Utah lawmaker introduces resolution encouraging childhood independence

SALT LAKE CITY — One Utah lawmaker is hoping to make Utah a leader in childhood independence. He hopes to do this with a resolution he is presenting in the legislative session this week.  

A resolution from State Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-Salt Lake City, aims to encourage schools and cities to provide programs and infrastructure that would support childhood independence.

Related: Utah lawmakers to debate immigration, tax cuts, transgender students as 2025 session starts

“This is a resolution that encourages school districts and, cities… that build parks and that have recreation programs to take steps to build childhood independence by incorporating things like risky play,” Fillmore said.

By “risky play,” Fillmore means activities such as climbing and playing tag.

This isn’t Fillmore’s first time passing legislation pushing communities to allow looser reins on their children.

In 2018 he passed SB65 or the “Free Range” law. It protects parents who want to have a more hands-off approach to their children’s schedule and activities

His 2025 resolution is focused more on what schools and cities can do.  

A successful example

Fillmore points to the free Let Grow program as an example. It’s a free course schools can use to run after-school programs.

He said through this program, kids “get to play on their own.” There are adults present, but they do not interfere by telling the kids what or how to play.

It also gives teachers ideas for assignments like having a child do a load of laundry by themselves. The parents sign off on all assignments but do not assist in completing them.

Fillmore said these kinds of challenges allow children to grow.

“Kids actually need to face that kind of risk on a day-to-day basis in order to gain confidence and to learn how to deal with other kids,” he said. “Those are really valuable skills for kids to have… I’m just looking for a way to make sure that we incorporate that skill-building, into childhood programs.”

How much independence should children have?

President of Let Grow, Lenore Skenazy, agrees.

“Why don’t we try to raise kids who grow up feeling like ‘I can handle things. I’m curious. I want to know more. If I disagree with somebody, I’ll argue. If I have a bad day, I’ll wake up the next day and start over again or try harder,'” she said.

Skenazy said they started the nonprofit after allowing her 9-year-old to find his way home alone on the subway in New York. It was something he wanted to try and Skenazy and her husband felt he was ready.

The action gained her national attention and from there she has since written a book on childhood independence. She has also worked with others to start the Let Go nonprofit and school program. 

She said the three pillars of childhood, according to the course, are: 

• Independence 

• Responsibility 

• Free play 

“Our official goal is to make it easy, normal and legal to give kids back some independence and free play,” she said. “That’s what I see being written into this [resolution] by Sen. Fillmore.” 

Skenazy said parents are often taking the driver’s seat in children’s lives by making all the hard decisions for them and planning their day-to-day activities. She believes children must be the drivers in their own lives. 

“What they’re not learning is that they belong in the world, that they are capable, that they are competent [and] that they are curious,” Skenazy said.

There is no law that can force a parent to take a back seat in their child’s life.

However, Skenazy said as more schools adopt this and similar programs something powerful will happen: A collective determination.

Pressure to always watch over children

Skenazy said parents feel pressure to keep their children close. No one is sending their children to the store or allowing them to ride bikes down the street. She said parents fear being shamed.

“So the kids stay inside, and they don’t get to be part of the world,” she said. “The solution is to make it easy and normal for the parents to open the door again.” 

She points out that in programs run by the school, children might want to compare notes on what activities they have completed. Examples include shoveling a sidewalk, climbing a tree or making pancakes all on their own. Skenazy said this prompts children to want to do more.

“Seeing your own kid walk through the door, having done something on their own makes the parents… It’s like the Grinch,” she said. “Their heart grows three sizes that day.” 

Skenazy has read through the resolution and believes it would be a great addition in propelling Utah forward. 

Fillmore feels strongly that Utah should be leading the nation in childcare.

“We’ve got more kids per capita than any other state in the country,” he said.

He said he wants Utah to demonstrate to the rest of the nation how childhood can be fun and “somewhat risky.”

“[I want kinds to] go and play outside and [be] able to walk to the grocery store to pick up butter in the way that I used to do when I was a kid,” he said.

Skenazy said when children are allowed to take the lead, they are ready to deal with whatever comes their way. 

“Confidence doesn’t come from being told you’re a great kid,” she said. “Confidence comes from realizing that you can deal with something.”