To worry when 10yr DD went for an early run alone

[BelleBoyd]

My DD woke me early this morning saying she was going for a run and left. She kept to our road and was back in half hour. Is this ok? Just seems unusual behaviour? She hasn’t done this before and doesn’t run usually as a sport.

Also... everyone saying she was just in her Street. No she wasnt. The OP said she stuck to the road and was back in 30 mins... she must have ran far to be back in 30 mins

You were half asleep?! ...... she’s 10! Who is the parent?! Sometimes i wonder on MN!!!

I’ve not RTFT so sorry if you’ve said in detail but I think you said you saw her running up and down the street? If so, then you know she was definitely just doing that. Could it be a challenge thing amongst her and her friends? All I’d be concerned for is a body image Issue - sudden, out of the blue increases in exercise can be a sign of an eating disorder and more noticeable than the food side of it.

As for the ‘dictating to you’ 🙄 I think it’s more likely she’s deliberately caught you on the hop (or asleep lol) so you don’t ask too many questions or try to stop her.

@BelleBoyd

I used to do that, go for a run in the morning & yes out of the blue. It was because I read up on a health & fitness article in a magazine.

I do think I was 10yrs but I was probably about 13yrs/14yrs.

As for anxiety, I treat many children with this issue. Maybe try changing up her diet, removing processed foods, simple sugars & simple carbs. It’s usually helps a lot, especially with the sleep.

BTW - Don’t worry about the judgy people on here. You know what they say about people who judge. It says more about them then it does about you.

I think it's fine - well done her. She's probably feeling restless so it's impressive she's doing something about it. (Incidentally I am seldom up before 7.30 unless I have to be and we've all survived.) I would though emphasize that she should always make sure you know where she's planning to go and who with. It's important she gets into this habit before she reaches teenage and discovers a world full of opportunities.

I would not worry about this at all OP.
Although, yes, grooming, eating disorders, drug dealers and kidnappers etc do exist... none of them would not be the first thing I thought of in this instance. She probably just wants to go for a run. Maybe she's seen a celeb doing the same online? Have a chat with her about it if you're worried about her anxiety by all means, but I don't think it's anything to stress about.

I have taught upper primary for years and at that age (9-11) they want their independence. Running up and down the street for 25 minutes is fine.

I have my own 11yr old DD and would not find it odd at all. She will be going to secondary school, on her own, in September. It's a walk to the bus stop, 40 mins bus ride and then another 10mins walk. Leaving around 7.15am in the morning, in inner city London. She will be fine.

However, in the 6 weeks holidays, you'd be lucky if you found any of us out of bed before 9am :-)

There's a tv show called 'sMothered' on TLC at 9pm tonight some posters on here should watch!

It's perfectly reasonable behaviour to go for a run early in the morning. I really don't know what the fuss is about. My daughter used to leave for school at 7.30.

My daughter is 10 and wouldn't do this without asking and waiting for a yes first. If she did happen to run out the door before I had agreed/spoken to her, I would come down on her for it because that's not acceptable behaviour.

I think she sounds like an independent, resourceful young lady with a bit of get up and go.

I would ask to her ask permission in future but can fully understand that she might just have felt the need to stretch her legs. I remember loving that sense of freedom at her age- still do when I can escape!

Our DS is 9 a very sporty boy- he very much lives in his body. During lockdown he’s needed to find outlets for his energy. He’d not usually go running but has certainly had days where the notion to go for a run has just taken him. We have a set of paths round a couple of fields at the back and he’ll just do a couple of laps. Yes, he checks it’s okay and no we don’t stand and actively watch him, we can see the circuit from our top window if we’re worried. No I don’t think this behaviour is worrying - I’m actually really pleased he knows what he needs and manages his own exercise.

Context is what it comes down to- you know your daughter, the tone of her ‘telling you’ and how this fits in with her usual boundaries.

@BelleBoyd

It was 7am and am usually up before this time on school days. Although a bit uncomfortable feeling I have to justify that.

Haha. I feel you OP, having to answer why you were asleep at 7:30am. How dare you . My DD is 11 and I wake up after 8am most days while she wakes up, has her breakfast and gets ready by the time I am up. What a bad parent I am!

I have older children now, but I think there seems to be a lot of hype about excercise and keeping for during the lockdown and now and I think perhaps she’s just feeling a bit hemmed in.

A sensible responsible 10 year old is ok just going for a run early in the morning, very locally in an area she is known and I think it’s a positive action to support, enabling her independence and confidence for secondary school.

I live opposite a park where there is a pitch where the children play and quite often there’s children on it alone before 8am playing football and things.

@Kajagoogoo89

My daughter is 10 and wouldn't do this without asking and waiting for a yes first. If she did happen to run out the door before I had agreed/spoken to her, I would come down on her for it because that's not acceptable behaviour.

Coming down on her for it??? I’ve got a 10 year old daughter too and personally I’d just say ‘ask in future instead of telling’ if that was the issue. Like another poster said though, it’s common for kids around this age to want to exert a bit of independence when and where they can.

So people moan that kids laze in their beds all day but now they’re moaning because a kid wants to get up early and get some exercise. Some of you lot are hypocrites. Good for her well done her.

If it’s out of character for her to run for exercise I’d be aware she may have body image issues. Not that it’s extreme to go for a run but extreme exercise can be a sign of the start of an eating disorder. I hope she is ok. Did you explain the dangers of running alone?

This would worry me, unless she is usually up and bright much earlier than anyone else and has a reason to be suddenly keen to go running. I would go running with her and make sure that a desire to stretch her legs and fly is all that's happening. Even so, I think I would insist she do it during my waking hours so I could monitor her coming and going.

This is exactly the kind of thing my dd does. She likes having some kind of fitness/sport routine. I would and have let her do it, but we've talked about how far she can go (up our road and back) and mine is not an early riser so unlikely to do it when I'm still asleep! In my dd's case there's no way she's arranged to meet anyone - I'm certain she would just be going for a run.

I honestly don't see the issue with this. She's trying a new thing. She was in your street. She's probably following someone on Instagram who runs.
She may have a crush on someone and wants to get fit.... I'd keep an eye on that to be honest.

Just to add my dd is also 10.

There is a big thing on doing couch to 5k at the moment or 5k challenges. Maybe she’s seen it.

My dd hates sport but is a dancer. Before lockdown she danced 5 days per week. She’s 18, but having not run before she started the couch to 5k challenge. If your dd is sporty she might be trying to keep her fitness up.

@Vinomummyinlockdown

You were half asleep?! ...... she’s 10! Who is the parent?! Sometimes i wonder on MN!!!

It was early, Vino, be fair! No school or work either.

@singingstones

I love that Bates managed to drop in that her DC does sport "at county level", classic mumsnet

Yes, we all know about County lines on here.

@lovelilies

I think my daughter was about 11 when she went through a phase of waking really early to go for walks alone, like 4 am but in summer so it was light already. But I knew about this, she had a phone and the dog

I've read some crap on here in my time but OMFG. @loveliles are you high? Drunk? Mental? You should be. What a load of absolute BS. As if anyone would give your DD time to make a call like at 4am out walking. But you knew about it and she had the dog. Um ok.

I've read some crap on here in my time but OMFG. @loveliles are you high? Drunk? Mental? You should be. What a load of absolute BS. As if anyone would give your DD time to make a call like at 4am out walking. But you knew about it and she had the dog. Um ok.

I don't think this is nearly as insane as finally releasing a child to go to the cinema - with their cousins only, aged 18!

Releasing 😂😂

@PablosHoney I can only imagine that's what it would feel like when being kept home in the garden for years 😆