America's worst mother in Australia (Issue 9, 2012)
Lenore Skenazy, New York columnist and author of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children – without going nuts with worry has come to Australia to deliver La Trobe University’s 2012 Executive Dean’s Public Lecture.
Ms Skenazy gained instant media attention when she wrote a column in the New York Sun about allowing her nine year old son to ride the subway alone. Public opinion ranged from labelling her ‘America’s Worst Mum’ to admiration to nostalgia for her attitude towards children’s freedom.
Ms Skenazy defends her view that a freedom based, free-range approach is indeed safe. Currently, she is the host of a reality show titled, World’s Worst Mom, helping families to go free-range. Her lecture entitled What Makes a Perfect Parent? (Trick Question!), looked at the pressure on parents to create perfect kids in our child-obsessed culture.
‘Lenore spoke about a topic that is of great interest to all parents and children. How society creates environments for children has emerged as an important research area and one the Faculty is keen to promote. I am delighted that she accepted our invitation to present this lecture,’ says Executive Dean of the Humanities and Social Science Faculty, Professor Tim Murray.
The lecture was organised by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University’s Bendigo Campus. Associate Professor Trevor Budge, Head of the Faculty at the Bendigo campus, said Ms Skenazy’s message is highly relevant for all Australians including those in Bendigo.
‘Bendigo is now looking at its residential and transport development for the next generation. How we plan for our cities tells us a lot about how we view our children and our city,’ says Mr Budge.
‘Places like Bendigo have the opportunity to plan on the basis that children are independent, have the capacity to assist in shaping their city and can take much more responsibility for their own lives,’ added Mr Budge.
Ms Skenazy was a keynote speaker at the City of Greater Bendigo Child Friendly Cities Conference on May 1 and 2. Her participation at the conference and public lecture at La Trobe University is expected to draw significant attention from those who are intrigued by the anti-helicopter parenting movement.
