To wonder when it's acceptable to let a 3 year old play out unsupervised

[ErictheGuineaPig]

Very small cul de sac. Albeit with lots of cars parked on the pavements. Just turned, not remotely sensible, 3 yo. Infant school aged brother out with him. Also not mature for his age. No adults sat out supervising. I'm concerned but not sure if I should be...

no way anyone remember that girl was it mollie? went out to ice cream van by herself and was abducted and murdered

she was 3 it took ten seconds to take her

even not as dramatic could get run over and it shoujldnt be up to a sibling to take care of them unless their in their teens

When they are about 8!

I think 5 would be the minimum age, but personally in that scenario where it’s an error of judgement rather than a child you think is being abused, I would speak to the parents directly and just say you’ve seen a near miss and people aren’t always that careful. Don’t get SS involved when you haven’t even raised it with the mum.

Not ok. I hate sitting out the front watching my 8 and 3 year old, but I do it because it wouldn't occur to me not to.
There's a family on my street who rely way too much on older siblings and cousins being responsible for little ones.

I don't think it is ever OK but it was pretty common where I live a few years ago (they have grown up now). They seemed to have new babies and turf the the 3 year olds out to wander unsupervised. The police found a lost 3 year old in an area our neighbour had fly tipped in and then cut off from the rest of their garden, which was only accessible through our garden. I remember thinking thank goodness they weren't hurt and feeling awful I hadn't spotted them. A bunch of them used to give my younger brother a lot of hassle. He walked one of them home after they threw stones at him and they told their dad he'd hurt them but thankfully the other kids told the truth. He used to just let them hit him with sticks as he walked after that because he didn't want to get in trouble.

Never, way way too young. Anywhere with roads with a child under the age of 7/8 minimum is a danger.
I would go to the child and ask them where they live, knock on the door and tell them their toddler has escaped from the house and you were about to call the police.

Next time call 101 immediately if it happens again. It is neglect.

I think the key question is - would you leave your purse wallet, containing a load of cash and your cards, out in the street?

You wouldn't, would you? So why leave your precious toddler out there?

Never?

I thought the question was going to be playing alone in a secure backgarden.

I always going two four year olds playing unsupervised in a car park, outside where my childminder lived. I raised it as a possible concern with the school and it turned out to be neglect. The children were placed with a lovely foster parent and are so much happier. Please listen to your spidey senses.

It happened on my street up until about 10 years ago because a wee boy who was unsupervised was hit and killed by a big car with bull bars on it.

Way too young to be unsupervised in the street.

I'd not let a three year old out in my own fenced back garden.

Only !!!!

Christ, I don't even have kids and even I know 3 is too young!

No way at the age of 3. I have only just let my dd [7] go to the park supervised by her 11 year old big sister!!! She was 6 before I let her go to the bottom of the road. Outrageous at that age.

Unfortunately happens where I live too and yes unfortunately that is a rough council estate. You have to drive super slowly as the kids never look before crossing the road, or sometimes the older ones deliberately run out. It's an accident waiting to happen if a driver who doesn't know the area came down at a normal speed.

Only supervised in a secure back garden.
No way out the front unsupervised !
I second VickyEadie comment !

I don't think it's ok for a 3yo to be playing out in the street unsupervised. It's potentially dangerous but not an NSPCC matter. Maybe social services?

This used to happen here (another cul-de-sac on an estate) with a girl I would guess was 4 at the time (possibly younger as she was in nappies).

The kids on this estate hang around playing in big packs. They're no nuisance in terms of bothering any of the residents but I drive down my street at 5 miles an hour because there are so many cars parked that it feels like a tragedy is on the cards as there is nowhere sensible to cross the street.

I don't think it was well phrased by PPs but I do think this is more prevalent on estates than on other residential streets. I say that having lived on or nearby two estates. It happened on both of them but hasn't happened in any of the other 5 or so places I've lived.

3 year olds should never play on the street. Are you sure the child is three though? Some children are just tiny.

Very small cul de sacs still get delivery vans stopping by and they're not known for driving slowly. They won't be looking out for a 3 y.o. sat in the road or running out from between cars.

Wow! My kids are 4 and 6 and I wouldn't let them play out the front unsupervised. I still watch from the kitchen window or sit outside even when they're in the back garden. Not sure what you could do though? It's very irresponsible of the parents.

Even in our quiet cul-de-sac there are delivery drivers who come down here randomly full pelt and paying minimal attention. There's no way I'd let mine play out front unsupervised - even when I'm quite happy for them to be pootling around in the back garden with me only keeping an eye and an ear out for them.

Three?

My 8yo has only just been allowed to play outside our house, and we live in a square with no through-traffic.

Fuck me, some people are fucking stupid.