9 year old left in park for 10 minutes

You’re missing the point.

This!

It sounds to me like the OP is treating the 9 year old like a younger child, more like a 7 year old and the responses are about typical 9 year olds. Nothing like a 15 year old, a 15 year old is a year off being left home alone for a few nights.

Im really surprised at the responses to your post as if your talking about a 15 year old! Im waiting for the comment of ‘my 3 year old plays in the park for 5 hours with no adult’.

I’m sure if your Son is confident and sensible, he will be fine in the park with a friend at 9, but thats for you to decide when that’s right and discuss with him. Another parent should not have done that.

Depends where you live. Inner city rough area no. Nice area I would say is fine for most 9 year olds BUT I'm thinking the Dad was being unreasonable leaving a child that was not his alone at a park without confirming with the child's parent would be fine with it.
I would also expect one of them to have a phone or way of being contacted if something went wrong. Phone boxes arnt really a thing anymore like when I was a kid.

I know! And im not criticising any parent that lets their child play at the park at 9. The point (ive tried to make) is that 9 or 10 is usually around the age parents start to allow more freedom. So OP is not overprotective/wrapping in cotton wool/child will be damaged for life etc etc by having not taken this step yet. Im sure it would have happened at some point soon, but it wasn’t for another parent to leave a child unattended they agreed to watch.

Many kids are 9 for most of year 4

Leaving your own kid for 10mins -fine
leaving someone else’s- only ok if you really know the parents would be ok with it imo

I suppose Year 5 is 9 going on 10 and I generally think they are treated older in Year 5. Mine turned 10 very soon in Year 5 so it felt like the right age to offer them more freedom. They start to talk and look around Secondary etc. But yes there will be young ones who stay 9 for most of Year 5 and I guess its up to the parents if they feel they are mature/confident enough to be trusted on their own.

My 9 year old dgs often goes out to play with his friends. They all live in different directions, so meet up at the park. They are happy and confident to be out alone. They arrive at my door if one of them needs the toilet, or for ice lollies, drinks or sweets!

Exactly - but it was only 10 minutes!

I don't believe in wrapping children in cotton wool. What do you think might happen to 2 nine years olds in 20 minutes ina public park. We were going in buses alone when we were 5. My mum believed in teaching us independence.

I think it's fine for a 9 year old to be in the park like this but dont think I would have done it with another child unless I'd checked with the parent.

I'm not just refering to your post. There are lots that have said they wouldn't let their 9yo out of their sight but would do from Y5. Which I just find odd as DC in Y5 are 9yo.

From what I have seen, kids in London tend to be more independent earlier - they need to navigate tubes etc for school. They need to be street smart.

I disagree. When you are responsible for someone else’s child you should be extra cautious. I would not have done that myself and was always very vigilant when it came to other people’s children under my watch.

Not central London but slightly dodgy suburbs! But with a lovely local park where we know the people who run the cafe and generally will know a few people in the park at anyone time so I feel letting 9 year old go alone builds their confidence and independence with her knowing to go to the cafe if any issue. 9 year old has also learnt my mobile phonr number so cafe could call us, and the cafe owner knows where we live!

Fair point but I still think it's storm in a teacup territory.

But that’s your choice as a parent. The point is the dad left someone else’s child they are supposed to be looking after. If you agree to look after someone else’s child you don’t leave them unless you tell the other parent.

If his yr 5 about to be yr 6 I’d expect 10 minutes in the park to be perfectly
fine. Most year 6’s walk to school alone and often stop off in the park on the at home. So only a few months away considering the time of year.

Likely if the dad thinks it’s fine, it wouldn’t cross his mind that he had taken it out your hands to decide as he presumably thought it was something you, yourself had done.

More so if his child’s the youngest in the family while yours is the oldest, he will be more a been there done that, this is the norm.

Bit harsh. When I was 9 we lived in London. I was perfectly capable of getting a bus to my friend's house. Different times, same dangers. I live in a little village and there are school buses. Children are put on the bus and met from the bus until they are in the top primary school years. Senior school, flying solo. Makes no sense to me as I can't think 11 yr olds magically transform over the summer holidays. In short, 10 minutes will do no harm.

I used ‘Year 5’ as an example of when kids are given the freedom to walk to school in the UK. Its around this age (9/10) they start going to the park/walking to school etc. I was making a point (to those criticising the OP) that this is the age alot of kids START to do these things in the UK so its not a problem if her Son hasn’t done it yet. The problem is another parent not checking its ok.

Independent is very important. My dd is 7 and we beginning to do it ..eg could you get mummy some water in a cafe. In the park I'm sitting further back now still in visual. By 9 yes 10 minutes I certainly would as would almost do it now....however if responsible for another 9 year old no I wouldn't on their own as don't know how responsible they are, but with my child yes as we've been building up the independence.

It depends what you mean by top end of Primary? People are saying Y5/6. But Y5 is 9yo.