AIBU?
in not letting my child six and four play out?
gkys · 28/04/2011 13:27
i was visiting a friend over the bank holiday, her boys the same age. were playing with a friend down the road, ok its a quiet cul de sac, (and i am guilty of being a bit precious about the boys) i let them out there while dh was watching, but called them in when he came inside, or rather he did.
my friend implied that i was somehow impeeding the boys development, her arguement being that theey have to learn to be streetwise. I diagree, thinking that they are too young have no road sense. the boys offen visit after school etc aibu to state that i don't want them playing in the street?
nepenthe3 · 28/04/2011 13:40
YANBU, I wouldn't either. People around where I live drive like inconsiderate tossers, even in residential areas. I'm a bit precious about this sort of thing too, and I was very much a 'free-range' child, but things have changed dramatically in terms of the numbers of cars on the road. There are other ways to give your DCs freedom, and to teach them to be streetwise. It's also about when you feel is appropriate age. Trust your own parenting instincts and leave her to her own. Both sets of children will all grow into independent adults who can cross roads eventually.
NulliusInVerba · 28/04/2011 13:49
YANBU.
Some might live in very very quiet areas and think this is ok for their children, but for the majority it is not ok, they are far too young.
Round my area I get quite annoyed seeing 6 year olds out, on theri own all day, and calling for my child at 8pm. Not on.
cruelladepoppins · 28/04/2011 14:01
worraliberty - I wouldn't let 4 and 6 play in my garden unsupervised, although 6 and 8 I would.
My own reasons were:
- garden too big for me to know what's going on (i.e. I can't see all of it from the house);
- surrounded by woods and fields, you don't know who is passing (and yes there has been the occasional nutter/ ne'er-do-well);
- sometimes people's dogs jump over the fence into the garden - I have had chickens killed by dogs so I'm not going to trust small children out there.
jellybeans · 28/04/2011 15:01
YANBU at all. I hate seeing little kids playing out, unless it is a very quiet road and they are watched or in a big group. I didn't let mine play out at the front till 9 and I am not unusual, most of my friends don't either. I let them go off on cub camps aged 7 so it isn't that i am stupidly over protective, I just think they need to be older to have road sense etc. Once you let them out they are constantly wanting to do it as well. I would wait till you feel right. plenty of people (majority I think you will find) would not let kids out in the streets that age.
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