AIBU to be concerned there are unsupervised 7/8 year olds out at 10-11pm

[4thfloor]

My children are older so I may be out of touch?

The local children who play around my area are aged from about 5-9, the majority 7 or 8.

Last weekend and last night they have been out playing in the park unsupervised until at least 10pm.

Last night it was 11pm before they went home, and that only seemed to be because one of them had a bit of fall and was crying, so I went over with wipes and plaster, sorted her out (don't know if that was overstepping the mark but the poor chld was obviously hurt and no adult emerged to help her) and suggested to them that it's 11pm and they should really be heading home.

I just feel that at this age 10pm is too late to be out playing and 11pm is way too late, but then I'm thinking well maybe IBU and not worry about them?

So if you have a 7/8 year old, what time is reasonable to you for them to be playing outside?

[Mrsrobertduvall]

My dd is 16 and she is in by 10 in the holidays.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Blimey, i am not in a position to comment as i have no children but 10 - 11pm seems awfully late for such young children. If they were 14 or 15 then maybe but 7?!?! No, YANBU.

[Sparklymommy]

My children would not be playing out at that age. Only in our garden until about 8:30pm. My 10 yr old goes out but only til 8pm latest.

[wonderingsoul]

i think i may feel liek this becasue my eldest is only 7.. i dont know.

i think theres a differeance from being at a friends house and walking home and hanging out in town.. down the local car park/ church yard.. or where ever its considered cool now days.

i just dont see the need for it i guess.

[nooka]

My children would have been in bed and asleep by 10pm at age 7/8, so that does seem out of line to me. My (14 and 12) children visited a friend last night and walked home at 10pm so the idea that a 15 year old shouldn't be out at 10pm (on a Friday night during the holidays) seems odd too though.

[wonderingsoul]

even out side your front house 10 is way to late for 15 year old never mind a 7/8 year old

but that may just be me.

[xylem8]

when you say 'park' is it a piece of grass surrounded by houses

[ChocolateBiscuitCake]

I didn't realise that the twelve year old who was raped was apparently hanging round disused garages used as drug hideouts at 11pm. It in no way condones rape, but where were the girls parents ffs?

In answer to your question, yanbu. It's shit parenting.

[pigletmania]

Yanbu at all, that is too late!

[4thfloor]

would it be worth putting a note through the respective parents doors or is that just asking for trouble and interfering?

[Fairylea]

Yanbu.

But then I am really mean and despite living in a small Norfolk village I don't allow my dd aged 9 to play out at all.

I think 10-11pm is way too late for any child.

[AbbyLou]

Sorry should say about 8!

[AbbyLou]

My two (8 and 6) play out in the garden until about while the weather is nice but I don't let them on the street at all!

[LaurieFairyCake]

My 15 year old is home by 9. It gets dark shortly after, 9 is late enough.

[StinkyElfCheese]

My 7yr old comes in at 7 on a school night or at the latest 8 on a weekend holiday. but then apparently I am REALLY MEAN because all her 'friends' stay out till well past 10 .... sadly true

[Jinty64]

Ds3 (7) would not be out unsupervised after 8pm. He is only allowed to play in the cul-de-sac outside the house anyway and I keep an eye on him. He does play out in the garden later than this in the good weather. I think that is far too late to be out anyway and especially without an adult.

[musicposy]

Like yours, mine are a bit older now, but I think that's too late. If I knew where they were and could see them, I might impose a 9pm curfew, it being the summer holidays, but no later.
My 13yo wouldn't be roaming unsupervised at 11pm!

[Whothefuckfarted]

For a 7 or 8 year old 10pm is too late in my opinion, yes. When My little girl is 8 I think 8pm would be the latest I'd let her stay out.