To no know how to help 7 year old with independence

[notnow2]

A bit of a thread about a thread, but DS is 7.5, we live in London and have moved 3 miles from his school and most of his friends and we live on main road. Like the other thread i cannot let him go to school by himself or walk home as it is a bus journey away (maybe he will have to take bus by himself!) it is a roughish area so he can't really go to shops by himself, is far from friends so can't call for them. When we go in days out to the park etc I let him roam quite free. I give him money to go to ask cream kiosk etc
Am I holding him back?

[Heels99]

Ofcourse not.
Could he join cubs they do lots of fun things and learn skills

[SaucyJack]

I don't personally think any seven year old should be walking themselves home from school, so YANBU.

[NotEnoughTime]

If he was 17.5 I would def say you are holding him back but 7.5 no way!

[littlejohnnydory]

No, you're fine. My ds is the same age and has only just started to go to the shop by himself - it's 100m away, no road to cross and we live rurally.