>>>Yes, I know, but weighing the two evils of that vs what might happen to her in a place like Toronto, I'd opt for the first. I know that 12 is the new 15, but I guess I'm too much of a worrier.
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>>FWIW, I think 12-year-olds today have far less personal freedom than they did when we were growing up. At 12, I'd get on my bike and ride a mile or so to the 7-11 for a Slurpee. At 9 or 10, I took the bus to the Y for swimming lessons. And I didn't grow up in a small town; I grew up in Philadelphia, albeit in a nice, middle-class neighborhood.
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>>I read an article recently about people trying to raise "free range children," kids who are allowed to go outside without supervision. Kids (at least middle-class and upper-class kids) today are mostly terribly overprotected.
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>>Tamar
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>It is because criminals are overprotected.

With 1% of your population imprisoned, I'd say that is rubbish..