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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you let your 11 yr old out for their daily exercise alone?

118 replies

Teacher12345 · 23/04/2020 20:46

8ish so not too busy and it is still warm. Would you trust them to socially distance? Would you let them go with you?

OP posts:
thaegumathteth · 23/04/2020 21:17

No

edwinbear · 23/04/2020 21:18

10 yr old DS goes for a run by himself after school about 4.30pm each day. He goes to our local park which is about 2 mins from home. He understands social distancing and is generally very sensible. Not sure I’d let him go at 8pm though.

Toilenstripes · 23/04/2020 21:20

I wouldn’t. At that age they’re not strong enough to fight off an attack.

TheGirlWithAPrince · 23/04/2020 21:22

To be honest i would expect an 8 year olds bedtime be by 9 so 8 would be too late for me. No going out after 7 in my opinion

Rezie · 23/04/2020 21:25

Is the concern because of covid19 or just because they are 11 yo in general?

Mendeleev · 23/04/2020 21:27

We live in suburbia. I would let my 11 year old to cycle round the block or go for a jog around the block but probably a bit earlier than 8pm.

Original poster
Teacher12345 · 23/04/2020 21:28

DHs surprise was COVID not an attacker or anything else. Many adult are terrible at social distancing. Moment after passing this lad I had a moment with a guy walking down the centre of a footpath (more than 2 metres wide so distancing perfectly possible) on his phone not noticing as I ran towards him.

OP posts:
Drivingdownthe101 · 23/04/2020 21:29

TheGirlWithAPrince that’s fine, except the kid is 11.

My neighbour’s 11 and 9 year olds go out for a walk together most evenings. They’re well behaved, polite and sensible so no problems.

Welshmaenad · 23/04/2020 21:30

My 10 year old goes out for walks alone but we live in a quiet rural village.

ElfDragon · 23/04/2020 21:31

My 13 year old took 8 year old sibling for the equivalent of a round the block walk (along the road, into and around a field and back home again) when I couldn’t go out with them. Not worried about social distancing rules - they would both follow - nor about road crossing. This was in the afternoon, though. I wouldn’t have been happy about them going out at 8pm.

carnivalisover · 23/04/2020 21:32

I wouldn’t. Less people = less surveillance and the possibility that some folk hanging about are hanging about for not good reasons.

underneaththeash · 23/04/2020 21:34

Yes. I have an 11yo and 13yo and both are perfectly capable of not going near someone. I think some of the posters above have younger children. My 9yo girl has to be constantly reminded.

DollyPomPoms · 23/04/2020 21:34

No! My 11 year old is in bed at 8pm!

brentwoodbaby · 23/04/2020 21:34

We are in a town though a fairly quiet neighbourhood. I would feel uneasy about my DD (12) going out alone for a walk/run purely because she's unlikely to see anyone and therefore they would be unlikely to see her if she got into bother.

Fromthebirdsnest · 23/04/2020 21:35

No especially not at 8pm , just because there's circus doesn't mean that there arnt any predictors around , my 11 year old would go to the park after school with a couple of friends and play football , you can see it from our house , I wouldn't let him go out completely alone just to excersise, it's too young with a dog maybe but I would always worry about another dog attacking them or something so probably not x

TheHarryFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 23/04/2020 21:36

My 12 and 10 year olds go alone or together sometimes.

Original poster
Teacher12345 · 23/04/2020 21:41

@DollyPomPoms Really? my 7 yr old doesn't go to bed until 8/8.30

OP posts:
Mumto1girl3boys · 23/04/2020 21:46

How about you just concentrate on looking after your own kids instead of judging someone elses parenting decisions?

Lazypuppy · 23/04/2020 21:50

Most 11 year olds make their own way to secondary school (or primary school if oldest in year) why on earth wouldn't they be able to go for a walk around the roads..

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 23/04/2020 21:55

DS(13) goes out for a run or a bike ride by himself daily every other day, DH goes with him the other days. I’ve no issue letting him out alone though.

DollyPomPoms · 23/04/2020 21:56

Yep! Up to bed at 7.45pm to wash and get ready for bed, in bedroom by 8pm and lights out by 9pm!

BakewellGin1 · 23/04/2020 21:57

Funny we have just been speaking about this as DS11 wants to keep fit for when his football eventually returns to normal..

We have discussed how he could go for a jog alone as he is aware of not getting close to people, moving to one side until they pass if necessary etc

I think I trust him to do so.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 23/04/2020 21:58

During lockdown definitely not.

Original poster
Teacher12345 · 23/04/2020 21:58

Who says I was judging them? DH answered the door when I got home and said he was surprised to see the lad on the other side of the road. I mentioned that I had passed him on my run as well. No judgement. We often have differeing views on when we would allow our eldest to do things so I wondered what other opinions were.

OP posts:
Samtsirch · 23/04/2020 22:00

@Teacher12345
I am struggling to ascertain what you are asking.
There are so many variants to the situation you have described.