Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let my 9 and 7 year old play at the park on their own??

54 replies

alfiesmadmother · 24/02/2011 13:46

The park is 5 mins from home, both my sons are sensible and they are desperate to get to the park, my DH is notoriously over protective so I can't gain perspective.

On the one hand they will enjoy the freedom. On the other I keep imagining them being kidnapped.

WWYD??

The baby is in bed BTW

OP posts:
corns12k · 24/02/2011 13:47

I wouldn't personally
Do they have to cross any roads?

Seona1973 · 24/02/2011 13:49

I would - I let dd (7) and ds (4) go to the little local play parks on our estate

Vallhala · 24/02/2011 13:50

I wouldn't dream of it, but each to their own. It's not just being approached by strangers, it's about getting hurt, getting scared, getting led stray by other children and not being able to supervise their behaviour towards others too.

Each to their own of course, but for me it's a no.

Wirlies · 24/02/2011 13:51

I would, but I'm probably a little more relaxed than friends of mine around here.

Vallhala · 24/02/2011 13:51

*Led astray of course! D'oh!

Original poster
alfiesmadmother · 24/02/2011 13:52

No they don't cross any roads. If I go upstairs I can see the park out of the window. If one of them gets hurt I guess the other one would come and get me.

OP posts:
TapselteerieO · 24/02/2011 13:52

DD is 9, she is allowed to go out for as long as she likes, I tell her what time to come back, ds nearly 7, has mild sn, I recently let him go with dd, for 15 mins, then I went to join him, small housing estate, no roads to cross, friends live beside the park too.

DooinMeCleanin · 24/02/2011 13:54

My 7 yo is at the park with her 9 yo friend atm.

However we live in area where all the kids play out alone from about 5 upwards. There are no roads to cross, the park is fuly visible from all sides by surrounding houses, I can see the park from my living room window - the bit they play in, friends mum can see the whole park from her upstairs window. We check on them every 10 mins or so to amke sure they are not upto no good.

Dd1 knows every single dog walker in the park via dd2 who accosts every single dog on their walks - she has been trained to approach them properly.

Seona1973 · 24/02/2011 13:54

dd got stuck in the baby swing once (well she is 7!) and it was ds (4) that came back to get me so I could rescue her. I cant see the park from my windows but it is only 2 houses up from us so not far away at all.

TealeavesandCoffeegrounds · 24/02/2011 13:55

Personally I would, but I would consider snooping after a while

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 24/02/2011 13:55

7 is fine imo, depending on location

But Seona, 4 ???!!!! Seriously ??? 4 is far too young, and a lot of responsibility on the older child Shock

Seona1973 · 24/02/2011 13:56

its literally seconds away from the house and they only go for a short time before I check on them.

cybilliberty · 24/02/2011 13:57

I would. Let them go and have some fun

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 24/02/2011 13:59

It only takes seconds for something to happen.....even more so if you can't see the park, really wouldn't leave a 4 year old unsupervised and i'm one who's firmly in the let them out to play and make their own fun camp.

Original poster
alfiesmadmother · 24/02/2011 14:00

I just said they could go and they came straight back saying some older kids were there and they will go later when they've gone, bless them! They are playing in the garden.

I reckon I will let them go and keep spying, then follow when baby wakes up. I have to say they do seem mature enough to me at 9.1 and 7.6. I also have a 4.6 year old who I would not let go, he would be fine but totally not fair on the older ones.

OP posts:
corns12k · 24/02/2011 14:01

You sound very close to the park - I live a walk from our nearest park and have to cross roads so definitely wouldn't be happy with it in my situation. In your situation I may think differently.

Original poster
alfiesmadmother · 24/02/2011 14:01

I agree I would not let a 4 or 5 or probably 6 year old out unsupervised for more than a few minutes.

OP posts:
PrettyCandles · 24/02/2011 14:05

I have let my dc go to the park alone since they were 7, and go on errands to the corner shop since they were 8. They also walk to and from school togetrher. The 10yo often goes alone, but the 8yo is not yet allowed to cross roads alone.

They have to wear their wristwatches, and we agree a time by which they will return. If they are late they lose the priviledge of going out alone. They have only ever been late once, and that was after several months of going out alone.

But I would never let my 4yo out alone, not even with my older dc. He gets to play in the close with them, but no further.

PrettyCandles · 24/02/2011 14:08

Oh, and they also know that if they go out together they return together. Abandoning the other gets the same penalty as coming back late. Has happened twice, IIRC, and not for a year or more.

squeakytoy · 24/02/2011 14:09

I would. At that age I was playing out with my friends quite safely.

pigletmania · 24/02/2011 14:28

They will be fine, they are not foundation year. You have to allow them a little freedom and can't cotton wool them all the time. As you said the park is so near that you can see it from your house

cumbria81 · 24/02/2011 14:29

Absolutely. I don't see any problem with this.

RitaLynn · 24/02/2011 14:30

I was out playing the park at that age - it's only the fear of being snatched that's grown since then, rather than the chance of it.

FioFio · 24/02/2011 14:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted

Missile · 24/02/2011 14:34

My 8 and 6 year olds would not want to - right blooming wusses!

Swipe left for the next trending thread