Are my children to young to be walking to school alone?

[Scorpion111]

My children go to a school that is on the same street as our house. They leave through the front door, cross over the road and then walk up the road for around 3-4 minutes and they’re at the school gates.

Because the school is so close, I can watch them walk the entire way from my bedroom window. Both of my children are extremely sensible, not just in my opinion but their teachers and their friend’s parents are always singing their praises.

They have only walked to school alone 2x and I take them through the same safety briefing in the morning - stay out the road, stay together, look where you’re going, look left and right before crossing etc. Also before letting them walk to school alone (which they have been begging to do btw) we started with saying bye to them at the gate instead of walking them to class, progressing to only walking to the top of the road with them, then half way up the road with them until I was confident in their ability to stay safe.

My children are 7 (almost 8) & 6 years old.

I think it's fine. Children in the UK are way overprotective. The main issue is the traffic, but as you'll be supervising them as they cross the road, there's no real issue.

It's so sad that children don't walk to school because of cars. I really think thee should be a "no stopping or parking" rule within 1/2 mile of schools ( with exceptions for disabilities) for private cars. That would make it a lot safer for children who are walking to school.

I did exactly this with my dc, so yes I think it's fine. It was around a minutes walk from mine to the school back gate so I did always look to check it was open. In many countries children are expected to walk alone at 6, it shocks British people but children are treated differently elsewhere to no additional harm.

On Mumsnet it’s expected you take your DCs to school until they’re 18

That’s correct. Schools can express their preference which is for only year 6 to travel independently but their preferences don’t supersede that of the parents. If a parent wishes their child to walk to and from school alone the school can’t refuse to permit this. See also - you can’t leave the hospital ward if your baby isn’t in a car seat.

Mine walked from Y4, no roads to cross, ten minute walk. I think 6 and 7 is a bit young. 8/9 should be ok- depending on the individual child.

DD1 looked quite young for her age when she went to secondary school, as she was only little, also has a July birthday. She went in a shop the school holidays before, I'd dropped her and her friend, and was nearby in a coffee shop, giving them a bit of independence. A woman in the shop asked her if she was old enough to be out without her mummy.

I would have thought it's fine for 2 kids to walk together a few minutes with no roads to cross

The world is bonkers now. In my primary school days (1980s) this was totally normal

I think it is fine. My S used to walk to school sometimes in Y1. It was a big international community at a local primary school in the UK. The British parents were notably the most conservative in their approach.

I walked sometimes with my friend in the 1980s when we were 9 onwards. Though it was a bit further and there were roads to cross. I don't recall any little kids walking on their own but others our age definitely did.

Sounds fine to me.

I wouldn’t say that’s the case for all parents though. I think that also massively depends on the location of the school and what the next nearest and safest drop off points would be.

No, some parents really are just wankers. I have been chuckling all week because traffic wardens have been sent out this week to keep an eye out at the school gates... And yet the number of people who STILL pull up on the double yellow even though, driving just 10m on.... there is plenty of free parking. it's the most bizarre thing. One woman nearly took me out as after she was asked to move, she zoomed ahead to park behind me and nearly hit me as I came round my car!

I think it's absolutely fine as in real life fo most people I know

I think it sounds fine. Kids walk half a mile or so to school alone from age 9 around here.

I park outside the school and still wouldn't let my children ) 6 and 8 walk in by themselves.
If you're at home and able to watch out your window then why don't you walk with them into school?

It all depends on the child my sensible child at 7 would have been fine but my not so sensible child at 7 would have been found at the park down the road an hour later.

Our primary allows walking to and from school alone from year 4 when they are 8/9 years old. I actually think that's quite young and haven't allowed my DD to do this, but we do live 20 mins away from school. Many of her friends live ten mins away and walk home via the newsagent and are often home alone with an older sibling for an hour or two. I think 6 is too little and it's nice to do the school run together at that age
Otherwise put them in wrap around care.

They are absolutely not to young really, but in the UK it is culturally unacceptable.

In other places you not giving them the freedom to develop in this way would be seen as deeply problematic. (and also from a younger age!)

Yes they are too young, I hope you've just misjudged this op rather than you being lazy. But of course you should take your SIX year old and young sibling to school, like, all the way to school.

The six year old is the young sibling - they're also walking with a nearly 8 year old and OP can see them the entire time.

I do wonder why children in England can't cope with things like this when those in Europe and Asia can manage just fine.

We are also in germany where kids walk to school from age 5/6.

Lots of posts here comparing us to other countries. Just because other countries let their children walk to school at a very early age doesn't mean they are correct. Maybe our country has the right attitude to age appropriate school walking and being protective of your children doesn't mean they won't learn to be independent. There are too many lazy parents around justifying their laziness by pretending they are trying to teach their children self reliance.

So what outcomes are worse for these children in other countries? Because we know that outcomes in this country are often weaker comparatively with less happiness and more mental health problems here.

Research also shows that independence is an important step in providing children with the skills to cope long term.

If you can tell me that German children consistently do less well in various metrics, I will understand your argument. But it's not true. Rather, we are doing our children a massive disservice by over protecting them and not actually giving them ehat they need. You call it laziness. I call it living with my own fear for the greater good of my children (because trust me - letting dd out alone is far harder than taking her places).

Yeah teaching your children to be independent is not for lazy parents - its a lot of work!

So most of the rest of the world is just lazy and only the UK and a handful of other places are parenting properly?

There are kids in Asia who walk to/from school alone and cook meals for the whole family at the age of about six or seven with no parental involvement.

Now obviously that's quite extreme but I think it shows just how capable children are when we teach them the appropriate skills. It's not laziness to let your children do age-appropriate tasks and activities without you.

Not too young imo