To think 4 year olds need adult supervision on the street

[ThunderAndFrightening]

Please tell me if I'm being PFB. A friend very kindly offered to look after DS(4) and DD(6) yesterday evening. We were chatting about what they had been doing, partly as they had grafittied the front of the house with chalk (not the issue) and she mentioned she had been in the house at the time. So, DCs were outside at the front of the house unsupervised for 5-10minutes maybe more. To give some context, front garden has no gate, we're on a busy road with lots of cars and pedestrian traffic and the garden is very small and open (more of a yard) - so road very close. Am I being precious to think they should have had an adult within sight? Friend looked at me like I was bonkers when I asked if she was out there with them. DCs are reasonably road and stranger aware, but DS in particular can still forget easily.

There is a 3 and 4 year old turfed out from morning till evening on my cul de sac, never checked on, in and out of gardens, taking toys, bashing cars on their bikes no supervision in sight, I'm getting very sick of it very quickly that every time I see them out I sigh as I know the whole rigmarole of telling them they aren't allowed in my garden and them coming in anyways starts again.

And the number of times they've nearly been hit by car, either darting out between cars or falling off bikes in middle of road is nail biting. One of them is going to end up hit soon

I'd let SS know Missl

As a childminder (if registered as one) surely she would have a written risk assessment of where the children are allowed to play at her house.

There is no way she would have charges that age playing out in the front garden.

YANBU

YANBU.
Not at all.
I have a friend like you describe. Since her daughter was small, she had been allowed to fun far, far ahead as they walk round our village. When l look after her daughter, the little girl ignores me - and does the same!
I'm made very nervous by it.
My experience is that when someone works with children for a living, they tend to be more laid back 'off duty'

I have a very sensible 4yo and still wouldn't let her. The other day we were together and she surprised me by telling me that if she put her hand up the car would stop. 4yo is too young, they don't have a full understanding of danger.

YANBU I would in no way allow DS (4) to play outside near a road unsupervised. We live on a lane, it's not a busy road and in a way that concerns me more as he could forget & dash out after a ball or something.

My views are partly shaped by the fact that I was a sensible child but still got hit by a car.

YANBU and I too would question her childminding ability. I would be fuming that she would take that risk with someone else's children.

Misslgl88- I too would be contacting SS!

This little kid was quite bolshy to be honest. I offered to walk her to her house and she said no im playing out so i went up the street with her and my DS to the sister and said that I didn't think the wee one should be so far away from her home at such a young age as theres always cars around driving up and down. Sister was very stand offish and said her mum said its fine and she can walk around if she wants.

I ended up sitting out on the doorstep to watch the kids playing, took my younger DD out to play with chalk so it wasn't like I was being a creepy neighbour watching kids. They played around up the street a bit then went back down to their own bit.

I just don't like the thought of young kids that age being allowed to roam the streets tbh. I know roughly who the family are, have had a run in when one of their kids walloped my DS once but when I went to their door they sent the teenage daughter down and wouldnt come down to speak to me.

I wasn't aware btw initially that this small child was from same family, until I saw what garden they went in to and the penny dropped.
So in a way I don't think I COULD have done anything else other than keep an eye on them while they were out on my street, by using DD as a decoy. I'd hate to have heard there was an accident involving this wee one and a car or something. Im a bit of a worrier that way even when its not my child directly. Maybe I should butt out a bit more.