Unleash our kids: Crime is at a 40-year low, but nervous parents are limiting their kids' freedom

[exboyfil]

2. We just had two preteen girls that were apparently snatched

in our community (small town Iowa). I told my kids driving home that I thought someone in the family or close family structure was responsible. Unless it was two individuals I do not see two kids being grabbed by strangers. The father of one is on trial for meth, but it is said that he is not a suspect. We were the type of parents that never let our kids out without supervision until they reached the teen years, and we are still concerned. My 16 year old failed to call for a ride after her college Chemistry class (her cell phone battery died), and I was starting to freak.

Our kids will not ride the bus because of the discipline issues on the bus. School buses are hell and that has not changed. They get dropped off at the door of the middle and high school now. My daughter proposed driving about 200 miles away by herself this fall, and I told her in no uncertain terms it was not going to happen.