"America's Worst Mom"

She let her 9-year-old ride the subway alone.

Lenore Skenazy was catapulted to infamy and dubbed “America’s Worst Mom” after she wrote about letting her 9-year-old son navigate the New York City subway by himself. While critics accused her of child endangerment, Skenazy argued she was fostering independence and resilience. The firestorm she ignited launched the "free-range parenting" movement.