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Preteens

What time to come in - 10yr olds

8 replies

RollerCola · 08/08/2012 10:26

My dd is 10 & I've just started letting her go out to the park with her friends by herself. The park is about 5 mins away on a bike, 10 min walk.

As it's now school hols they're loving this and now seem to spend every waking minute there. My concern is when they want to go in the early evening. Home time seems to keep getting pushed later & later. I thought 7.30 was late enough but it got pushed to 8pm which I agreed to.

But we've started getting a phone call at 7.55 asking to stay out for another half an hr because 'everyone else is'! After a couple of these dh exploded and put it right back to 7.30.

What do yours do? We live in a pretty 'safe' area and they're a good bunch of kids but I worry that older teenagers may appear as it gets later and, well I just worry.

OP posts:
vodkaanddietirnbru · 08/08/2012 11:13

dd is nearly 9 and has been allowed to stay out till between 8.30 and 9pm some nights. It is still light out at that time and she has still been coming in earlier than some of the other kids. 7.30/8pm probably a bit early for that age

RollerCola · 08/08/2012 11:16

Ok thanks, I find it hard to judge. Maybe we're being over cautious.

OP posts:
CeliaFate · 08/08/2012 18:02

Can you do a sneaky drive past, just to put your mind at rest that the park is well used at that hour and your dd is playing safely?

SparklingGoldMedals · 08/08/2012 18:08

DS2 is 10. 9pm at the very latest.

Slowcooker123 · 12/08/2012 22:06

Personally I don't think at 10 years old children should be at the park on their own. Vodka- your 8 yr old stays out til 8:30-9pm?!? I allow my nearly 9 yr old to stay up late but despite being very mature for her age there's no way she's be off to the park without an adult, daytime or evening! I'm actually really surprised that other people do!

RollerCola · 13/08/2012 19:58

slowcooker I've not had a massive response to this so may post in a busier forum as I'm still not sure if I'm being over-cautious. We've knocked the park on the head but I've said she can stay out until 8.30 if she's at a friends house now.

OP posts:
vodkaanddietirnbru · 13/08/2012 20:04

dd is out just now with 2 of her friends but we live on a quiet estate and the play parks are dotted around it. She doesnt go out by herself and she has her phone with her so we can keep in touch. She goes back to school on Thursday though so the later nights will be stopping and we can get back to normal again.

Macchiato · 12/10/2012 17:36

Have you not been watching the news then?

I'm sorry but i don't think this age group have any place being in a park alone at that time of night, it just seems absolutely crazy to me.
I understand you can not live your life thinking "what if" but you would be foolish to believe that this age group are safe, they are not at all. Yes they have phones, but that can make them even more of a target.

My DD is 9, almost 10, and she has never been out playing that time of night, unless it is literally outside our front door.

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