Are you raising a free-range kid?

How much independence is your child really ready to handle, and how willing are you to grant it?

"Mom, can I walk to Courtney's house?" My daughter asked me. She was 10 years old.

"Is there a parent home?" I asked. There was.

I considered the route. Courtney lived in the neighborhood, a cul-de-sac, just down the street and around the corner. There are no busy streets to cross, the streets have sidewalks, and I knew this family well.

Summer is here and kids are looking for fun and freedom during their break from school. My scenario above is pretty common. There's a lot of hype about "free-range" parenting, and news stories of phone calls to authorities when parents have allotted certain freedoms for their children can make a parent second-guess themselves on when kids can travel alone.

According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, children ages 7 to 9 are developed enough to understand in-depth instruction about safety behaviors. With a parent's guidance, children can practice the decision-making and attention-switching skills required to navigate things like oncoming traffic, safe places to cross and other pedestrian traffic. Know the most common route your child will take and walk it with them. Don't drive. See the obstacles they will face on foot and help them navigate. When you come to an intersection or a place you want to cross, let your child determine if it's safe. Your example and your guidance in the early years is how kids learn safe behaviors.

The NCSRTS says that by age 10, children are developed enough to walk short distances alone. A child's freedom should have to do with her abilities and capabilities. First, observe your child when you're together in a store. Are they aware of their surroundings? Your child's ability to be alert and observant in public will tell you what they are ready for by themselves. When your child pays attention to what's going on around them, they can avoid dangerous situations.

Along with your child's behavior, parents must also consider the child's route. Start small. Start with a neighborhood route with light traffic. If you live in the suburbs this may be a short route to a friend's house where there are sidewalks and cul-de-sacs. As the child gets older, he or she can expand her reach with her sharpened skills.

All skills start when we practice with our parents. The more we guide our children through decision-making, the easier it will be for them to transition to making decisions on their own. Resist telling kids what to do. Encourage them to think it through. The hard part for parents is taking that deep breath and stepping back to let their children do it on their own.

The most likely dangers our children face when navigating their neighborhoods are the dangers of traffic. Pedestrian and bicycle safety are things we can teach, thereby empowering our kids to be competent travelers in their little part of the world. Let's keep them safe while also helping them have the best summer ever.