How old to do this walk on their own?

[Fireworks91]

My kids are 8 and 6. We live about a 5 minute walk from a small local park. (Diagram attached). Road is quiet, outside our house is very rural, lane type going up to a 20-30mph single lane residential road.

They have taken the dog for quick strolls around as far as the school, but asked to go to the park.

Dh isn't here as another adult to bounce this off, so am asking here. I am thinking of saying yes, on a few provisos. Walk on pavement, cross at zebra. 8 yr old wearing a watch with an alarm set for the time they need to leave to come back, go being them approx 30mins there. If they haven't reappeared within 10 mins of that time I go and get them.

They know our address and home phone number and have my mobile number in their pocket.

It is a smallish park with no outlandish rides, overlooked on all sides by houses.

I trust them to walk safely etc, it is more 'stranger danger' that I am nervous about.

Would I be unreasonable to let them do this?

I wouldn't allow it.

I wouldn't let me 6 year old do it

Sounds OK to me but I don't know your children.

I definitely think the 6 year old is too young and 8 year old is too young to supervise a younger child.

Nope sorry. 8 possibly but not having to look after a 6 year old as well. 5 mins is a long time in child terms and that's 5 mins each way they are out of sight and also when at the park. All it takes is 2 seconds for a car to pull up and snatch them and an 8 year old and 6 year old won't over power an adult. Ask what if one of them gets hurt at the park? Falls of the slide or gets stuck. I know this is all worst case scenarios but you need to think about them.

8yo is fine 6yo I think is probably too young although I used to walk home from school myself at the same age

That was my instinct too, but I am known for being anxious. Older child spends 2 days a week helping/working at local stables so is quite practical and steady, younger one isn't the type to take risks...but urgh, it doesn't feel great. Maybe it is a no for now. Or we go together and I let them walk back, with us leaving together.

I actually do trust them, it's other people I don't trust as much 😂

I would. But I think “stranger danger” is a dangerous message which should never be taught to children. I am often lambasted on here for saying that.

Yes, we have never mentioned it to them..it's more a shorthand for posting. They know that in an emergency they can grab the nearest adult, ideally someone in a uniform etc etc, not to talk to people in cars, scream if they get scared etc.

Personally I'd say eight is too young to supervise a younger child and six is too young to be reliably 'supervised' (ie do what they're told!)

There's a park opposite my house which we overlook - my two were about that age when I let them play by themselves, but they were always in sight of the house.

My issue wouldn't be stranger danger but as a PP said, the risk of an injury. At similar ages, my older brother and I went to the park. He fell off the climbing frame, knocked himself unconscious and broke his arm. 6 year old me had no clue what to do and sat next to him crying until a teenage lad came over and took me home to get my mam. We left my brother with his mate! If you do let them go, talk through these kind of situations and what to do.

I know of two families whose kids have broken their arms falling off monkey bars in the last few weeks, I would be worried about something like that happening and the kids not being old enough to cope. I have a 7 and 5 year old, not far off 8 and 6, and i’d let them walk or scoot round the block or go to post a letter together, out of sight for five minuets, but not much more than that.

There's no way I'd allow that. At best I'd allow 2 x 8 year olds but with my own kids it's been at least 9 ( nearly 10) before I've allowed it. Unless you have a friend who lives overlooking the park and you know they are in perhaps?

It's not the actual walking and playing that's the issue but what if something goes wrong like an accident or injury, an argument about when to leave ? Or what if someone known asks them to come back to their house (good or bad motivation) and for whatever reason they decide to go and you have no idea where they are!

8 and 6 year olds are too young to make decisions under pressure imo.

Interestingly I read yesterday that a mother has taught her children a password, known to the family. if anyone tells them her mother has asked them to collect them. The child was approached by a woman and she scarpered when he asked her for the password. My grandson's Nursery ask for a family password also

My head says that it's safe, but I know that I'd worry about it and probably wouldn't have let my dd go when she was 6.

I know when my parents were kids it was normal for children of all ages to be out all day without adult supervision, and most of them were fine. But we're all a bit more aware and very much more risk averse these days. I'm not sure if that's always a good thing. Society's probably swung from one extreme to the other.

The vast majority of child abuse (of all kinds) is carried out by someone that the child knows. Stranger abduction and stranger abuse is incredibly rare - but when awful incidents do happen we all know about them.

I wouldn't. If the Park was in eyesight from your house then yes. But looks like it isn't.

I would allow it, but where I live and I know my DS.

Only you know the area and your children - I would say if your gut is telling you it's ok, then it's ok. You've clearly thought about it as you've drawn a diagram and everything, so are trying to be responsible, so you're responsible and should trust your own judgement :)

There's a park a similar distance and layout from our house, and I don't think I'd let kids that age go there unsupervised in such a small group. I'd be more comfortable with a small gaggle of 8 year olds, but not much more to be honest.

At that age I did play out with my sister and neighbours kids, but we grew up so very remotely that there were absolutely zero passing cars and very little human footfall.

In this scenario, the most likely danger I can imagine is meeting up with other kids in the park and wandering off further into it in a game, and not being there when you come for them.

I would if you live in a quiet area and it's only for thirty minutes , if the older one is old enough to help at the stables effectively she's probably quite robust and sensible, horses can be more dangerous than the walk you've described

As PPs have said most risk to children doesn't come from strangers

Would you let your 6 yo go on their own?

That would be my test. If not then no.

No one here can answer (even with a superb diagram) because they don’t know your area or your kids.

Oh. I wouldn’t be worried about them being abducted. I’d worry more about them falling off and hurting themselves or more likely hurling themselves at a stray dog or something. I’m actually not sure what I’d be worried about, but I’d never settle so might as well just take them!

Exactly it, I wouldn't relax so what's the point 😂 Got dh on WhatsApp and he said they'd be fine, but that's fairly easy to say at a distance. Going to halfway house it as I mentioned earlier and go and let them walk back.

I would let my two go but it depends where you live and your children. Where I am it most kids that age are allowed (small country town) but I probably
Would t allow it if I lived in a big city. When I first started letting them go to the park they would go then I went 10 mins after them and we built it up from there. They knew that one transgression would mean the removal of the privilege so it’s always worked for us.

There's no way I would give an 8 year old sole responsibility for a 6 year old. That is a really unfair thing to do.

Would you leave the 8yo to look after the 6yp if you nipped to the shops for half an hour?