Summary Of Why I Let My 9 Year Old Ride The Subway Alone

The narrative Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone raises important questions about modern parenting. The narrative discusses how a parent trusts their 9 year old to navigate New York City alone, providing only basic essentials. The child returns home safely, showing the value of independence through trust rather than excessive caution. This helps argue the current trend of overprotectiveness and highlights the benefits of giving children more independence. With this in mind, the narrative has readers thinking about how safety concerns influence parenting choices and if a balance between safety and independence is possible. The narrative uses several rhetorical techniques to support its message, an example of this is shown when the

Emotional appeals (pathos) are also present as the story contrasts the intense fear parents feel with the child’s excitement and sense of achievement as the text says, "Well of course I know the story of Carlie Brucia. That’s the problem with the ad. We all know that story...and because we do, we all run those tapes in our heads when we think of leaving our kids on their own" (lskenazy). By mentioning tragic cases like Carlie Brucia’s, the narrative highlights why fears can be overwhelming, while the child’s positive experience shows the benefits of more freedom. Additionally, the speaker points out that children shouldn’t be taken away from their experiences due to their parent’s phobia of what people will think of them and the changing world around them, even saying, “It’s not like we are living in downtown Baghdad” (lskenazy). The story argues that overprotective parenting isn’t beneficial at all, while also supporting a balanced approach to raising children. The narrative shares logical reasoning, emotional understanding, and a personal story to show how giving kids a bit more freedom, when done thoughtfully, can be really