Good ol' Lisa at Capital City Desk wrote about this first, but I just had to steal it:

"Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone"

I don't think I ever want children, but if I do have them I like to think I'd be the kind of progressive and empowering parent that would let their child try something like this.

...Or I'd end up being turned in to DCFS.