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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

310 replies

tonari · 24/08/2025 19:38

Almost 7.

To walk around the block with (very) small placid dog. Takes less than 5 mins.

Small, quiet village.

OP posts:
FrecklyFrog · 24/08/2025 19:52

Not in charge of a dog, no.

With a friend, with me watching at the door for them coming back round the block?
Probably.

I did this when my daughter was that age, and they were delivering Christmas cards to neighbours. I could see them to the end of one street, they had a couple of mins on their own, then they came into sight again.

CountryQueen · 24/08/2025 19:51

With a dog? No
With an actual parent? Yes

BetterthanAI · 24/08/2025 19:51

No

SummerFrog25 · 24/08/2025 19:51

No. Not even on their scooter around the block. Out the front where I could see them (here, not necessarily in all areas, yes, but not out of sight. By next summer, probably around the block (if no roads to cross) but these days not with a dog. Too many untrained ones, I'd be worried might attack ours, with the child scared & out at risk.

many years ago my friend was walking their small timid dog (she was about 7) and another dog attacked & killed her dog, she's in her 60's now & the trauma (understandably) never left her.

Explsin to your child that other people's dogs are too much of a risk, if she's pestering you to be allowed to do this alone.

Have you considered allowing her to do a class for some kind of training, or even just encouraging her to teach the dog to do a truck ir two? I presume you already allow her to hold the lead when you take the dog for a walk?!

or are you the one wanting her to do this so you don't need to go?

EmeraldShamrock000 · 24/08/2025 19:51

No, how would they cope if they met a larger aggressive dog?

InMyOpenOnion · 24/08/2025 19:50

Why would you need to? They have plenty of opportunities to be independent once they're a bit older, why the rush? I would say 9+

Aliflowers · 24/08/2025 19:49

Not in a million years

CurlewKate · 24/08/2025 19:49

Not with a dog. But on his own? Yes. Maybe to post a letter…

arcticpandas · 24/08/2025 19:49

No. Not before 8/9 if kid is mature that is.

Notagain75 · 24/08/2025 19:49

No definitely not

Summerbay23 · 24/08/2025 19:49

No way. So much could go wrong here (and to be honest the least bad of the awful things I can think of is the dog slipping its lead and running off or getting hit by a car). Let alone anything that could potentially happen to an unsupervised young child.

Coconutter24 · 24/08/2025 19:48

Definitely not, especially not in charge of a dog

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 24/08/2025 19:45

What?

No of course not

ShyTealBiscuit · 24/08/2025 19:45

No way. 6 is too young, 7 is also too young. A sensible 8yo maybe.

SunshineAndFizz · 24/08/2025 19:45

No.

Round here, kids start walking to school without parents at 9/10, so I’d personally use that as a gauge.

Ecrire · 24/08/2025 19:44

Are you insane?

decenteringmen · 24/08/2025 19:44

LOLNO

JurassicPark4Eva · 24/08/2025 19:43

Not in charge of a dog, never.

I always worry about kids walking dogs alone. They absolutely should not be left with the responsibility for that. Yours might be placid but the dog they meet round the corner may not. No child should be dealing with a dog attack / dog that ran into the road / dog that got loose and ran away.

Cracklingsilverwear · 24/08/2025 19:42

No - your dog may be a perfectly behaved pooch - but they make walk into a massive unfriendly off lead dog that goes for them. Could your son handle such an interaction?

would he pick up the poo and dispose of it safely ?

is he really mature enough to manage himself alone (if he fell / someone approached him etc) let alone a dog too?

6 feels very young .

MyLimeGuide · 24/08/2025 19:42

No. No.

KilkennyCats · 24/08/2025 19:41

No, of course not.

TokenGinger · 24/08/2025 19:41

Absolutely not. My DS is 6, and I won’t even allow him to play outside on the front without an adult.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 24/08/2025 19:41

Not with a dog no

Enigma54 · 24/08/2025 19:41

Not alone, no.

Chocolateisameal · 24/08/2025 19:41

I would but only if I was either secretly following them or I had spies watching them when out of my sight.

The child thinks they’re grown up but you’re able to step in immediately.