AIBU to let my Year 5 daughter walk home alone?

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain We make our own bread, but they've often been sent to town to get 4 pints of milk. They're motivated... they know that breakfast cereals are a lot easier to eat when we have some milk.

I started sending my kids to the shop to pick things up from 6(DD) and 7(DS), very handy when I realise I'm out of eggs or milk or something when I'm in the middle of making dinner so I send one of them to get what I need.

Ha ha! Works well all in your favour! As they age they can help plan a meal (lunch, dinner). Such good life skills and they love doing it, feeling all grown up bless them!

I walked on my own in year 4. No-one lived near me.

Does she want to? If she does then its a great idea!

Children walk alone from the first week of school where I am, when 6/7 years old (parents usually walk them for the first day or two, then they start going by themselves, or with friends or siblings). Its funny to see little kids with backpacks almost as big as them walking alone to school but they manage it just fine.

It would probably be milk and bread he’d get.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain Yeah - I'd get them to pick a recipe, work out what we had in and what we needed to buy, they'd write the shopping list and I'd give them the cash. By the time they'd done that, got the shopping, made the cakes... it kept them gainfully occupied for a morning or afternoon, and I got freshly made cakes.

I' very fond of helping my kids become capable little people.

Just a question, would you guys let a just turned 8 year old (boy) my DNephew go a 2-3 minute walk to the local shop to eg get ingredients (prob with money). Only two roads to cross, one fairly busy but not too busy. I personally think he could manage it even if he’s swayed by the cheap toys, oranges to squeeze in orange juice machine and so on. The area is quite safe too. He knows his road safety and stranger danger and is good at maths (adding subtracting etc).

Absolutely OK in principle, but obviously you know your child and the route.

Back in the 70s I did a 10 minute each way walk to school in the morning, home for lunch, back after lunch and then home again after school from about age 7.

But there was not so much traffic and lots of other kids also doing the same, so there was always someone to walk with. And we had a lollipop man half way.

That’s great! Gives me hope in humanity!

You put the words into my mouth. Great to get stuff for themselves but if they’re helping mum eg to buy milk, flour, bread whatever it gives them great skills in choosing, prices, weights if applicable and responsibility and pride in being trusted, helpful and in getting it home. Could even shop to get ingredients for making cakes.

Sounds fine to me!

Definitely let her go. Give her practice in crossing the busy roads. You could also give her a task with money or card to get groceries on her way back. Most children of that age (me included) could do that at that age. Maybe get her to walk to or back with a friend. Instil in her no going off to park, playground with anyone unless specifically agreed with you in advance and even then with a time limit. And clue her up again on stranger danger. Maybe if she gets lost or goes for a wander tell her to knock on a door if she’s scared. Does she have a basic phone? Might be worth getting one. Also what about a drink for after school?

That sounds entirely fine. My kids walked to and from school independently from Year 4. Our was about half a mile with some tricky crossings. They also started going to town to buy bits and bobs at the same age. It's been good for them to have that independence and trust, and to feel competent and useful.

We live in rural area, with middle school system. Children start at 9 and either walk or get the school bus. They are expected to do it, and there’s very little parental involvement after day 2.

Completely normal where I live for kids to walk home even younger.

We live less then 5 minutes from school and it actually annoyed me that they wasn't allowed to do this younger they had already been going to the shop by themselves from 8 which was further then the school

Yeah I’d be fine with it if she’s generally trustworthy

Sounds ideal.
My dd asks me every day. Her walk is 2miles and even home from the bus stop is an absolute no due to where we live. One day I'll move.

Yanbu.

DD has walked alone right through Y5 and Y6.

DS I think we’ll struggle but he has SEN….

What does it mean to work the playground?

4 mins walk is fine,
im never letting my dd come home from primary alone as it’s a bus ride and I am not comfortable with that

We have a middle school system where the expectation is all children walk from Y5, from a brand new school, new route. Goes to show that children are a lot more capable than we might think.

Totally fine. DS started walking for 20 minutes (or cycling for 5) to/from school in year 5. He loved the independence. Let her do it if she wants to.

It's fine, but I think the school run is a great contact point so I wouldn't be in a rush to give it up.