What would you do if your child could never go outside in your neighborhood without adult supervision?
For some residents of Naples, Florida's Lely Resort, the answer is clear: consider moving.
A rule for Lely's Olé Village neighborhood requires "all minors under the age of 18" to "be under the direct control and supervision of a responsible adult," NBC2 reports. And while the rule has always been on Olé Village's books, children were not prevented from roaming the neighborhood freely in the past.
Now, some children "feel like they [are] on house arrest," one resident told NBC2, adding that she'll consider leaving if "nothing is changed."
Last week, a petition against the rule was posted on ForceChange.com. Addressed to Olé Village management, it reads in part:
Your policy against minors leaving their homes unaccompanied is unfair and harmful to both parents and children in your neighborhood. Not only are kids effectively kept prisoners in their own homes, but parents and caretakers must bear the burden of constantly accompanying children and teens everywhere they go.
When the news was first reported, incredulous Free Range Kids blogger Lenore Skenazy wrote: "This isn’t LIKE house arrest. It IS house arrest. How is this even legal? How is this America? How about a revolution?"
Comments on the Naples News's report about the rule show mixed opinions. One reader notes: "The craziest thing is that a licensed 16 or 17 year old can drive a two ton piece of machinery through the neighborhood but can't walk to the bus stop."
A representative of Olé Village was not immediately available to comment on the status of the rule.
Watch the full NBC2 report below: