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Original poster

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

333 replies

Pluggoo · 19/01/2025 15:28

Walking up a big hill with a busy road next to it (known to speeders) to go and meet their friends alone. All in year 4. Then playing on a field to play football. Walking back home mainly alone. 10 minutes walk to get home

OP posts:
unsync · 19/01/2025 15:40

Pluggoo · 19/01/2025 15:35

They just seem so young. Surely they aren’t old enough to know the danger signs?

This is what parenting means. Teaching them about dangers and how to recognise them. It's more than old enough. Not teaching them these things is when they get into trouble. You do them no favours mollycoddling and wrapping them in cotton wool.

Original poster
Pluggoo · 19/01/2025 15:38

This is my DS. I do want him to socialise with friends rather than be stuck inside but to me he just seems so young. I can’t imagine letting him leave the house alone, walking 10 minutes up a busy road. The football on the field is fine but then also walking back home. I’d like to think he understands the dangers on the road but I’m also worried about strange danger

OP posts:
WongKarWhy · 19/01/2025 15:37

Seems fine to me. We did that (and were even allowed to go further afield into town on a Saturday) back when I was that age in the mid-90s.

We all knew how to cross the roads safely and not to talk to strangers, etc.

Ladyj84 · 19/01/2025 15:36

If they cant figure danger signs by that age then the parenting is wrong. A child alone no a child with siblings or friends with them then yes

Bessienol · 19/01/2025 15:35

Thought it would be social media or phone related.

please allow your kids out of the house to have fun this is really good for them

Original poster
Pluggoo · 19/01/2025 15:35

They just seem so young. Surely they aren’t old enough to know the danger signs?

OP posts:
BeachHutsAndDeckchairs · 19/01/2025 15:34

Children are a lot more resilient, knowledgeable and resourceful than we give them credit for. Teach them how to do things safely, and what to do in the event of an emergency, and they are fine. You don't have to wrap them up in cotton wool to keep them safe.

creamsnugjumper · 19/01/2025 15:33

To me having been that age in the 80s that sounds perfectly normal and a great way to spend the afternoon.

What is the issue? In the modern world if anything goes wrong they have phones, they aren't sat inside on screens.

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