In 2008, a New York mother was criticized for allowing her nine-year-old son to ride the subway alone.

Labelled 香蕉视频直播淎merica香蕉视频直播檚 Worst Mom,香蕉视频直播� Lenore Skenazy, spent time on The Daily Show, CBC, and was interviewed by the New York Times and Washington Post among other news outlets as she argued for 香蕉视频直播淔ree-Range Kids.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 have focused for the last eight years on how we got so afraid for our kids香蕉视频直播� that fascinates me, the fact that somehow we believe that our kids are incapable of doing the same things we did as children and surviving,香蕉视频直播� said Skenazy.

She香蕉视频直播檚 providing presentations to the Okanagan and surrounding areas, speaking on free-range parenting.

Skenazy will be making rounds to Kelowna on Jan. 23, at the Rotary Centre for Arts and at UBCO at 7, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. for professionals.

In Salmon Arm, Skenazy will give a talk, Jan. 25, at Sullivan campus.

This event came about because of CATCH Coalition (Community Action Towards Children香蕉视频直播檚 Health) in Kelowna, as they asked Skenazy to speak to create a community conversation.

Skenazy will ask parents questions like why won香蕉视频直播檛 they allow their children to do the same things they did when they were young?

香蕉视频直播淲e talk about how come that is. There香蕉视频直播檚 something in the culture that has made it almost impossible to raise our kids the way we were raised. A lot of it is based on fear,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Skenazy香蕉视频直播檚 reasoning comes from the 24-hour news cycle, saying how it exaggerates the likelihood of an child abductions.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not like I hate the media, I just hate what the media feels like it sometimes has to do, which is show us the worst, scariest picture of the world so we香蕉视频直播檒l keep watching.香蕉视频直播�

Part of the reason for parental fear also comes from our litigious society, she said.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you live in a litigious society, you start thinking like a lawyer. Like, oh my god, I found a dime in my soup and I could香蕉视频直播檝e choked, and sued the place for a million dollars.香蕉视频直播�

School Bus is Safer Than Carpooling!

香蕉视频直播� Lenore Skenazy (@FreeRangeKids)

Marketing plays another role, she said.

She used the example of the list publishing 10 of the most dangerous toys for children, noting how ridiculous the reasons were.

A popular toy dinosaur was listed as dangerous because the button to activate the toy is set on the 香蕉视频直播渞igid香蕉视频直播� tail, which could puncture the child.

香蕉视频直播淵ou can come up with dangerous for everything, and we do,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淔ree-Range Kids香蕉视频直播� is a concept Skenazy created to combat the helicopter parent.

It香蕉视频直播檚 letting a child have their independence and experiment on their own.

香蕉视频直播淚 never present myself as a parenting expert香蕉视频直播� but you don香蕉视频直播檛 need to be an expert to raise your kids. I can香蕉视频直播檛 get your kid to take a nap or eat his broccoli, but I guess I香蕉视频直播檓 an expert on fear,香蕉视频直播� she said.

After eight years of doing talks and spreading her philosophy, she feels like people have split opinions.

香蕉视频直播淎t first when I started my blog, twice in a row my one was the most controversial of the mommy blogs. It was so radical what I was saying. 香蕉视频直播楳aybe we should get a grip on the fact that the stranger danger, for the most part, is a myth. Certainly, it香蕉视频直播檚 presented to us out of proportion with the reality.香蕉视频直播�

At first, the label of 香蕉视频直播淎merica香蕉视频直播檚 Worst Mother香蕉视频直播� bothered her, she worried for her children. But as time continued and the attention grew, she became accustomed to it and people began to accept the idea of free-range parenting.

It香蕉视频直播檚 (become) sort of who I am,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Children feel happier when they香蕉视频直播檙e left to discover things on their own, she said.

香蕉视频直播淧eople feel happy when they have some control over their lives,香蕉视频直播� said Skenazy.

Reservations for the presentations can be made at .

The event is full sold out except for the Jan. 24 event at UBCO.