Children camping alone in garden - AIBU

[UserA]

A close friend has asked if my dc, aged 10, 12 & 13 would like to camp in her garden (socially distanced of course!) with her dc, both aged 11 - but alone, with the parents sleeping in the house. Apparently her dc have done it a few times over lockdown. I was fairly surprised and I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with mine sleeping outside alone. We both have fairly large gardens which aren’t particularly enclosed, as in not backing onto other houses as such. Recently there have been some sexual assaults/flashing episodes in the area, which makes me even more uneasy.. dc obviously annoyed that I haven’t agreed! So, AIBU - would you agree to them camping out alone?

Yes I would allow it.

Yes I would allow it.

We've been camping in the garden a lot during lockdown, but we always have an adult in the tent because our garden is not secure.

11 is just a bit young for me personally. I did it in year 8 with a friend. Though parents were more relaxed back then. I probably wouldn't be comfortable with it under 15 without me sleeping outside too. I am paranoid enough when I am in the tent with them, our garden isn't secure plus foxes scream in our garden at night scaring the shit out of me.

I’d be ok with this. My D.C. would probably be too scared though. In fact at the beginning of lockdown the two in the tent with me buggered off inside and left me alone for the night. I’m still here

We've had a tent up into back garden for most of lockdown. Sometimes sleeping in it, sometimes not. Our back garden is secure. Hadn't even thought about not letting them...

Yes I would and have, but I grew up and now also live somewhere I’d leave door open if I went out in day. If neighbour /relative knocked and there was no answer, I’d expect them to come in and find us, not MN usual.

I done it with my cousin and friends at my cousins house when we were around 12/13 and now that I think about it...we were in an end house with a side gate that anyone could have easily climbed over and no one was checking on us at all. I would never allow my kids too and I cant believe I was allowed.

I would be fine in your situation. Life is full of risks and this one is very low. if we did nothing that was risky would there be any point in living. At 13 I went camping alone with friends; got the train to some random campsite, drank cider and had a ball.

Knew Sophie Hooks family, in fact knew the killer he was a customer. After that day I could never let my kids camp outside. It may seem irrational but I was at the paddling pool with my dcs on the day as was Sophie and cousins. He was there too, when the police asked for video evidence of folk that were there that day they discovered he was not the only known individual to the police. To this day I watch out at paddling pools and parks, now with GCs for men like this.

Wow, people are so overly anxious. They aren’t 4year olds.

I am another person who went camping at 12/13ish with friends, not in my garden. Statistically something awful happening is so unbelievably unlikely. They are more likely to be harmed on their way home from school crossing a road.

I did it in the 90’s in east London, I would do it in London now but would consider doing if we in the sticks

It doesn’t surprise me just, it was the same when wee Caroline Hogg was abducted and murdered.

When they followed up on the number of men at that funfair there for sinister purposes it was a lot

At those ages, yes I would.

no way - in what world are children sleeping outside on their own with no adult supervision

Would I not leave the house because people die when they travel by car/train/bus/bike?
Would I not take my children to school because have been killed in schools?
Would I not let them go to a friend's house because children have been abused at friend's houses?
Would I not let them walk down the street on their own as their have been attempted abductions in my area?
Would I not take them to a pub as some one was shot in my local pub (10 years ago) etc etc etc
Maybe I should live in a bungalow as people die walking down the stairs.
My friend drowned as a child in a swimming pool with her parents near her. Maybe I shouldn't allow my kids swimming, My nan was killed by a family friend maybe we shouldn't have friends....

Life is full of risks. If you worried what if you would live a very dull and boring life.

Poor modern children, so wrapped up in cotton wool. I can’t believe the number of parents saying never.
I let all of mine sleep out, certainly from the age of 10 or 11

boring but safe - know which one I would rather

No chance.

darkcaramel
No, child abduction and murder was not far commoner in the 70s
www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-37504781

comeby off the top of my head I can think of at least ten stranger type abductions from the 1980s. I can only think of one in the last ten years.

I’m not saying that one (April jones) was the ONLY case of child murder in the U.K., there’s been a particularly nasty one in the last few weeks, but specifically the sort of stranger abductions we were all warned about.

I wouldn't let the tiny amount of stranger child abductions stop me allowing it. That said, I don't like the idea of young sleepy children wandering in a dark garden, probably in their bare feet, looking for the toilet. I'd probably insist on them coming inside when I was ready to go to bed, or have them 'camp' indoors.

I wouldn't have an issue. Your children are far more more likely to be sexually assaulted or murdered to someone known to them than by a stranger.