Reception age playing out alone?

[milkjetmum]

I have a reception age daughter, one of the eldest in the year, very sensible, but I don't allow her to play out without an adult (eg local playpark just 100m up the road, but we can't see it from the house). We live in nice village, good community feel, but just think she's too little!

I guess there's no set age for when it becomes OK, and could be different if going out with friends which might include older brothers and sisters.

But I feel uncomfortable/responsible when I see her classmates out alone by themselves - should I lighten up?

Dd friend come round today and asked to come in and play (which was fine, but I wouldn't want dd to do this). dh walked her home afterwards as it just felt wrong to send her on her way alone, even though that's how she'd come.

Are we overthinking it?

[ThatsWotSheSaid]

I wouldn't let my reception aged child out on her own in a million years. I wouldn't trust her to cross roads or do the right thing in an emergency. But if others feel their child is okay I suppose that's up to them.

[dilfx2]

I wouldn't let my 5 year old out.to.play on their own. Nice village atmosphere or not. If they don't come home when they are supposed to they could be anywhere. The girls mother should know where her daughter is. Bad parenting.

[milkjetmum]

Thanks for responses - So would you walk a child like this back home or just send them on their way?

[meowli]

At five, walk them back home, because if the unthinkable, one in a million incident happened, I'd never forgive myself.

[starry0ne]

At 5 I would walk home too/

[Ilovewillow]

We live in a lovely village, my daughter is 7, yr 3 and there is no way I'd let her play out alone. I would not let another child walk home alone at that age.

[Bedsheets4knickers]

No I wouldn't . April Jones was around 5 wasn't she when she was taken ., they are too small . You might know your villagers very well but people pass through who you don't know x

[milkjetmum]

Thanks all, feeling less like the neurotic neighborhood parents!

Meowli - my thoughts exactly. Can you imagine the horror of saying oh yes she was for a bit then I sent her off home...

It's a strange situation where I feel like I don't want to turn her if she comes by (as on the whole I think shes probably safer in my house than outside on her todd) but don't particularly welcome the extra responsibility!

[milkjetmum]

*turn her away

[dilfx2]

Yeah take her home as the earlier poster mentioned. A one in a million chance that something would happen on her walk home is still one in a million. Not worth the risk. Id be surprised if there wasn't guidelines from social services on the ages of children left alone at a park.

Or perhaps contact the mum and tell her to come and get her own dd. If the little girl wants to play at your house maybe setup some formal playdates.

[Flacidunicorn]

I dont let my dd out in the front garden where i can see her out of the window. She can go out in the bck garden though.

Its perfectly safe out our front, theres endless people and kids out there, people round here like sitting in their front gardens for some reason.

[milkjetmum]

www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/research-and-resources/2015/out-alone/

A quick Google group found this, which more or less says there is no min age just when they're ready.

But interesting that it specifically advises against leaving kids in the car at a petrol station which seems a bit ott to me!

[uhoh2016]

I've only just started to allow my ds to play out alone and he's in year 4. He goes on the park opposite our house i make him nip home every half hour or so so I know he's ok. It's hard as they are growing up knowing you've got to loosen those strings a bit

[AddictedtoGreys]

I wouldn't let my 8 year old DSD out to play alone. I just think she's quite immature for her age in that sense and also they are still quite small at that age. I don't know how old I was when my DM and DF let me
Out to play in the street by myself

[Abraiid2]

Ours played out at that age. If you live in a small, rural village with no attractions for children you really have to let them have more freedom. Otherwise they would have more fun in a town, with shops and cinemas. Mind you, our park was opposite our house and they played outside the house, too, with older children, around, and me keeping an eye open through the window.

[Onehellofaride]

I might just let my DS walk home alone in those circumstances but he is 9 and I wouldn't let him go to the park on his own.

DD is 7 and goes nowhere alone.