Portland, OR – Along with all other cities and towns across the Pacific Northwest, Portland is under a “stay home, stay safe” order to curb the spread of covid-19. Prior to the order, many parents followed a “free range” style of parenting: allowing children to do pretty much anything they want, with limited parental supervision. The current quarantine is forcing parents to coop up their children, which many see as inhumane.
“It’s really sad, actually,” said Susan Longfellow, who lives with her husband and three young daughters in the Portland suburbs. “We let our girls run around our tiny backyard but they’re used to at least 108 square feet each to roam. Most days, before this started, we would simply open our front door and let them go out and explore. Our four-year-old liked to walk every day for about 3 miles, eating things she found on the sidewalk, until a kind stranger would offer to help her find home. Those were the days,” she said, shaking her head sadly.
John Paul Longfellow, Susan’s husband, agrees. “You can tell the quarantine is really taking a toll on the kids. They peck at each other, and us, a lot more. Sometimes we have to hold them while tucking their head under one arm to get them to calm down and go to sleep. I know that sounds extreme but it actually doesn’t hurt them.”
The Longfellows have built a small structure in their yard to provide shelter when there is rain, but other than that, they make sure the girls are outside in the fresh air all day long. “At night, we bring them inside to protect them from predators,” said Susan Longfellow. “They like to climb all over the furniture, and sometimes they poop on the floor, but that’s to be expected – it’s really no different than what they do outside.”
The Longfellows emphasized that although they are not currently able to practice Free Range parenting, they ensure their girls still have a healthy diet, are given no antibiotics or growth hormones and are happy despite their exploring limitations.
