to ask would you let a 7 year old travel on the bus alone

[ghostspirit]

im half watching loose woman. and one of the panel was saying how she lets her 7 year old go to school on the bus on his own to school she knows hes safe because he comes back. she then said how he sneaked out of the house to go on a play date at 8 in the evening. (she thought he was in bed)

maybe it depends on where people live what sort of jurney it is... i would not do it though

Public transport then not a hope but designated school bus yes, but I take it you mean public transport?

yes sorry meant public transport

Nope, not a chance - or my nearly 9yo for that matter.

noooooooooooooooooooooo way

No, she is mad. If anything happens to him, she will be in trouble with SS for neglect.

No that's way too young.

Dunno, really. . I can't really see a problem providing the risks have been properly thought through.

But then I have a fairly robust attitude to risk, and suspect I'm in the minority.

No way.

Imo a 7 year old does not have the judgment that would be necessary if something went wrong during the journey. Ie...The bus broke down, they lose their ticket, they feel sick, they leave their bag on the bus, there are roadworks and the bus detours etc etc.

No I wouldn't

She knows he's safe because he comes back??? Seriously?

Too many leery bastards ride my local bus for this to be a possibility.

I wouldn't. But I've seen it happen. I drive buses and I had an unaccompanied 5 year old get on. It was a short journey from one housing estate to another , I quizzed him and he was travelling from mums house to dad's house. Wasn't happy about it but he'd been left at the bus stop alone and figured he was safer on the bus and I'd take him to the police station if no one met him at the other end. They did, but I was really surprised a parent would put a child that young on the bus alone.

No chance

I'd hope that, if something happened like a lost bag etc another adult would step in to help.

I think it's sad that children are denied experiences because adults have lost trust in one another.

Loose women is rarely a good source of advice or leading by example on anything except perhaps gaudy plastic jewellery...

I was half watching it too, though missed whoever said about letting their child on the bus aged 7.

I think it is far too young but on the other hand I think children need to be given independence in other ways. For their own good.

dinosaur I don't think that is the programme's job, to give advice though. It's a magazine programme which opens up discussion and opinion. This is the first time I've watched in a good few years and it seemed inoffensive enough to me.

Short journeys, yes, depending on the child. Not all 7 year olds would be confident enough or sensible enough but many are. I doubt many mothers would allow it though because we live in a paranoid fear based society.
I have friends who won't allow their 12 year olds on a bus on their own.

No way. 7 is still too young for that. Give it another 3 years at least.

No bloody way, and I have the worlds most sensible 7 year old!

Gottagetmoving To be honest I don't blame parents for being "paranoid".

It was Saira Khan. I missed the bit about the bus, just caught the bit about him sneaking out for a playdate.

She is an intelligent woman and presumably has weighed up the risks. How close is the school? Plus maybe there's lots of his school friends on the bus.

School bus - yes I would, and yes I do.
Other public bus - no I would definitely not, I would have difficulty letting my 12 year old lad do this even.

Nope. Even if his friends are there or its close by.

Especially if he has form for sneaking out. Intelligence doesn't meant you don't make mistakes.

I think without knowing the exact bus route/journey etc it's hard to judge.