Childhood, from the 19th century to today
ListenGuests: Jon Grinspan, Lenore Skenazy
Childhood today is often carefully choreographed. Structure, safety and control are just some of the hallmarks of modern American parenting. The focus is on reining in children, rather than letting them run amok. But kids in the 19th century were a very different breed, according to historian JON GRINSPAN. Assertive, rebellious and freewheeling, these young scamps roamed free in gangs, getting into fights, building bonfires and attacking small animals. We compare childhood then and now, with JON GRINSPAN, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow at the Massachusetts Historical Society and LENORE SKENAZY, author of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry).
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