【正文】 the good old days nineyear172。old baby boomers rode their bikes to school, walked to the store, took buses—and even subways—all by themselves. Her blog, she says, is dedicated to sensible parenting. “At Free Range Kids, we believe in safe kid. We believe in car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time schoolage children go outside, they need a security guard.” So why are some parents so nervous about letting their children out of their sight? Are cities and towns less safe and kids more vulnerable to crimes like child kidnap and sexual abuse than they were in previous generations? Not exactly. New York City, for instance, is safer than it’s ever been。 there’s a oneinamillion chance a child will be taken by a stranger, according to the Justice Department. And 90 percent of sexual abuse cases are mitted by someone the knows. Mortality rates from all causes, including disease and accidents, for American children are lower now than they were 25 years ago. According to Child Trends, a nonprofit research group, between 1980 and 2022 death rates dropped by 44 percent for children aged 5 to 14 and 32 percent for teens aged 15 to 19. Then there’s the whole question of whether modern parents are more watchful and nervous about safety than previous generations. Yes, some are. Part of the problem is that with walltowall Inter and cable new, every missing child case gets so much airtime that it’s surprising even normal parental anxiety can be amplified. And many middleclass parents have gotten used to managing their children’s time and shuttling them to various enriching activities, so the idea of letting them out on their own can seem like a risk. Back in 1972, when many of today’s parents were kids, 87 percent of children who lived within a mile of school walked or biked every day. But today, the Centers for Disease Control report that only 13 percent of children bike, walk or otherwise get themselves to school. The extra supervision is both a city and a suburb phenomenon. Parent are worried about crime, and they are worried about kids getting caught in traffic in a city that’s not used to pedestrians. On the other hand, there are still plenty of kids whose parents give them a lot of independence, by choice or by necessity. The After School Alliance finds that more than 14 million kids aged 5 to 17 are responsible for taking care of themselves after school. Only million kids participate in anized programs. “Many children who have working parents have to take the subway or bus to get to school. Many do this by themselves because they have no other way to get to their school,” says Dr. Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at the New York University Child Study Center. For those parents who wonder how and when they should start allowing their kids more freedom, there’s no clearcut answer. Child experts discourage a onesizefitsall approach to parenting. What’s right for Skenazy’s nineyearold could be inappropriate for another one. It all depends on developmental issues, maturity, and the psychological and emotional makeup of that child. Several factors must be taken into account, says Gallagher. “The ability to follow parent guidelines, the child’s level of fort in handing such situations, and a child’s general judgment should be weighed.” Gallagher agrees with Skenazy that many nineyearolds are ready for independence like taking public transportation alone. “At certain times of the day, on certain routes, the subways are generally safe for these children, especially if they have grown up in the city and have been taught how to be safe, how to obtain help if they are concerned for their safety, and how to avoid unsafe situations by being watchful and on their toes.” But even with more traffic and fewer sidewalks, modern parents do have one advantage their parents didn’t: the cell phone. Being able to check in with a child anytime goes a long way toward relieving parental anxiety and may help parents loosen their control a little sooner. Skenazy got a lot of criticism because she didn’t give her kid her cell phone because she thought he’d lose it and wanted him to learn to go it alone without depending on mom—a major principle of freerange parenting. But most parents are more than happy to use cell phones to keep track of their kids. And for those who like the idea of freerange kids but still struggle with their inner helicopter parent, there may be a middle way. A new generation of GPS cell phones with tracking software make it easier than ever to follow a child’s every movement via the Inter— without seeming to interfere or hover. Of Course, when they go to college, they might start objecting to being monitored as if they’ re on parole(假釋 ). 1. When Lenore Skenazy’s son was allowed to take the subway alone, he______________. A) was afraid that he might get lost B) enjoyed having the indepentdence C) was only too pleased to take the risk D) thought he was an exceptional child 2. Lenore Skenazy believes that keeping kids under careful watch____________. A) hinders theirs healthy growth B) adds too much to parents’ expenses C) shows traditional parental caution D) bucks the latest parenting trend 3. Skenazy’s decision to let her son take the subway alone has met with______________. A) opposition from her own family B) official charges of child abuse C) approval from psychologists D) somewhat mixed responses 4. Skenazy started her own blog to____________. A) promote sensible parenting B) share parenting experience C) fight against child abuse D) protect children’s rights 5. According to the author, New York City___________. A) ranks high in road accidents B) is much safer than before C) ranks low in child mortality rates D) is less dangerous than small cities 6. Parents today are more nervous about their kids’ safety than