Page 5 | Would you allow a 6 year old to go out alone?

OneDaringLurker · 24/08/2025 22:26

Ffs! No!
Who picks up the poo?
Who controls the dog when it runs in the road?
Who stops the fight when an unexpected dog runs and attacks?
Absolute stupidity.

Rachie1973 · 24/08/2025 22:23

Mopsy567 · 24/08/2025 22:14

Honestly, if I saw a 6 year old out alone I would be very worried about them and think they came from a neglectful home. I would take them home or call SS to advise the parents about child safety. It is far too young.

Unfortunately, we do not live in a safe world.

I’d laugh in your face to be honest and then give you my supervising social workers number to save you looking it up.

InMyShowgirlEra · 24/08/2025 22:19

Mopsy567 · 24/08/2025 22:14

Honestly, if I saw a 6 year old out alone I would be very worried about them and think they came from a neglectful home. I would take them home or call SS to advise the parents about child safety. It is far too young.

Unfortunately, we do not live in a safe world.

What a busybody. I'd love for you to try that with me.

Throwntothewolves · 24/08/2025 22:19

No. They're too young to walk round the block on their own. Add the dog in and you've all sorts of other potential issues. Other dogs who may not be quite so placid, picking up poo, strangers wanting to pet it, etc.
A dog was attacked and killed not long ago near us. Our 12yo no longer walks our dog as a result. You never think it will happen, until it does.

Figgygal · 24/08/2025 22:18

No fucking way
I've an 8 year old and wouldn't let him either

Mopsy567 · 24/08/2025 22:14

Honestly, if I saw a 6 year old out alone I would be very worried about them and think they came from a neglectful home. I would take them home or call SS to advise the parents about child safety. It is far too young.

Unfortunately, we do not live in a safe world.

Rachie1973 · 24/08/2025 22:11

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.

Not alone, no. Mine play outside in our little cul de sac though.

SpiritedFlame · 24/08/2025 22:09

No anyway at 6 but adding in a dog I think is even more risky.

I have a nearly 10 year old and whilst I let him go to a small play area literally across the road (and soon build up to walk to school next year), I would not give him the responsibility of our dog yet. Mind you, my dog is very bouncy still so perhaps a placid dog I would be okay him walking it up and down the street.

HeartyViper · 24/08/2025 22:08

What?

NO. Absolutely not.

Whodathoughtit2 · 24/08/2025 22:08

No way

Nanny0gg · 24/08/2025 22:02

ilovepixie · 24/08/2025 21:57

When I was 6 I was playing out all day with my friends. Only came home for food or drinks! It’s a sad world we live in now.

I'm in my 70s and I wasn't!

Lots of different factors to take into account

CeciliaMars · 24/08/2025 22:01

No!!

TaupeMember · 24/08/2025 22:00

If I saw a 6 year old.walking a dog alone, I would think something was very wrong

To all those saying this is fine where do you draw the line? 5? 4? 3?

I call bs

RubySquid · 24/08/2025 22:00

MrsKeats · 24/08/2025 21:55

It might be but it’s wrong. My dh was left outside to play at a young age and ran across the street when he saw the ice cream van.
He was hit by a van and nearly died.
Please stop with the lazy parenting.

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My best friend saw me and rushed across the road and hit by a car and had a broken leg. She was 16 and on her way home from work.

TaupeMember · 24/08/2025 21:59

ilovepixie · 24/08/2025 21:57

When I was 6 I was playing out all day with my friends. Only came home for food or drinks! It’s a sad world we live in now.

But we aren't even talking about with friends, are we?

Did you read the op?

ilovepixie · 24/08/2025 21:57

When I was 6 I was playing out all day with my friends. Only came home for food or drinks! It’s a sad world we live in now.

TaupeMember · 24/08/2025 21:57

Im sorry to say that the posts being so very persuasive that we should all be letting our 6 year olds out and about on theit own are givng me the heebies

Missj25 · 24/08/2025 21:55

5foot5 · 24/08/2025 21:07

Oh give over!

When I was 8 one of the neighbours asked if I could walk her 4, nearly 5, year-old DD in to the village school in the morning. I soon had a little group of about 3 5 year olds who I walked to school.

My DD walked to school by herself from Y6, so about 10. I would actually have been OK with her doing that a year earlier, no major roads to cross, but until Y6 they were not allowed inside until the bell went and I didn't want her to have to hang around in the playground if she was early.

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Yeah , makes perfect sense an 8 year old walking a bunch of 3.5 year olds to school 🙄..
I’d relate that now to someone who drink drives , just lucky if nothing ever happens ! !

MrsKeats · 24/08/2025 21:55

shuggles · 24/08/2025 21:04

What on earth are you talking about? Playing outside unsupervised is completely normal. Your parents didn't watch you constantly when you were a child.

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It might be but it’s wrong. My dh was left outside to play at a young age and ran across the street when he saw the ice cream van.
He was hit by a van and nearly died.
Please stop with the lazy parenting.

shuggles · 24/08/2025 21:53

@user1460471313 I am talking about playing out in the street unsupervised which lots of people seem to allow there very young children to do.

Yes, I know.

I don’t consider this a to be normal at all

Clearly it is normal. You played outside in the street by yourself in the street when you were a child. Why do you think modern children shouldn't be doing this?

onlymethen · 24/08/2025 21:48

I was the most lad back mum in my group of friends but that is absolutely wrong. Even if you lived in the nicest, quietist area in the uk, No.

MrsKeats · 24/08/2025 21:48

Is this a joke?

AllFadestoBlack · 24/08/2025 21:47

I'm in Scotland too and my DC's school won't dismiss children in Primary 1 to Primary 4 unless a parent or carer is there to go collect them. Primary 4 is age 7/8/9.

To the OP, no I wouldn't. I have a sensible 6 almost 7 year old and I wouldn't feel comfortable, but I live in a busy area and have never lived in a quiet village so my fears may be different from yours.

thirdfiddle · 24/08/2025 21:45

No, not fair to expect a 6 yr old to deal with poo bags, or responsibility if they run out of poo bags, or what to do if dog slips the lead or gets approached by something he's scared of.

They're not safe to cross roads alone, /especially/ if there's usually no traffic. (It's been tested, even a young teen has less ability to detect and react to traffic than an adult, younger children even more so.)

Even if your loop doesn't have crossings, they're not safe to not randomly decide for some reason you haven't yet thought of but totally makes sense in a 6 yr old's head to cross a road.

They need to be supervised by an adult at that age. They can't be relied on to be sensible. They tend to be concentrating on what's going on in their head not their environment. And they're much less visible to traffic than an older child or adult.

Butterflyarms · 24/08/2025 21:45

Depends on the dog, the route and the child, but possibly, yes.