Hold the child to the door and say 'one more bad word and I let go'...

Oh god, I just typed that.

The same method does NOT work for all. Some do fine when you, as you call it, "free range", others will go off in a BAD direction. Some just require more "guidance" than others, some need a strong hand. The best parenting style is the one that fits a particular child. Good luck at finding the right one! Some DO, and they come out as great parents, some don't, and end up asking "What did I do wrong?" They might never know. You roll the dice ... and sometimes they come up CRAPS, when you intended at least a seven.

It depends on the kid, the community, their age, etc.

If the kid is a toddler or younger then they haven't learned how to not accidentally kill themselves yet and you better helicopter. If they're older then helicoptering denies them the experience of doing things themselves and learning from their mistakes.

If the kid lives on a busy city street with traffic and crime then you better helicopter until they know what it takes to stay alive. If the kid lives in a quiet small town then you can probably let them run free much of the day.

My kids are 2 and 4. I'd say the 4 year old is getting close to free style though every now and then I still have to reign him in. The 2 year old would be jumping out of windows or going out in the city alone if we weren't still helicoptering him.