Protecting the Free-Range Kid: Recalibrating Parents' Rights and the Best Interest of the Child

The article argues that free-range parenting, a child-rearing philosophy emphasizing independence and autonomy for children, is increasingly under attack by legal and child protective systems despite its benefits. While the Supreme Court has recognized parents' fundamental liberty interests in raising their children, these rights are often unenforced in cases involving free-range parents. The article contends that state interventions in such cases frequently fail to meet the strict scrutiny required by the Constitution, undermining parental autonomy and family integrity.