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AIBU?

to ask you should a year 5 child walk 1 1/2 miles to school? more wwyd

32 replies

medic78 · 01/05/2014 21:06

Ds currently gets a bus to school but it is proving expensive. Would you let your year 5 child walk to school with a couple of friends.
Thank you

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Pleasejustgo · 01/05/2014 21:07

Not at 5. No chance.

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candycoatedwaterdrops · 01/05/2014 21:07

What is the route like? Is he sensible and more importantly, are his friend?

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Zingy123 · 01/05/2014 21:07

With an adult yes. On their own no way.

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deakymom · 01/05/2014 21:08

how old at year 5?

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Pleasejustgo · 01/05/2014 21:08

Oh sorry year 5. Depends in maturity etc. We've only just let DC walk to school in yr 5 but it's across the road.

Her friend walks jersey to and from school and it's a little under a mile.

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LittleMisslikestobebythesea · 01/05/2014 21:08

Year 5 is 9/10?

Hmm would depend how sensible they are, are there decent pavements, roads to cross etc.

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Harrin · 01/05/2014 21:09

Year 5? So about 10 years old right? I think it depends on the child and the kids he'd be walking with

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deakymom · 01/05/2014 21:09

10/11? fine as long as the route is safe enough for him

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incogKNEEto · 01/05/2014 21:10

Year 5 is 9-10 isn't it? If he's sensible and hasn't got to cross major roads I would think that's ok if he's with his friends.

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Pleasejustgo · 01/05/2014 21:10

Sorry FROM school (so I know she gets home) I've had some wines. Actually that's a lie, I've had a sip but I've been up since 4 with mad DCs who think I'm a jungle gym.

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tobysmum77 · 01/05/2014 21:10

dd walks that far a couple of times a week at 5 (but with an adult obviously Wink ). y5 I guess it depends where you are/ if there are busy roads to cross/ what the child is like etc....

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Sigyn · 01/05/2014 21:11

I would actually be happier if they were on their own in some ways than with friends. But it depends on the dynamic.

But is she already getting the bus? Is it alone, or a school bus?

I think its not somewhere I'd economise personally, if I could avoid it. The thing is, you wouldn't know necessarily if she'd arrived or not, or not fast.

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Sigyn · 01/05/2014 21:11

In terms of would I be happy for them to do that distance. Yes absolutely. All mine do that regularly, youngest is 6, oldest 10.

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Forgettable · 01/05/2014 21:12

9/10

Yr 6 is 10/11

Mine walked to from school unacc at that age, small village, mostly pavement

But they were non-giddy kids, not all that age are

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ThatBloodyWoman · 01/05/2014 21:12

Not quite yet I think, unless there's no, or very quiet, roads en route.

All of course depending on the individual childs maturity and whether you could trust them to behave safely.

And not until I had secretly tailed them a few times.

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WaitMonkey · 01/05/2014 21:14

I wouldn't.

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specialsubject · 01/05/2014 21:15

distance is fine but what about road crossing? They really aren't mature enough to judge it and MUST use pedestrian crossings.

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medic78 · 01/05/2014 21:17

Its a school bus. They are dropped off in school grounds and bus stop is close to our house.

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medic78 · 01/05/2014 21:17

Thank you for replies.

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WorraLiberty · 01/05/2014 21:17

I don't think it makes any difference whether other posters would allow it or not.

It totally depends upon the child and the area imo.

If this was my DS2, I would have no problem at all. If it was my DS1 or DS3, not a chance in hell as they weren't road wise enough...despite DH and I desperately trying to get them to be.

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Louise1956 · 01/05/2014 21:33

I might, but it would depend a lot on the route taken, how safe it was with crossing roads etc. if it was a safe route, and he was with friends, i wouldn't mind.

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DeWee · 01/05/2014 22:02

Yes, but dd1 and dd2 walked together when they were year 5 and 3, further than that.

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SpocksThirdEar · 01/05/2014 22:12

Yes, I'd let mine. The only reason mine don't is because I work at the school and I have to get their younger brother. My eldest walked home on his own from y5. It's 1.5 miles, a few side roads to cross and a main road with a crossing.

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Xihha · 02/05/2014 00:52

My year 5 child, no, because he just can't seem to grasp that you have to look both ways before crossing the road, plus he'd get distracted by something and be hours late for school every day, most of his friends could probably manage it though.

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YellowTulips · 02/05/2014 00:59

Depends on a few things:

  1. General maturity of the child and friends they would be walking home with.
  2. How dangerous the terrain was. I used to do this at the same age, but in a village with no really busy roads.


It's not unreasonable IMHO - I think there is a general tendency to over coddle kids. The number of year 6 kids at my sons school who get chauffeured to school over stupidly small distances amazes me......

My DS started walking to and from school from the start of year 5 but it's only 5 mins away with no busy road crossings in a village.
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