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free-range

free-range

1 5.3
Giving children freedom to explore and make choices with little adult help
  • adjective
  • /friː reɪndʒ/
translation icon : de crianza libre
  • I was a free-range kid, and I am now a free-range mom.
  • a free-range parent

We, we were more or less our brain wiring does best when we raised in small village type environments where kids can forage the whole free range kids idea.

Examples

  • I was a free-range kid, and I am now a free-range mom.

    Blog text (14)
  • Some kids are very free-range with questionable ranges.

    Blog text (14)
  • When you hear the term free range parent, what do you think of privilege?

  • But I don't think I am a free range parent.

  • Have you heard about "free-range kids"?

    Blog text (2)
  • If you show up, how much of it is also to, you know, injecting a bit of free range parenting into all of this?

  • Others really are free-range children and have the resources and judgment to make good decisions in a variety of circumstances.

    Blog text (12)
  • He and his organic wife, Amy, live with their four free-range kids in a farmhouse Ben designed and built.

    Blog text (19)
  • Free-range kids included.

    Blog text (14)
  • As a free-range parent, I encourage my children to explore their surroundings independently.

Synonyms

unfettered
vsfree-range
28 7.3

Free from limits or rules

allows much freedom for children but still within caregiving boundaries
freewheeling
vsfree-range
  • Informal
6 6.3

Behaving without strict rules and doing what you want

gives children wide choice but keeps some parental oversight

Antonyms

18 3.9

Limited so only certain people can see or use it

Under the watch and control of a responsible person

How Permissive

hands-off
26 5.3
free-range
1 5.3
permissive
  • Jargon
14 4.9
authoritative
39 5.8
authoritarian
58 7.5

Surface Forms

free-range positive

Morphology

free-range = free + range (semi-transparent) = free + range

The compound structure 'free' + 'range' is obvious even when used metaphorically for parenting.

Etymology

Free-range used for parenting borrows the same idea from farming: free 'not kept inside' and range 'an open area to explore'. So free-range parenting means parents let children move around and make their own choices with less close watching.