最近幾年，教育部門一直都在說要為學生們減負，不讓學校在節假日補課，不讓留太多的作業，也不讓過度重視考試。可到了周末，那些背著各類學習工具的學生們還是會在各個學校門口成為一道風景。這些孩子應該從沒體會過做free-range kid（自由放養兒童）的滋味吧。

The expression “free range” usually relates to animals - often chickens and cows that range or go looking freely for food, rather than being closed in a cage or yard.

“Free range（自由放養）”這個短語通常與動物有關，指雞或牛被放散出去自己覓食，而不是被關在籠子或牛圈里喂養。

The idea behind this is that animals allowed to wander about and be free will be happier and healthier and thus be better for human consumption.

這種喂養方式傳達的理念是，自由放養的動物一般會更快活，也更健康，這樣也就更適宜人類食用。

So the idea of a free-range kid is that the child was allowed a fair amount of freedom by their parents while growing up. It’s said that this group of kids are more likely to thrive than those who are strictly monitored by parents. Allowing one's children free time is called free-range parenting.

因此，“自由放養兒童”也就是在成長過程中能夠從家長那里得到更多自由的孩子。據說這樣成長起來的孩子比那些時刻受家長嚴密監控的孩子更容易成功。那些給孩子更多自由時間的家長就可以被稱為“自由放養父母”了。

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（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

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