To think 8/9 year olds shouldn’t be doing this

I won’t let my 8yr old walk 10 minutes away, she’s allowed round to the next street to call on a friend and in Spring we’ll let her walk across a couple of roads to the park, that’s it for now. We’re in a village.
School is a 10 minute walk away, she can do that from September when in Y5 if we think she’ll be sensible.
Same as yours OP she turned 8 in August.

You don't know that a parent didn't walk them up there and will go back to walk them home.

I'd allow it at that age, especially with friends.

Finee if there's a group of them.

Scotland isn't getting the same levels of unvetted illegal immigrants. My friends and I were recently leered at and approached on a night out by a group of men loitering with intent close to the hotel they are being put up in. It was frightening. I dread to think what might have happened had it been a solo woman.

My sister was followed and harassed on the street in broad daylight, a group of builders had to intervene to make this pest go away. This country is simply not as safe as it was.

Love, love, love mad Scotland (my relatives live in Darnley). I was visiting them around Halloween time. Went to Silverburn where in Tesco a group of young boys were buying 4 boxes of own brand eggs. I said to the checkout lady - 'why are you selling them these? You know they will be pelting windows?' 'Aye', she said, 'boys will be boys' and sold them the eggs!!!!!!

Your son isn't going to be safe from stranger danger til his teens - at which point he'll be at risk from all sorts of equally nasty things. Are you going to keep him home with you forever?

I won't pretend there's no risk - there is a risk. But preventing him from learning these basic skills at an appropriate age just stores up problems for later on.

The obvious answer is that you walk him up there OP, leave him to play footy for a bit and then go back and get him at a set time. Give him a watch so he knows when you'll be back. Everyone says he must have a phone - but he's 8! So I'd really hope he doesn't.

You know what - it is a walk in the park, so to say. And what 8 and 9-year olds should not be doing is what my neighbour's daughter is doing - she is an 8-year old young (obviously unpaid) carer for her gran who does not speak English. This little girl unfortunately can't go to a park or cross the road, she is literally tethered to the old woman. She knows all her meds, what to do if she falls ill and what to say when the ambulance comes and how to translate for her gran when a GP visits. She can't have friends round because gran does not like it. These children are fine.

The speeding would worry me but I think under normal circumstances 8 year olds are ready to start out on short trips with friends or alone in very safe areas. They're likely to be walking to and from school daily from age 11 so think it best to start with small freedoms and gradually built up. Traffic worries me, we have worked on road safety walking with me for years but kids can be less visible as they are shorter. I don't overly worry about stranger danger, abused kids almost always know their abusers.

I think it depends on the area. Where I live - this is perfectly fine and normal. I suspect it's likely a different story in major cities.

So help him practise, and get some practise yourself.

eg. He goes ‘by himself’ but you follow along a short distance behind and then stay and scroll Mumsnet in easy range.

repeat further away.

repeat further away. Etc.

I wouldn't have let DS do this when he was 8. We are lucky to have a playground opposite the house and I didn't mind him playing there because it was quick and easy to get home if necessary; but somewhere that is a 10 min walk away, no, not until 9 at the very earliest. And I am generally a big believer in kids being independent and not wrapped in cotton wool.

I don’t let my 9yo do this.

i am not worried about stranger danger abduction. However as a free child of the 80s I dealt with a lot of fucked up adults when out playing that I do not want my daughter subject too. This included everything from staring, making me feel awkward by pushing conversation, to flashers masturbating at me.

stranger abduction might be rare but weird adults hanging around the streets is not.

My parents wouldn't have had a second's worries when I was that age in the 1960s but it was a very different world and I wouldn't consider letting an 8 or 9 year old disappear on their own to meet friends in a field.

The issue in this scenario is the 'mainly alone' detail and I still think 8 is far too young to be out and about. School is a necessity, there are lots of people around, presumably she is taking him there and collecting him? Or he will be walking home with many other children around who are also leaving school.
Again, sports are usually something a parent takes their child to and there are other people around.
Sex crimes are increasing.

I do get this fear, but at what point will that stop? I’m in my 20’s but accept that actually if I end up in the tracks of a grown man who wants to hurt or kidnap me there’s really nothing I could do to protect myself short of shouting for help and hoping somebody hears me and comes to help. That doesn’t stop me from living my life, if it did I’d never be able to leave the house. If he’s walking with friends then I think that’s really all the safety you could hope for.

It is such an eye opening book, isn’t it!

Assuming during daylight I would be ok with that if they're all sensible kids

I consider myself to be a very cautious parent but I think you are being ott.

Inhave a 9 year old. I wouldn't let him do this. He has autism so maybe why but regardless of how many look before crossing...they never do! I've also seen bad driving like mounting a kerb overtaking someone turning in...nah. Id rather wait until he is more mature. I had lots of near misses as a child when I walked to school alone at his age but I guess my mum wasn't there to see so had no.idea!

i wouldn’t let this happen. My year 6 (11 year old) I would but definitely not my year 4. Would wait until around 10 at least. Even then it’s child dependent. My second has ADHD so will see how we manage this as less able to manage safety.

completely normal where I live in Scotland

my children were allowed out to play and to walk to and from school at that age and younger

(but English MN seems to have a different culture)

With respect statistically he's more likely to be preyed upon by a teacher, coach or family member than The Child Snatcher sneaking up on him in the street and shoving him in a bag. So if she stops him going out to play with his pals in order to avoid potential predators she must also never let him go to school, sports or out of her sight ever.

I live next to the park/football pitch. Some kids come on own but some are dropped off picked up.
Another thing to think about is the older kids/ teens there.
I know there have been instances of older ones taking balls off younger ones, kids ganging up on one kid. Plus vaping, language, those silver gas canisters - I’m in a nice area fwiw!)