7 year old walking home from school alone

[friendshipstruggle]

In a nice area, the school is within the housing estate with 1 small road to cross. The 7 year old is sensible, in Y3, but only just turned 7. Is it unreasonable to allow him to walk home with no adult? The parents around here have wildly opposing views on this and I'm interested to hear a wider opinion.

Live*

All three of mine got to walk to the shops ( crossing one road with a pelican crossing) in the summer of year 2, so aged 7. They also could walk to school alone then too if they wished to. I know 15 year olds that have never caught a bus! Interesting their take on it now they are older - they felt proud and responsible even though some of their peers said their mums said they could be snatched!

Stranger danger has remained static over the years I know adults scared of their own shadows and I would hate for my dc to grow up like that.

It'd be the distance and road bothering me too, plus the fact that the streets near a school is less of community to a child than their local ones - id be fine with them going to the shop10 mins away aged 7 because theres no roads, and there's people they know about - as a child mum drummdd it into me whose houses were near each part of the route and I was to bang on their doors if needed. The school thing bothers me as it's so beyond the parents control ie not the same street and also not alone. The local street alone would be fine much younger, and a park or something at 8/9 is ok as long as in a group. I wouldn't be a fan of my small child going anywhere that wasn't close ish, alone. Dangers can be exaggerated nowadays but there is a reason they exist and these things have and do happen. Normally by someone the family the child knows (hence because of statistics I'd be telling child to bash on female neighbours door) but they do happen, and just pretending it isn't happening isn't the answer
That doesn't mean to say I wouldn't let them Olay out in street - they could from 6, in a group, because in my local area adults watch the kids and I could see them from upstairs window - but any further than the end of the street and they'd need to ask me first. Provided I knew where they were, who with, and a curfew I would probably say yes - but there's a world of difference between that controlled ish environment and them walking probably more than 5 mins alone at such a young age. Parents job is to make them adults yes - it's also to keep them safe and I would rather not take what I view as unnecessary risks. it's not mollycoddling, its personal choice and putting it bluntly I dint care what Scandinavians do

absolutely yes. Good for kids safety to be given the responsibility. If you know your child and would be happy with it, and your only discomfort is others opinions, just ignore. The primary school my kids went to was happy with it from KS2 where the youngest in the class would be 7. My youngest is an August baby so she was same age and although she had 2 older siblings they often arrived home seperately. I think busy main roads are the biggest issue and if you are just talking small side roads I don't see the problem

I also struggle with the 'be a parent and get to school' type comments. OP is not being lazy but trying to decide what is BEST for her child. Refusing to let our children develop any independence is not good for them. Most kids are shunted to/from school in cars and never learn any road safety until secondary school or later. They also get no exercise. Walking/scooting/cycling to primary school is great exercise and good independence training. It is not 'real world' to have or take no risks. We all have to take risks on a daily basis as adults and children need to learn this. They need to be taught road safety, basic first aid and stranger danger and then they need to be given some responsibility and independence to practice these skills.

God no!

The problem for me is that the over-emphasis on safety and 'what might happen' plays out oddly in the statistics, which seem to indicate that children who aren't let loose a bit are statistically more likely to be in road traffic accidents, drownings, etc. So the act of protecting them from daily events past early childhood actually puts them at risk, IYSWIM. It's entirely counter-intuitive.

It's not just the Scandinavians who allow children this kind of freedom, btw, it's pretty much the whole of Europe. We have a more entrenched litigation culture that has wriggled its way into the home and parents have become ridiculously scrutinised and consequently cautious. It's a problem on a number of levels and one reason (of many) behind child obesity. Children are just not allowed to roam much and have become overly sedentary.

Can you compromise and meet 3/4 of the way, then a week or so later, half way etc etc until he is walking home alone. My DD walked alone from about 9, no roads to cross and it took 9 minutes door to door. But none of us can really say without seeing the route ourselves.

Letting them loose for the first time at secondary school age is more risky because they haven't learnt to take responsibility for their own safety at a younger age which is when children are more likely to follow rules, instead having to learn it at an age when peer pressure, not following rules, and showing off are big so more likely to take risks on the road.

Pressed post too soon - so there's a reason parents and schools encourage walking alone at a younger age here in Finland and many other European countries, because its safer in the long run.

When statistically "bad people" are more likely to be family and friends, I find that argument lacking as a reason to curb independent travelling.

Yes
I would. The only concern is would have is traffic. But if that isn't an issue then go for it.

So what is different about places like Finland? Less traffic? Fewer sexual predators? Lower reporting rate of sexual assaults?

It always interests me that the same Countries whose education systems are held up as examples of good practice, and which many demand the UK emulate are also the ones who place far greater responsibility on young children than we do here.

I think that one of the problems here is that because older children have less independence at a young age, it's harder to let a younger child follow the example of the slightly older ones around them As they do in countries where children travel without adults younger.

I think any school that lets reception or year 1 aged children out without an adult there to collect them is failing in its duty of care tbh, massive safe guarding issue.

7yo is too young imo, aged 9-10yo would probably be o.kay to walk a short distance on their own depending on the level of maturity.

Independence at 7 years old?! Not necessary.All of these posters who say something bad is unlikely to happen. Is it worth it taking the chance? No of course it's not.

Absolutely no way! Too young and it only takes a second for an accident to occur or someone to grab them. It's killing me to let my DD aged 12 in year 8 out on her own even with find my iphone ..... My DS's Primary won't allow them out of school grounds until they are in Year 5 and in the last term.

Whilst I wouldn't actually let my 7 year old walk home alone, I also don't think the 'would it be worth it if something happened? ' argument is a particularly good one. You could extend that to absolutely anything. Is it worth letting them travel in a car? Is it worth allowing them to play rugby? Is it worth allowing a child to take horse riding lessons? Children have died doing all of these things. Children have died falling and banging their heads in their own home. You can not protect against every single risk in life, so why do we single out parents who choose to give a bit of freedom for such harsh judgement?

If I remember correctly 8 is considered the age where they have the spatial awareness to allow them to cross roads safely. I think last term of Y5 is way too late for a child to be allowed to walk home alone by a school tbh and have never come across that past infants.

There is always the "what if" scenario but you need children to have some gradual independence and walking to and from school allows that.

Our school don't let children walk home alone at all. They have to be collected from the playground or go to clubs/creche up until they leave in Year 6

Definitely not. I think y5 is the earliest I would even consider it. And even then, not alone but with a friend.

I think it depends on various factors...
How many people in the area do you know and trust - allowing neighbours to pass on any concerns.
How close is the school?
How mature and responsible is your child?

The thing is if you never let your child do things when will they learn?

I'm curious. Those of you saying you wouldn't allow it - at this age - are you also saying your DC can't do anything on their own, unsupervised? A short trip to the park to play on the swings? The local shop? The letterbox? At what age would you say this would be OK? The same age as going home from school alone?

Some local primary schools have organised 'walking bus' arrangements. Parents, on a rota, collect groups children from specific places and supervise the walk to and from school. Safe and involves some exercise!

Our school absolutely doesn't allow it. In Y3 it's a complete no-no here. Even if a Y6 attempts to pick up the Y3 they aren't allowed.