Where abouts are you with regards to helicopter parenting?

[Workyticket]

Took ds and a friend to a local park today. Massive grounds with a big pond, couple.of play areas, footy pitch etc.

They're both 8.

Some parents followed their kids about and stood next to them on each bit of equipment

I sat on a bench near 1 playground while they ran around. They were playing in the trees some times so I couldn't see them. I shouted every 10 mins so I knew they were still alive but they had some freedom.

They were playing with some kids the same age who were there alone and had crossed a busy road to get there.

I'm not particularly anxious but I'm definitely not ready to let ds go alone. A friend of mine let's her ds play out and often won't know where he is bar 'somewhere on the estate or at the park' for 2 hours or more

I'm in a different (safe) country in an urban neighbourhood. My middle child is almost 9 and she has about a 5km radius. She's fully self-sufficient in that radius, she bikes and scoots to all the places she needs to go: clubs, sports, school, library, beach. That's the childhood I had and I wanted it for my kids, that's why I live here.

Surely it depends where you are? We live in a safe rural village, and my 8 and 9yos have run of the village and surrounding countryside. But when we visit London I am by their side all the time.

Mine’s 9 and in the past couple of summers has gone off over the fields with a gang of friends and I won’t know exactly where she is. Although we can usually hear which direction they’ve gone because they’re quite noisy when together! There’s a park half a mile away and I’ve not let her go there by herself as yet.

we're in the North east. Live near a busy road. There's a different park 5 minutes walk away - none of his pals go there alone either. He's literally just turned 9. Most of his mates are 8

I'm pretty laid back in general and dp is horizontal but we're definitely not ready to let ds wander.

When we were kids we had loads of freedom so I do feel sad for him.

I'm way more concerned about the roads than stranger danger as we're confident that ds is sensible that way

DS and his friend are 9/10. I walk round to the friend, claim him and go to the park 100m away. Once we're there, as long as I can see where they are/ in earshot, that's fine. Same with my 7 (nearly 8yo)

DS2 is more independently motivated. He likes walking the "long" way round between home and school. DS1 won't and doesn'r want me to leave him. So I let DS2 go the "long way" which involves crossing one cul de sac serving 8 houses (I cross the slightly busier road with him first). He gets round about 1 min/ 90s after me, and I wait for him in the front garden or back track his route if he's being on the slow side.

Unless there's a significant issue, an 8yo doesn't need helicoptering in a fairly safe and familiar environment. You need to know where they are and they need to be able to find you.

On Cub camp they're allowed to roam within a closed site in a group without constant supervision at that age.