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AIBU?

to ask would you let a 7 year old travel on the bus alone

78 replies

ghostspirit · 19/10/2015 13:09

im half watching loose woman. and one of the panel was saying how she lets her 7 year old go to school on the bus on his own to school she knows hes safe because he comes back. she then said how he sneaked out of the house to go on a play date at 8 in the evening. (she thought he was in bed)

maybe it depends on where people live what sort of jurney it is... i would not do it though

OP posts:

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nocabbageinmyeye · 19/10/2015 13:13

Public transport then not a hope but designated school bus yes, but I take it you mean public transport?

ghostspirit · 19/10/2015 13:16

yes sorry meant public transport

OP posts:

MegBusset · 19/10/2015 13:19

Nope, not a chance - or my nearly 9yo for that matter.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 19/10/2015 13:19

noooooooooooooooooooooo way

Aeroflotgirl · 19/10/2015 13:20

No, she is mad. If anything happens to him, she will be in trouble with SS for neglect.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 19/10/2015 13:22

No that's way too young.

absolutelynotfabulous · 19/10/2015 13:22

Dunno, really. . I can't really see a problem providing the risks have been properly thought through.

But then I have a fairly robust attitude to risk, and suspect I'm in the minority.

formerbabe · 19/10/2015 13:23

No way.

Imo a 7 year old does not have the judgment that would be necessary if something went wrong during the journey. Ie...The bus broke down, they lose their ticket, they feel sick, they leave their bag on the bus, there are roadworks and the bus detours etc etc.

PestoSwimissimos · 19/10/2015 13:23

No I wouldn't

Floggingmolly · 19/10/2015 13:23

She knows he's safe because he comes back??? Seriously?

CerseiHeartsJaime4ever · 19/10/2015 13:25

Too many leery bastards ride my local bus for this to be a possibility.

rightguard · 19/10/2015 13:25

I wouldn't. But I've seen it happen. I drive buses and I had an unaccompanied 5 year old get on. It was a short journey from one housing estate to another , I quizzed him and he was travelling from mums house to dad's house. Wasn't happy about it but he'd been left at the bus stop alone and figured he was safer on the bus and I'd take him to the police station if no one met him at the other end. They did, but I was really surprised a parent would put a child that young on the bus alone.

NotNob · 19/10/2015 13:27

No chance

absolutelynotfabulous · 19/10/2015 13:28

I'd hope that, if something happened like a lost bag etc another adult would step in to help.

I think it's sad that children are denied experiences because adults have lost trust in one another.

Dinosaurporn · 19/10/2015 13:28

Loose women is rarely a good source of advice or leading by example on anything except perhaps gaudy plastic jewellery...

Grilledaubergines · 19/10/2015 13:28

I was half watching it too, though missed whoever said about letting their child on the bus aged 7.

I think it is far too young but on the other hand I think children need to be given independence in other ways. For their own good.

Grilledaubergines · 19/10/2015 13:31

dinosaur I don't think that is the programme's job, to give advice though. It's a magazine programme which opens up discussion and opinion. This is the first time I've watched in a good few years and it seemed inoffensive enough to me.

Gottagetmoving · 19/10/2015 13:32

Short journeys, yes, depending on the child. Not all 7 year olds would be confident enough or sensible enough but many are. I doubt many mothers would allow it though because we live in a paranoid fear based society.
I have friends who won't allow their 12 year olds on a bus on their own.

MascaraAndConverse · 19/10/2015 13:33

No way. 7 is still too young for that. Give it another 3 years at least.

lunar1 · 19/10/2015 13:34

No bloody way, and I have the worlds most sensible 7 year old!

MascaraAndConverse · 19/10/2015 13:35

Gottagetmoving To be honest I don't blame parents for being "paranoid".

Sparklingbrook · 19/10/2015 13:36

It was Saira Khan. I missed the bit about the bus, just caught the bit about him sneaking out for a playdate.

She is an intelligent woman and presumably has weighed up the risks. How close is the school? Plus maybe there's lots of his school friends on the bus.

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willitbe · 19/10/2015 13:37

School bus - yes I would, and yes I do.
Other public bus - no I would definitely not, I would have difficulty letting my 12 year old lad do this even.

Axekick · 19/10/2015 13:38

Nope. Even if his friends are there or its close by.

Especially if he has form for sneaking out. Intelligence doesn't meant you don't make mistakes.

Sparklingbrook · 19/10/2015 13:40

I think without knowing the exact bus route/journey etc it's hard to judge.

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