Growing up, what age would you have been allowed to do these things?

[Justanotheremma13]

I’m in my early 40s. I was having a conversation with my mum and my sister. My sister doesn’t have any children and we were speaking about my ds and about my niece. My sister was slagging my sil off.

Anyway, growing up I was allowed to do the following.

Walk home from school at age 10/11, from school year 6.
Catch the bus to my local high street at age 10/11, it was about 4 bus stops. We’d go and spend our pocket money in the shops and market.
Catch the bus or walk to go swimming with my friends at age 10/11.
Be left home alone while my parents went for an evening out from age 12.
Catch the bus to the big shopping mall from age 12.
Babysit for my young cousin from age 13/14.

All of this was fine but my mum says she has no recollection. My sister was slating my sil for allowing her child to have a mobile phone and walk to the local shops and I pointed out that we were allowed to do much more at a younger age and that I actually think kids are far more protected and mollycoddled these days.

Haha me too, we’d rent 18 films from
the video shop, I was going into pubs at 15/16.

Different times.

I'm in my 60's. From the age of about 9, I was doing pretty much whatever I liked. I was walking to school from about age 8, babysitting from age 12, going swimming alone or with friends from around age 11. I also used to catch a bus alone into the middle of London and look around the Museums when I was still at primary school. I was also sent to the GP alone from age 10 if anything was wrong with me.

I was going to pubs with mates from age 15 and left home to live in a bedsit at 17.

I think my parents were particularly lax and I certainly didn't allow my own children to go wherever they liked at such a young age. I don't think my parents were very interested in me. I imagine these days SS might be involved for this borderline neglect.

Yes, that’s what I was saying to my mum and sister. We were doing far more than just walking to the local shop.

I think people lose touch a bit sometimes and forget that children go to secondary school
at age 11.

I think it’s good for them to build up to things and have some practice at being independent.

I think I walked home from school around the age of 6, but it was a small village and my friend's 9 year old sister walked with us. We went home for lunch, then walked back to school for the afternoon.

I remember being allowed to go into Leeds on the train on the day of Princess Anne's wedding with my friend. We were both 12.

Went to secondary school at age 11 which involved a mile and half walk alone (no pavements and narrow rural lanes) then onto the train for 3 stops, then a half mile walk up a steep hill to school.

Very similar to you, OP and I'm early-mid 40s.

Walk home from school - year 6, so 10-11

Catch the bus to my local high street -
Year 7, so 11-12 - it was a 30 min bus ride depending on traffic and big market town

Catch the bus or walk to go swimming with my friends - year 7, 11-12

Be left home alone while my parents went for an evening out - 14

Catch the bus to the big shopping mall - year 7, 11-12

Babysit for my younger sibling - 13/14.

I went by bus to school aged 5. There was a walk either end and a main road to cross.
I looked after my baby sister on my own from age 10.

Born 1983 here:

Walk home from school - NA as too far but was allowed to get bus back from around 13/14
Catch the bus to my local high street - 15
Catch the bus or walk to go swimming with my friends - 15
Be left home alone while my parents went for an evening out - 15
Catch the bus to the big shopping mall - 15
Babysit for my young cousin - 16

I was allowed to go out and play from around 7/8 but had to come back every half an hour to prove I was still alive, and if I was going to go to a friend’s house, I’d have to run home and tell my mum which friend I was with.

However, I went to school in an inner city area, so I was out roaming the local parks etc there from a very young age. No CCTV in our school meant we could sneak out if you timed it right!

I'm 62

Walked home from school aged 5
Went swimming with friends which involved a bus journey aged 9
Went to the pictures/Wimpy/nearby town with friends aged 9
Home alone during school hols aged 10/11..bloody loved it!!!
Babysit aged 12

I’m 50.

Walk home from school - aged 7, when I started primary school. My school was very close to my house though.

Catch the bus to my local high street - I used to walk there at age 10, about a 20 minute walk. I was allowed to get the bus to the next town aged 11.

Catch the bus or walk to go swimming with my friends - age 10.

Be left home alone while my parents went for an evening out - from about 13.

Catch the bus to the big shopping mall - there wasn’t a bus to a big shopping centre but my friend and I used to get the train into central London from around 14.

Babysit - from 14 onwards.