Page 10 | Would you allow a 6 year old to go out alone?

tonari · 2025-08-24T18:38:01+00:00

Almost 7. To walk around the block with (very) small placid dog. Takes less than 5 mins. Small, quiet village.

laesosalt · 24/08/2025 20:23

6 is just a baby 🥺 Nooooooo!

Zov · 24/08/2025 20:22

Of course I would! Ignore all the other posters.

I'm KIDDING! Of course I wouldn't let such a young child out alone to walk a dog - around the block! If 'it's only 5 minutes' it's not much of a walk for the dog is it?!

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 20:21

Amazed at how many parents tell themselves that a 6 year old walking to/from school is perfectly safe.
Convenient?, yes, probably. Perfectly safe, probably not.

OnAMissionToLoseWeight · 24/08/2025 20:21

I wouldn’t even consider it.

My first concern (of many!) is that an aggressive dog could go on the attack!

Pigtailsandall · 24/08/2025 20:20

I wouldn't here in the UK, but i have cousins in Norway/Denmark and kids walk to school alone at 6.

InMyShowgirlEra · 24/08/2025 20:20

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 20:16

What?
I had to walk home from Jessop primary school in Brixton when I was 6 years old, 55 years ago. It was terrifying then. I’ve no doubt whatsoever that it’s worse now.
Because you can doesn’t mean you should. No 6 year old should be left to cope with that.

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You do know that London is not the whole of the UK and most of us do not live in Brixton, right? There's a substantial number of people who live in small, safe villages where the neighbours mostly know each other, the kids look out for one another (and tell on each other if they're not being safe) and they're not afraid to let their kids out.

Missj25 · 24/08/2025 20:20

SunshineAndFizz · 24/08/2025 20:05

Round here we have a 3 tier school system meaning they start middle school in year 5 (age 9 turning 10) and they all walk to school from middle school without parents. The last term of year 4 (last year of first school) they’re encouraged to practice walking to school with friends (with parents walking at a distance behind them watching).

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Sure it makes no odds whether it’s middle school or what level school it is , the fact is they are aged 9/10 ..
Too young in my opinion to be walking to school without others .
That’s just my opinion…

TheCurious0range · 24/08/2025 20:20

BeltaLodaLife · 24/08/2025 20:13

6 year olds can walk home by themselves from school. I know it’s different in England, but where I am, they are only supervised leaving with a parent in primary 1 and after that, the kids are just allowed to run out the gate at hometime and head home. It’s up to the parent if you go to collecting them or they walk home alone.
My kid was 5 when he started primary 2, and turned 6 a couple weeks later. And he was allowed to walk by himself along with a load of others in his class.

English people just do things differently from a lot of other countries. And mumsnet is full of middle class English people so…

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Switzerland?

FlinFlonLass · 24/08/2025 20:19

No

CinnamonBuns67 · 24/08/2025 20:18

No

Anabellie · 24/08/2025 20:17

No, please don’t

CampingInTheSnow · 24/08/2025 20:17

Not a chance! My DD has just turned 8, and it sounds like something I'd possibly consider when she's closer to 9 (following at a safe, secret distance!)

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 20:16

BeltaLodaLife · 24/08/2025 20:13

6 year olds can walk home by themselves from school. I know it’s different in England, but where I am, they are only supervised leaving with a parent in primary 1 and after that, the kids are just allowed to run out the gate at hometime and head home. It’s up to the parent if you go to collecting them or they walk home alone.
My kid was 5 when he started primary 2, and turned 6 a couple weeks later. And he was allowed to walk by himself along with a load of others in his class.

English people just do things differently from a lot of other countries. And mumsnet is full of middle class English people so…

Show quote history

What?
I had to walk home from Jessop primary school in Brixton when I was 6 years old, 55 years ago. It was terrifying then. I’ve no doubt whatsoever that it’s worse now.
Because you can doesn’t mean you should. No 6 year old should be left to cope with that.

MC846 · 24/08/2025 20:16

No

Simonjt · 24/08/2025 20:16

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 20:04

They generally don’t.

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Where we live the majority of children do.

BeltaLodaLife · 24/08/2025 20:15

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 20:04

They generally don’t.

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Outside of England, they do.

Everydayimhuffling · 24/08/2025 20:15

I don't think so. I let my 6 year old cycle around the block (no roads to cross, just a small square of quiet roads), but I wouldn't leave her in charge of a dog like that. There's too many things that can go wrong like the dog running off after something or encountering an aggressive dog.

Mama05070704 · 24/08/2025 20:15

No. I also wouldn’t let my 10 year old walk our dog alone.

Athreedoorwardrobe · 24/08/2025 20:14

historyinthemaking · 24/08/2025 20:08

I don’t even think that’s legal?

It's perfectly legal unless there's some concrete evidence that the child was at real risk of harm. Which is obviously a debatable thing there. But in this instance there wouldn't really be any solid evidence of that.. at absolute most, if someone rang social services up concerned about it then SS might give the parents a call. Might.
And probably all they would say is 'have you thought about the risks thoroughly?'
There is no concrete law about the age of a child being unaccompanied at home or outside.. there are laws regarding neglect and putting kids at risk of harm. So to be illegal there would need to be evidence of continued neglect or some kind of harm befalling the child.. the child being scared can also be classed as harm.
But basically it's complicated and would be assessed on a case by case basis.
And in reality nothing would come of a well looked after child walking the family dog down the lane on his own in a little village from time to time, being investigated

CurlewKate · 24/08/2025 20:14

Missj25 · 24/08/2025 19:55

9/10 too young to be walking to school alone, unless with others & it’s only a short distance ..

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Oh, please. What do you think is going to happen?

InMyShowgirlEra · 24/08/2025 20:14

Missj25 · 24/08/2025 19:55

9/10 too young to be walking to school alone, unless with others & it’s only a short distance ..

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Ridiculous, no wonder kids are growing up so incompetent and anxious.

UnsureDifferences · 24/08/2025 20:14

No way. Our very placid dog still can pull on the lead and get excited around other dogs when passing which a 6 year old would not be able to sort out. Also picking up poo, not for a 6 year old. I also wouldnt allow them to walk without a dog around the block.

Strider55 · 24/08/2025 20:13

I read that thread title and thought "no, absolutely not" and saw the first comment had it exactly.

BeltaLodaLife · 24/08/2025 20:13

MrsSkylerWhite · 24/08/2025 19:57

Or the response from parents who are concerned about their very young children?
No 5 or 6 year old should be wandering about by themselves. Isn’t that just glaringly obvious?

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6 year olds can walk home by themselves from school. I know it’s different in England, but where I am, they are only supervised leaving with a parent in primary 1 and after that, the kids are just allowed to run out the gate at hometime and head home. It’s up to the parent if you go to collecting them or they walk home alone.
My kid was 5 when he started primary 2, and turned 6 a couple weeks later. And he was allowed to walk by himself along with a load of others in his class.

English people just do things differently from a lot of other countries. And mumsnet is full of middle class English people so…

TaupeMember · 24/08/2025 20:12

Im really quite lax with things like this, but 6? NO!!