...to let DS walk home on his own

[QueenofKelsingra]

he is 4, he's at pre-school. I have toddler DTs who hate the rain cover on the pushchair. it is wet and horrible out there and I am snug with a

WIBU to make him walk home on his own??

YANBU

But make sure he stops off at Sainsbos and does a bit of shopping

He'll need to earn his keep!

oooh good point worra [trots off to make list]

I hope the DTs made that . If not, you should consider training them.

more good points being raised, thank you velma will get them onto that, right after they've finished the laundry.

God what's wrong with you OP?

You're just so argumentative and won't take any points on board!!

I walked to and from school in East London at 4 , I am still alive. (Sadly this is not a joke).

It's a bit late now.

You should have tied a really long piece of string to his finger when you dropped him off.

Then at pick up time, you start pulling and drag him home.

Yabu, why not extend his pre school hours instead so he can start preparing for his 11+?

sorry worra, ahem, playfellows how could you suggest something so cruel and heartless?? better?

Playfellows, what a great idea.

It's really windy today. Think of the fun to be had from flying a pre-shooler!

pre-schooler kite! didn't think of that! previous comment retracted, clearly a great idea!

:o Worra - yes, what 4 year old wouldn't LOVE to fly home from nursery?

OP, you didn't happen to fit any type of wings to him earlier? Nothing that would give a little bit of lift?

I'm going to ask my neighbour if I can take her 4 kids out for an hour

It'll be like holding a bunch of helium balloons

OP, you didn't happen to fit any type of wings to him earlier? Nothing that would give a little bit of lift?

Or a hat with ear flaps?

he has his rain mac on - if he held out the corners of it he could create a flying squirrel sort of effect?

:o flying squirrel

Nature teaches us the best lessons.

I relented and went to get him.

he did actually get blown over by the wind poor boy. i had to hold his hand the whole way to stop him being blown over again so the kite idea clearly would have worked.

more tea and hot milk for him!

My mum put me on a bus on my own at 4 to go to my grannys, I had to change in Oldham,

flippin molly coddled children these days !!!!

Reading this thread, it is interesting how much our attitudes have changed over the last 50 years or so.

I would no more think of allowing a 4yr old out on their own as flying to the moon (you can't really say that anymore, but YKWIM!)

My loving, responsible mum, however, had no apparent qualms about letting me play outside, out of her sight, as a 4yr old, where it was customary for older children to 'look after' the younger ones, and disappear off to the park or to play by a nearby river! This was completely the norm when I was that age, but seems astounding now.

Maybe it was because my mum's generation had grown up with even more of a sense of........self-sufficiency (?). She tells me it was very common for 5 year olds to get themselves to school, sometimes involving quite a long walk, as she had to do.

its sad in a lot of ways isn't it mrsruff. I long for the days when it was safe to do this - modern traffic is the biggest issue and a lack of community spirit I think. there has been several reports into the effect on children that they have no private playtime without an adult watching, its quite detrimental to them. I try and get mine in the garden as much as possible and leave them to play (its safe and secure) to try and give them a bit of freedom. I love the idea of sending the kids out for the day and not expecting them back before dark!

It is really sad... I walked on my own at the age of 4 - through the centre of Bolton for a year or so!

At 7 I walked my little sister to school and went on to mine, also through a city centre.

As an adult I lived next door to a woman in a beautifully rural area, local kids, rolling fields, nearby school... idyllic.

But she made him play in the communal car park, so she could see him through the kitchen window! That caused so many arguments, kid versus cars and her tears ensured kid won every time.

I always felt sorry for that kid. I knew the ChildSnatcher did not hang around the lanes, but she knew that he most certainly did!

I love the idea of all that freedom, too queen. I had it, when I was young and thought nothing of it!

You're right, the increase in traffic making it less and less possible for children to play in the street, has had a huge impact, I suppose, along with gaming technology, which maybe means for lots of children, the default in their leisure time is to go and play on a games console, rather that go outside with their friends, even where it is relatively safe.

The knock-on effect is that there is no longer the 'safety in numbers' that there used to be, and which must have contributed to parents feeling fairly relaxed about their children being out and about!

And there is certainly a big shift in perception about 'stranger danger', nomama, (me included, I should add!) It is ironic that keeping your child in a 'risk-free' bubble actually militates against them developing the 'streetwise' skills to take care of themselves in situations they are bound to encounter eventually.