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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how old your dc were when you let them go to the park alone?

76 replies

Userwho · 22/04/2018 20:20

Park is over the road from house, less than 2 min walk but you have to cross the road. If you walk 20 or so steps from front door you can see the playground. Road not busy and cars often slow down to let children cross. Lots of children out on their own.

At what age would you let your dc go alone?

OP posts:
Aprilmightbemynewname · 22/04/2018 20:24

Our park is 2 mins away across a zebra crossing out of sight. Dd when 10+ 11 were allowed but ds will be at secondary school before he is allowed!! Dd now 12 has a phone which makes me happier!!

user1483390742 · 22/04/2018 20:24

My 10 year old year 6 DD started going over Easter hols to meet friends for a couple of hours.

bigchris · 22/04/2018 20:25

Year 5

Suzietwo · 22/04/2018 20:26

I let my 6 and 8 year olds go together - no roads to cross but couldn’t you do that w them?

Original poster
Userwho · 22/04/2018 20:28

Forgot to say that dc have a watch with gps and an sos button which calls my phone.

OP posts:
Dvg · 22/04/2018 20:28

I'd say 9 youngest but I also wouldnt want them going out without a friend or sibling

hidinginthenightgarden · 22/04/2018 20:28

I can see our park from my kitchen but you have to cross the road. Last week DD needed a wee so I let DS stay on the park with strict instructions not to leave it until I came back. We were gone less than 5 mins and I hated it. Probably give it a couple of years! (So 7).

NNchangedforthis · 22/04/2018 20:30

Mine are 6 & 7 and have just started going. Park is less than 2 mins but can’t see it from here. Across one residential street. We live in a completely residential development so no main road to cross and park is in the middles “square” There are a lot of kids their age around here. They are out in scooters, bikes etc. A lot of the adults all know each other. We have WhatsApp group and FB group so if they are at someone’s house or garden, I’ll get a text. I quite often end up with 8 of them in my garden.
They know where they are allowed to go - what friends they are allowed visit. They stick together, and when one wants to come home, the other has to come with and check in.

Original poster
Userwho · 22/04/2018 20:31

Suzietwo do you get strong opinions from others about letting your 6 year old out?

OP posts:
PorkFlute · 22/04/2018 20:32

I let my 8 yr old cross a quiet road and play out of sight which is a similar distance. I go out and check every now and again.
It very much depends on the child. If you have a child who is naive around strangers and roads or generally not sensible then I wouldn’t let them go whatever their age!

BoxsetsAndPopcorn · 22/04/2018 20:32

Term before high school and never responsible for younger siblings.

PiggeryPorcombe · 22/04/2018 20:34

End of yr 5 is pretty standard here. Park is 10min walk from us though and out of sight of the road completely. Small village though.

In your case I’d be happy letting dc go a bit younger but not much.

PorkFlute · 22/04/2018 20:35

I wouldn’t judge a 6 year old being out but I would judge the parents of a 10 yr old that wasn’t allowed 2 minutes from their door as being ridiculously overprotective (sn aside obviously).

Original poster
Userwho · 22/04/2018 20:37

The parents around here that I know don't let their children out alone and the children who are out I don't know their parents. Otherwise I'd love a whatsapp/fb group.

I feel quite strongly that the more responsibility a child is given the more responsible they become. My dc are sensible and we have rules about going out that they follow. But I've encountered some opposition from relatives and don't really know how to handle it!

OP posts:
MissWimpyDimple · 22/04/2018 20:38

DD started at 10. We do live in a big city though. Now at 11 we are really ramping it up and she's out and about as much as we can sensibly manage. She has a phone though and I do get her to carry it with her.

High school in sep so she's going to have to get on with it!

Caramelapplecake · 22/04/2018 20:42

Year 5 I think - age 9 - 10

My concern was always around the roads as parks local to me and also my DC primary school all involved crossing quite busy roads - I can recall letting him out on his scooter to s friend around the corner where he didn't have to cross the road. By the Summer of end Y6 he was out and about with his friends quite a lot.

ibetyoulookgoodonthedancefloor · 22/04/2018 20:49

We have just started letting our 9 (turning 10 in 12 weeks) to the park with friends.

Its 5 mins away or I will drop her off. She's never been allowed any later than 5.30.

Original poster
Userwho · 22/04/2018 20:54

Seems 6 is quite young then!

OP posts:
Echobelly · 22/04/2018 20:58

DD is 9 (10 soon) and she's running in a kid's triathlon soon, so we've let her run around the local park for practise - about 500m away, two road crossings (one with island in the middle). So she's out for about 10 mins doing that.

Would like her to go to park with friends - have asked one parent so far, they said not ready yet, not sure who might agree to it, which is a shame.

RedSkyAtNight · 22/04/2018 21:00

Round here (similar park set up) 9 is pretty standard, some DC are allowed out at 8 -but they tend to be ones with older siblings.

We do have 6 year olds playing in the street (again with older siblings) but I personally think it's a bit young for an out of sight park.

WeAllHaveWings · 22/04/2018 21:14

Ds was allowed to play in our cul de sac with his friend always in view from age 6.5 - 7.

He and his friend were allowed around the corner and across the road (dead end road in quiet housing estate) to the field/playpark aged 8. Various mums would pop out now and again to make sure all was okay with everyone , sometimes there were kids as young as 4 there, a bit too young for me, but the park was open and overlooked by houses so probably as safe as you could get.

elliejjtiny · 22/04/2018 21:17

I haven't let mine go yet and eldest is 11 but our nearest park is a mile away, across a major a road and a b road. I wish we had a park close to our house.

Original poster
Userwho · 22/04/2018 21:23

Our park is also open and overlooked by houses on 3 sides.
Relatives' concern is that dc are vulnerable to being "snatched".

OP posts:
bellsbuss · 22/04/2018 21:24

Year 6 with eldest 2

DanceDisaster · 22/04/2018 21:26

It really depends on the area you live in I think. Where I live, I’d probably rather wait till 11 or 12, but then that’s maybe because that’s the norm here.