8 year old DD cycling home with 10 year old DS

[redskyatnight]

10 year old DS has been cycling home from school (on his own or with a friend) since last September. The route is through a residential area with few roads to cross (no main roads). The route is all on off-road cycle paths except the very last bit up to our house, where he tends to cycle on the pavement.

8 year old DD normally goes home with a neighbour.

One day next week the neighbour can't collect DD. A friend who often collects is also busy. DH (who works at home and normally will pop out for stuff like this) has a very important call at school run time (his words) and can't either.

DH thinks we should just let DD cycle home with DS. I am slightly uneasy about this, but not sure why except that she has never done it before and we wouldn't let DS do it until he was older. She is sensible and used to cycling the route; DS has a mobile phone if necessary.

So AIBU (or WIBU rather) to let DD come home with DS without an adult?

You seem determined to do it OP....although you began this thread stating that it was your DH who was keen for them to do it, you've just come back over and over and given responses to those who say you shouldn't do it....and you've repeatedly argued in favour of the journey so I don't even know why you're still asking! I think the majority on here have said they would not do it...but it is your call and only you can decide.

MrsW Actually (I've been back and counted) where people expressed an actual view it was 8 against the idea and 12 in favour. Fairly mixed opinions anyway.

I'm not determined to do it anyway - I didn't think my posts were coming across either way- I was merely responding to questions raised.
I'm currently leaning towards the idea that they walk home together, but still interested in opinions/reasons why because I guess there does come a point where DD does the journey on her own (though some people here would not be letting their 10 year old make the journey either).

To be honest, it is your DH's responsibility to reschedule his call and pick your 8-year-old up.

I wouldn't allow it- 10 is much too young to supervise an 8 year old cycling on roads, have either of them done their cycling proficiency?

Either way- all it takes is one car, the children can be as safe as they like and still wind up in a mess. How badly is your 10 year old going to feel is something were to happen? It's a no brainer to me.

Not roads, it's a cycle path apart from a bit near home on housing estate. Children of this age are often playing out (on bikes) on quiet housing estates.

This is one of those things that depends on where you live and on the individual child.

Here it would be fine but I would have let ds1 and ds3 do it at 8 but not ds2 as he wasn't sensible enough.

My 9 yr old bikes two mikes from school on his own and has done for a while. Not everyday but he is capable of doing so and has been since age 8.

Could your DS cope if your dd was to have an accident and be immobile? Even if that's just falling off her bike?

Could he call an ambulance, reassure her and not panic?

If not, you're not letting an 8 year old come home supervised by her older sibling, you're letting her come home alone. If you're happy doing this, fair enough. But please don't put such a big responsibility on your sons shoulders for the sake of a phone call, unless he's unusually mature.

At 9 I used to take my younger DB (6) to the bus with me half a mile away and then bus for 10 miles to school. And back. Bloody ridiculous. With hindsight it was pure laziness on my mothers side, not necessity.