To think 8 is far too young to be at the park alone?!

When I was younger there was a girl abducted in Broad daylight, she was playing on the green next to her house. She was 10. Later found under her "uncles" floor boards. These things happen, she was a year above me in school. Did it wrap us all up in cotton wool? No it made us play louder, in bigger groups, look out for each other. At 8, 5 minutes away from home isn't a big deal

A few have taken to camping in the woods within the park and there are rumours of them dealing and taking drugs there.
Not so relevant it was worth mentioning in your OP though?

redvelvet that's four in the last thirty years. Five under eighteens died at the Manchester arena. We can't avoid everything that might kill us, or we become so worried about dying that we forget to live. It's not a good lesson to pass on to kids.

Funny how now we’ve all said the OP is being unreasonable the park is full of drug dealers

8 feels very young for my kids. My nearly 10 year old us only just allowed to do this and only with a group. And under pretty strict instructions not to engage/go with with strangers or even people we know (for th reason posted previously)

I was going to schOoh on my own and the park etc at 8. But it was a big estate with loads of kids kind of self regulating and if you fell over someone would go and get your mum. Everyone was kind of looking out for each other, kids and parents. We don’t live in that kind of estate but if we did I’d have no hesitation in letting mine out in ever increasing timescales from 8.

You’ve left your tap on OP.
Drip, drip, drip

@redvelvet6 do you drive your children in a car? Car crashes are far more common than abductions, but most people consider them an acceptable level of risk.

Oh and there's the drip feed. Daily mail, sun or express OP?

Also it seems poignant to mention at this point, directly next to the park is a housing centre for ex-prisoners. A few have taken to camping in the woods within the park and there are rumours of them dealing and taking drugs there.

Jesus Christ...just no. What if a child found a used needle? or God knows what else...Shudder

Actually no I dont need to rethink. She is to young to be on her own. So many horror storys I'm not risking it. Also OP I would have done exactly the same as you.

It’s not like he was making chit chat with a bloke wanking in a bush.
Quote of the thread 😂

I'm really surprised at these responses! I have a year 3 child albeit it still only 7 (birthday in a couple of weeks) Its never occurred to me that she would be old enough to bike to the park which is 2 roads away on her own. I dunno maybe I need to rethink our boundaries.

Is it really worth the risk though? Letting them have a bit of independence is no good to them if their one of the unlucky ones. I'm sorry but I care too much about my children's safety, but I guess not everyone's like me.
I don't understand why you'd risk it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Way too young.

I've only just started to let my 11 year old go to the park by himself. He will walk there to meet a friend or he is allowed to go with a group of friends after school. I usually pick him up.

YANBU. My DS is only 5.5 but i can't see me allowing him to go on his own at 8. For a start he's an only. I'd be happier if he goes with friends.

My 8 year old goes to the park alone. We are lucky and our house faces a huge field and park. DS is allowed to play outside as long as he doesn't cross any roads!

@isabellerossignol look at child abduction cases. James burger. The soham girls. The little girl (cant think of her name) that was on her bike and was taken all in daylight.

And when I said a lot I meant most abduction cases.

I could cook dinner when I was 8, and walk to school and make tea/coffee. Playing in the park was rare, more likely to be up a tree or in the woods. Lots of children are fine to do this.

I couldn't do it at 8? Maybe 10-11 but not 8 just not worth it you've got dickhead drivers about, people that just shouldn't be out and about like drunks it's just all a bit mad atm. We was out a few weeks in some water fountains and some street drinkers that lurk about decided to strip of and get in and throw water over all the kids just absolute odd ball people

a lot of kids are abducted, raped and murdered in daylight

No, they're really not. Have a look into the actual number of cases like this in the UK over the last ten years or so, compared to the number of children over the same time period. The risk is tiny.

They are no more likely to be abducted by a stranger than they have ever been, ffs. Yes kit would make the news if it happened because fortunately it is still very very rare.

People like you with your constant fear-mongering make me wonder how you get through the bloody day if you're jumping ayt every shadow and perceiving a threat there. They're more likely to be assaulted/raped/murdered by a member of their own family than they are by a stranger especially by some random woman using her own child as bait. Interesting you mention Myra Hindley, did you struggle to come up with a female child predator who has been active more recently than over half a century ago?
Honestly, stop being so melodramatic and such a busybody with other people's children. It's not neglect and it's none of your damned business. I bloody despair at the amount of swaddling modern children are subjected to no wonder so many can barely wipe their own backsides when they get to university.

a lot of kids are abducted, raped and murdered in daylight.

Every such case is a tragedy but to say that it happens to a lot of kids is just not true.

The last time a child was abducted and murdered within 50 miles of where I live was in the early 1980s. That's how rare it is.

You're not being unreasonable OP. I wouldn't let my child be out on his own at the age of 8. Each to their own though. We have also had warnings from the borough via the school about predators approaching primary school children when out on their own and advise to be vigilant etc.