It Wasn't "Wednesday Is Negligent Parents Day"
My friend and former New York Daily News colleague Lenore Skenazy, with the terrific Free Range Kids blog (and movement she started to fight rampant helicopter parenting), linked to this Michael Alves blog post about the old "Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day" commercial:
It shows a school-age boy, Anthony, running home through the streets of the North End of Boston to get his dinner. He is alone. The streets are crowded, but he gets home safely. According to the article below, this spot ran for 13 years. I bet no one felt it was strange that a boy would be out by himself back then. -- Michael Alves
Here's another one of Alves' posts, on "The Red Balloon":
So this is the ultimate free range kid film. 34 minutes of walking around the dangerous streets of Paris in the 1950s. Notice how the other kids walk home from school themselves. Notice how his mother shoos him out of the house to play by himself. When he is bullied, he outsmarts the bullies with no help from adults.I loved this movie as a child. It is a beautiful expression of childhood and freedom.
I remember that commercial!
PS Amy- fresh homeade salsa and marinara this week from our garden! A mix of brandywine, grape and heirloom tomatoes!
Eric at September 9, 2011 1:38 PM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/09/notice-it-wasnt.html#comment-2467837">comment from EricOh, la, la...I'll take the spaghetti plate, hold the spaghetti!
Amy Alkon
at September 9, 2011 1:40 PM
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