Kathy Donaghy: We harm our kids far more by filling them with fear than by letting them take risks

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp was reported to social services for letting her 15-year-old son go Inter-railing. Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Our children have been born into a world that is, in many ways, safer and more child-friendly than ever before, yet we’ve never been more anxious about letting them go to find their freedom. The furore that greeted a British TV presenter letting her 15-year-old son go Inter-railing abroad highlights how risk-averse we’ve become and begs the question: When is the right time to give our kids more independence? Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.