I've raised my teen to be independent since kindergarten. Now she's teaching me how to be self-reliant with tech.

Laura Burgoyne and her daughter, Elizabeth.

Courtesy of Laura Burgoyne.

• Laura Burgoyne is a free-range parent who has always encouraged her child to be independent.
• She said the 17-year-old is more self-reliant, and she worries less about her as a result.
• The mom-of-one has learned to beat challenges after applying the same principle to herself.

This interview is based on a conversation with Laura Burgoyne, 47, of Wayne, New Jersey, who works in commercial real estate.