Let Them Grow

On TED
Gever Tulley's Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kid Do

Tulley talks on letting kids be curious and a wee bit dangerous. In order to live, one must explore. How can our children grow and actually care about the world around them if all we do is protect them from it. He talks about how child protection laws have become so stringent that kids can't even have fun anymore. He talks about letting your children play with fire, own a knife, even drive a car. When kids are kids, their minds are like sponges and they can learn faster than an adult, so why not let them play. Yes, they might get bruised and cut, but so long as you lay down simple safety rules, they will won't be horribly disfigured.

Such as with knifes. Cut away. Never force. Or fires. It's hot. Don't jump in. Keep your face away.

Kids need to explore their surroundings in order to get a grasp on the world. If you don't understand the small things, how is it even possible to start to understand the larger parts of life. He talks about letting the kids take apart old appliances just to see what's inside. You never know what they can learn from looking at the guts of a dilapidated computer. If you let your child be a free children, and give them some of the "dangerous" toys of the world, they will become stronger people. They will further push the boundaries of what we know. Creativity is the life force of a scientific world.

Let your kids experiment. Let your kids taste life.

Tulley's five topics were:
Play with Fire
Own a knife
Throw a Spear
Dismantle Appliances
Break the DMCA / Drive a Car