The Overprotected Kid

I so enjoyed this article from The Atlantic.  Although I by no means was a crazy adventurous child growing up, my Sunday afternoons were often spent running around my grandparents' ranch with my cousins, unsupervised; both of my parents worked, so my sister and I were left to our own devices during the summer.  Those days were spent cultivating imagination (there was always a game of runaway princesses or long-lost sisters reunited going on), building forts in the yard, coming up with swim routines- and, yes, occasionally getting a skinned knee or lots of mosquito bites.  Looking back at it, I knew that my parents trusted me to take care and make good choices, even if they weren't standing two feet behind me.  What a wonderful gift to give a kid.
Although August is only 9 months old, I'm trying to not be helicopter parent.  I trust that he'll let me know if he needs something, but exploration is so important to his development, mobility, and curiosity right now.  My goal is to have a child who isn't afraid to take risks, who can entertain himself outside of the house, and feels comfortable without a set schedule and activities.  I have a feeling I'll be coming back to Rosin's points several times in the future!