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AIBU?

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Original poster

6 year old running 2k with no adult

173 replies

user2319978 · 07/08/2017 21:14

Posting here for traffic :)

My just turned 6 year old loves running. He regularly attends junior parkrun events. The courses are 2k. Recently we've not been in a position to run with him and I've felt really uneasy allowing him to run the 2k on his own. He is out of my sight for about 6 minutes while he completes lap one, then another 6 minutes to complete lap 2.

I am buying him a GPS watch so I can track him, and he can SOS me if needed. I have lots of friends with 5 year olds who run the races with no parents.

What are people's thoughts on the junior park run events? (if you don't know what they are - they are weekly organised runs for 4 to 14 year olds - 2k distance, marshalls round the course. In our local event there are about 150 children running each week)

Am I being unreasonable to worry like hell for the whole 6miutes he's out of my sight? (that someone will kidnapp him, he'll get whisked away by a paedophile, he'll fall and no-one will help him .... etc ....) Is the GPS phone (with SOS and I can listen to him as he runs) enough? would you let your 5 or 6 year old run in these events with a GPS watch?

thanks for your tips!

OP posts:
Goldenbear · 07/08/2017 23:19

Surely only the OP knows that. I just don't think lots of people equals safe. Depends how crowded really. If really crowded, there's not really an understanding of who is a parent who isn't.

Rollercoaster1920 · 07/08/2017 23:20

I think parkrun is great. Our local junior course you can stand in the middle and see all the course. I'd be comfortable with that course. My nephew's local is round a hill so you can't see them for ages. I wouldn't be comfortable with that one.

If you can't run with, then could you and another parent position yourselves where you can see between you? Mobile phone comms for the 'hand over ' between you. Would that work?
Or ask someone to run with your child. I did the adult parkrun with my nephew because neither of his parents run. He was impressive!

Jessicabrassica · 07/08/2017 23:22

Did has run solo on and off since she was 5. She has the focus to set off and keep going (running or walking) to the end. Ds has never run solo because he gets distracted by sticks, stones, mud and would end up being a right royal pain in the arse for the back markers who would have to cajole him home. Most of the marshals' are parents with kids running in the event. We love Junior park run!!

Aeroflotgirl · 07/08/2017 23:24

I personally woulden't tbh, they could wander off, or get lost, my 5 year old certainly would, he thinks getting lost is a game, and finds it funny as he does not have the awareness of a much older child or adult. I would not trust the marshalls to keep an eye on him specifically as they are probably quite busy.

I was in a park with my son once, two 6 year old girls approached me. They told me their name, how old they were, and gave me details of their school. I asked them if they were with any adults, and they pointed out their 11 year old brothers who were quite some distance away. I could have been anyone, and nobody would have noticed if I abducted them. You cannot trust young children to be aware and to have total stranger danger.

OSETmum · 07/08/2017 23:29

@ohmyfuck are you serious?? At 11??

OP, I wouldn't have a problem with this at all, he'll be in sight of plenty of people at all times.

Goldenbear · 07/08/2017 23:30

Yes, I agree with that, some find it hilarious to wonder off and hide. DD was at a 6 year old party recently where the birthday girl and some friends went missing for 20 minutes or so from where the party was being hosted, they'd gone out of the fire exit on to the beach that thus building backed on to, the Mum was furious!

Aeroflotgirl · 07/08/2017 23:56

I just woulden't, it would not sit right with me. I would have to run it with him tbh, and when he's a few years older, than he can run on his own depending on maturity, at 11 certainly should. We used to do cross country at that age, and would run 5 miles without any adult supervision, until the end.

Aeroflotgirl · 07/08/2017 23:58

A couple of times ds 5.8 has got lost recently, and found staff thank goodness when we have been out to theme parks. He was in the park in Cadburyworld and i was watching the park and did not see him sneak out. Today we went to another themepark, and I got him a hi vis vest, with my number on the back and he had to wear his backpack reins, as I told him he can't be trusted. He was fine. Him doing Parkrun on his own, no chance!

Betsyboo87 · 08/08/2017 00:10

Sorry I'm not entirely familiar with the watch but does it track his distance and time too? You could buy it for him and tell him it's so he can keep a record of his running. If he's into running then he'll want one soon enough anyway! The wallow talkie sounds like a great selling point too! I honestly think if he's into it then he should be encouraged as it's such a good start to the weekend. Parkrun is a well respected organisation and they wouldn't be able to run the junior version unless safety had been fully thought out.

Isn't it sad how we live in a world where we have to worry about these things?

Humm1ngb1rd · 08/08/2017 06:07

Are there any other junior parkruns nearby? If so perhaps try one of those to see if you can see them running at various points by nipping across the course. I regularly send my 6yo running obsessed ddoff and then meet her to give her water or watch her run various bits by running across the middle of the course because i cant keep up with her. She got a PB last Sunday and was delighted. You have to take some (small) risks otherwise life would be tedious and I want my kids to be outgoing and confident and not too scared things. As everyone above has said the marshalling system is good and ours won't go ahead unless they have enough marshalls.

