while she worked her shift at McDonald’s. Her child was taken away from her for 17 days.
Most recently, Brittany Patterson’s case went viral after her 10-year-old son walked to town without telling her. She was handcuffed in front of her family for “reckless conduct.”
As these cases came to public attention, both of our states responded by passing Reasonable Childhood Independence laws. Utah passed the first “Free-Range Parenting” bill in 2018. When Rep. Jennifer McClellan was a state senator in 2023, she helped pass Virginia’s Reasonable Childhood Independence law unanimously.
These laws state that “neglect” must only be categorized as a serious, obvious danger to a child rather than at any moment a parent takes their eyes off them. This helps parents who choose to allow their children unsupervised time, such as playing in the neighborhood park, walking to a friend’s house or going to the local grocery store to pick up items for the family. It also empowers parents stretched thin who can’t afford to constantly watch their kids because of challenging work schedules. When a child comes home with a latchkey because their parents are working, that’s not neglect. Too often, that’s because there just aren’t any other options available.
These childhood independence laws usually have bipartisan support and are often passed unanimously because no one wants their reasonable parenting decisions second-guessed by the state. Parental protection laws have now been passed in 13 states across the country.
We are now taking this effort to the federal level by introducing the Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act. This bill pushes states to promote reasonable childhood independence, prevent unnecessary and traumatic investigations and separations, clarify that reasonable independence is not neglect and more.
By supporting and empowering parents to promote responsible, unsupervised independence and outdoor play, we can restore a healthy American childhood, get kids off screens and exploring their environment, and protect parents who encourage some autonomy as a part of their child’s development.
Politics will come and go, but we can both agree that being a parent is the greatest privilege of our lives. As parents, we must support one another in our pursuit of giving our children the best childhood and outcomes possible. We are honored to bring this issue to Congress as we seek to get more children outside, learning and exploring our world.