Small Animals by Kim Brooks

Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear by Kim Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Even though there is a large memoir aspect to this book, I think it's an extremely important nonfiction book about the current state of parenting in America. It's important from a sociological, psychological, and also legal perspective. As an attorney and as an American, I'm horrified that people are being charged with laws that the legislature has specifically failed to pass, and that selective enforcement perpetuates all of the worst biases in society: racism, sexism, and the still-unnamed poverty injustice.

As a person who believes in and appreciates science, I am persuaded by her argument about the difference between perceived dangers and real statistically verifiable dangers.

As a mom, I'm exhausted, anxious, and often confused. I just moved to Nebraska from the East Coast, and most of the children here appear to free-range. I'm not comfortable to let the children wander as much as my neighbors do, and I'm also aware that their children are better prepared to be free-range because they've already been at it for a while now. The kids seem really self-possessed. The other parent's freedom seems amazing and I'm super jealous. I'm just going to wait a little longer before I start testing the limits around here. In the meanwhile, it would be nice if there were a real national dialogue about these parenting issues.

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