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Original poster

To allow my son to walk 300 yards home from school alone

82 replies

Throwaway2468 · 05/09/2019 07:56

He’s 10 years old and will be in high school next year. Although he has recently been diagnosed as autistic I feel he is more than capable of walking this distance and he enjoys being given the opportunity to do this.

His father (we split up years ago) is very strongly against this, believing he is too vulnerable and has apparently now made an urgent application to the court - about what specifically I don’t know.

Am I being negligent by letting my son do this? I felt it was good practice for him going to high school next year where I’m sure he will prefer to take even more responsibility for himself, just like his friends

OP posts:
Original poster
Throwaway2468 · 05/09/2019 08:05

He is mainstream, he’ll be going to a mainstream high school and he often walks home with a friend

OP posts:
Original poster
Throwaway2468 · 05/09/2019 08:04

It’s very busy with people, there’s a lollipop lady outside the school, he’s done the walk many times and as it’s less than 300 yards it takes roughly 4 minutes
I hope the court do laugh at him but I don’t have any faith in them at all

OP posts:
GruciusMalfoy · 05/09/2019 08:03

My son's 10, and autistic, and walks himself home now too. It is maybe a 2 minute walk, no roads to cross.

I think it's such a short distance, you know your son's capabilities. I presume your son is mainstream? So I wouldn't think it beyond him to walk this distance alone. Are there any classmates he could walk beside?

EleanorReally · 05/09/2019 08:02

how long does it take to walk? are there any crossings? is it busy with other families?

NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace · 05/09/2019 08:02

YANBU at all. I think that you're doing exactly the right thing and preparing him to settle in well to secondary school next year. Of course he'll want to be just like his friends and that's just as it should be.

Stick to your guns and fight your son's corner Flowers

TooTrueToBeGood · 05/09/2019 08:01

You know your son best. Your ex is being an asshole and if he has applied to court over this (I bet he hasn't) they will laugh at him.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 05/09/2019 08:00

Can you do that thing where you walk with him a few times, walk behind him a few times, drop back even more a few times until you ultimately let him go it alone?

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