BertrandRussell · 08/08/2017 07:08

"Isn't it sad how we live in a world where we have to worry about these things?"

We don't.

HipsterHunter · 08/08/2017 07:13

A sensible 6 year old focused on the run, with lots of marshals? I think it's fine.

What are the real risks?

He falls as hurts himself? Marshall or other rubber will assist. Have you phone no on a band on his wrist or give him a walki talki like people suggested.

He gets lost? Unlikely given the marshalled and familiar course?

He runs off? If he does that he looses all park run independence privalodges and has to run with you until he can be trusted.

He gays abducted? I mean, really, a focused child on a marshalled run is not the most likely place to nick a child.

altiara · 08/08/2017 08:33

I let my 7 year old DS run junior park run by himself, (no choice really seeing as he does it in less than 9.5 minutes), he runs faster than his big sister so they wouldn't stay together. If your child is a runner then I see I problem at all, they will run the course with marshalls lining the course.
Other option - find another park run where you can see them for more of the route. Or if you jog across the field can you see them for a bit longer? That's what I do, they start and loop around the field so I can run straight across to cheer them on again.

megletthesecond · 08/08/2017 08:41

There's so many parents also running junior parkrun that one of them would notice if a child tried to run off the course. If I'm running I help to jolly along other kids. There's no way I would just watch a child head off the course.

MyRedPepper · 08/08/2017 09:01

I really really wouldnt have an issue about it as long as the child is happy to do it.

These events are set up for exactely that, so that children can run on their own. You have marshalls at every corners and runners, incl adults runners. They are not in their own. And TBH it's near I possible to run off course (because it's made for that!!). I can't see any security issue to go with it.

rightsofwomen · 08/08/2017 09:10

I am a competitive runner and my DS (8) often comes with me to races, where there are often kids' fun runs.

In these organised events (like parkrun) the safety of my child running alone has never been a concern; there are marshals and plenty of other people running with them.

If you have a child who is likely to try to wander off or hide in a bush or something then it's indicative of a child that doesn't want to compete, in which case they shouldn't do it at all.

kierenthecommunity · 08/08/2017 09:13

Ive let my four year old do junior parkrun solo on a couple of occasions. He refers to do it with one of us but it's handy he can go alone on the odd week his nanna's takes him

I compare it to running at a school event as it's so well marshalled. I've marshalled loads of times and never heard once of a kid making a break for it as they mainly just follow the others

MaisyPops · 08/08/2017 09:16

It's a well marshalled event for children. I'd let him run it with the other children.

sirfredfredgeorge · 08/08/2017 09:18

I think the watch is an extremely expensive solution to a problem that isn't really necessary - what's wrong with an old (or even a new!) phone on a PAYG that they run with (or in an arm holder etc. like other runners) cost would be almost nothing, not 10 quid a month! And you can auto link it to strava or something for both the tracking and the performance sharing!

Not for parkrun (which I cannot imagine any reason not to go alone. no need for anything) but that's what we did on DD's first trips to the shop etc.

kierenthecommunity · 08/08/2017 09:19

If the parkrun is in a large park in the biggest city in West Yorkshire then there's never been one issue there. If you Steve in the middle of the cricket pitch you can see 80% of the route I reckon. My son has just done his fiftieth so we've been to a few Grin

Booboobooboo84 · 08/08/2017 09:22

All depends on your son. Can he be trusted to not wander off. If yes then yadnbu. Encourage this love of running. The watch sounds like a great idea and maybe some chats of what to do in an emergency and more importantly what you would do in an emergency. I.e. If your dc in buggy needed to be taken away and another adult left in charge then you would give a code word to an adult etc.

I think it's great that he has a passion and as he gets older those distances are just going to get longer and you don't want to follow him in them all!! Much better to allow him 6 mins of freedom at a time whereby you know raising the alarm after ten minutes of not seeing him will mean he can't have gone far.

elfinpre · 08/08/2017 09:22

My 6 year old ended up doing the junior park run on her own as she was much faster than me and left me behind. However it was two laps of a big field, I could see her the whole time and there were loads of little kids running on their own. My then 9 year old was half a lap further on still.

Mayvis · 08/08/2017 09:27

My 6yo runs solo, we are too slow now she's under 10min. It's also a 2lap course, she is never more than 500m away from the start/finish/us.

Junior parkrun is far more heavily marshalled than any primary school XC event I've been to. Our primary school event takes place at the same venue too.

heron98 · 08/08/2017 09:34

I think it's absolutely fine. It's an organised event, you're not letting him off on his own.

citykat · 08/08/2017 09:35

Lots of people posting irrelevant stuff. It's not a theme park or a casual play in the woods. He's a keen runner he will want to beat the child in front and get a new PB and won't be distracted. OP, why not volunteer to be a Marshall one week it might allay your fears. My 6 year old prefers to have someone run with her, but if she wanted to run and there was no one available I would be happy for her to do it alone . She knows the course, I know where the marshals are, there are loads of other parents running. It is not the same as playing outside or in a park.

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