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Original poster

Walking to evening activities alone- age

56 replies

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/02/2022 20:37

DD (10yo, year 6) has an evening activity that starts at 6pm. It is now light at that time here.
It is 3 minutes through a residential estate (no pavements, but no cars). Then just under 10mins along the road to the next village... streetlights but just fields either side of road. Quite busy route, no roads to cross.

She currently meets with a friend from the estate and I follow about 20m behind. She wants to do it with just her friend next week.

I need to let her do it... but she just seems so little Blush. She walks to school alone...
She has a phone but no money on it currently as she hasn't needed it.

OP posts:
Butteredtoast55 · 25/02/2022 20:59

No, absolutely not.

Schmoozer · 25/02/2022 21:01

Nope 👎

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 25/02/2022 21:02

I wouldn't allow this

TracyMosby · 25/02/2022 21:03

Not a chance. No.

BuddhaForMary · 25/02/2022 21:05

It would be a no from me.

Aquamarine1029 · 25/02/2022 21:05

I need to let her do it...

Are you mad? You absolutely do not need to let her do this, and there's no way I would have when my daughter was that age. She's 10, FGS.

OutdoorType · 25/02/2022 21:06

I think it's a bit too far at that age

Original poster
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/02/2022 21:06

I was really expecting to be told I was being overprotective. DH thinks it is ok. All the other neighbourhood kids are out at that time. In a few months she could be doing the same journey home from school.

OP posts:
OddsNSodsBitsNBobs · 25/02/2022 21:06

Err, she will be at secondary I'm a few months time. Of course it's ok!! Is agree nit so much in the dark but we are coming into spring now. My DD now 15 years old walks 25 mins daily to and from school.

Tiddlywinkly · 25/02/2022 21:07

Nope

Comedycook · 25/02/2022 21:07

I would not allow this

lljkk · 25/02/2022 21:07

I'd allow it, with friend.

Hockeyboysmum · 25/02/2022 21:08

Nope

Spellfish · 25/02/2022 21:16

My Y6 10yo walks herself to activities when it’s light, and up to 15 minutes away. She texts when’s he gets there safely.

arethereanyleftatall · 25/02/2022 21:24

Yes, I'd allow this. And dd would be mortified if I followed behind her.

Comedycook · 25/02/2022 21:29

My DD now 15 years old walks 25 mins daily to and from school

Well that's totally irrelevant

WomblingWilma · 25/02/2022 21:32

So she will walk 3 minutes on her own then meet a friend for the 10 min walk?

TBH I probably wouldn’t let her do it just now. Start after Easter when it’s much lighter and warmer and there’s likely to be more people around and about.

I’d want a text when she met up with friend as well.

PoleFairy · 25/02/2022 21:33

Of course its fine Confused.. there are kids round here walking to school alone at that age.

RedskyThisNight · 25/02/2022 21:33

Yes that's totally fine. Mine were freely playing out when in daylight across an area that sounds like it would encompass this walking route. I'd be worried if it was dark or there were busy roads but sounds like not the case here.

What are the particular concerns of those who are saying "no" - it sounds like no worse than walking to school or local shop which should be well within the capability of a chlid this age.

WomblingWilma · 25/02/2022 21:34

I’d be a bit concerned about the road with fields on either side so no houses to go to for help That would put me off.

Original poster
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/02/2022 21:39

It was just light when we did the walk today.
There was quite a few people around... including pupils from the Secondary school walking home (its on the residential estate, the children from the next village walk home along the road).

Its interesting to see im not the only one with some misgivings. Its a definite No when its dark out for now...

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 25/02/2022 21:39

This is the area of mumsnet that is a parallel universe for me. Dc at our primary school are absolutely encouraged to walk without adults from year 5, so 9yo. They all do it. I've never ever seen a child from y5 or over walk with an adult. They all walk in to town of a weekend (2km away) with friends, all the time, from y6. The op has said it's light there at 6.
Absolutely, it'd be different if it was dark. But its light.

TheCanyon · 25/02/2022 21:44

I'd say yes but the walk along the field road is a nope. Similar set up in my hometown, I can't believe we were allowed to roam like that. My dd walks 10-15 mind to youth club at 6pm but it's all residential streets.

Get credit or preferably a contract sim, Tesco and giffgaff are cheap as.

BuddhaForMary · 25/02/2022 21:46

I think it completely depends on the child, not the age. Some children are more capable at this age than others. When my DS was 10 he'd have arsed around all over the shop walking to his after school activity and either got there late or not at all if I hadn't taken him. The same applied to walking to and from school. He was 12 before he was trustworthy enough to get to and from places without dallying.

OP do you trust them to not mess around and just get where they're supposed to be going?

Original poster
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/02/2022 21:54

@BuddhaForMary completely trustworthy... she goes to the shop alone and to school alone (despite me walking with her sister a few minutes later).

It is the field road making me a bit uneasy. There is a lot of cars driving by, usually a few dog walkers and groups of kids. One side is horse fields. Other side is the car park for the zoo and a quarry. The Scout Hut (her destination) is the first building you get to on the edge of the village.

Parenting toddlers seems a breeze compared to Pre teens learning independence.

OP posts: