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How much independence should kids have? Exploring the impact of unsupervised play

WBUR

Published September 8, 2026 at 12:07 PM EDT

Children play on swings during National Night Out, Tuesday, August 1, 2023, in Salisbury, Maryland. (Julia Nikhinson/AP)

Parents across the country have been investigated or arrested for allowing their kids to play outside unsupervised, but research shows that overprotective parenting is linked to rising rates of anxiety and depression in children and teens. So how much independence should children have?

Peter Gray, a research professor at Boston College and author of the upcoming book, “Restoring Childhood: How To Set Kids Free in the Age of Anxiety,” joins host Indira Lakshmanan to discuss.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.