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Original poster

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

574 replies

BelleBoyd · 27/07/2020 08:02

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.

OP posts:
lljkk · 27/07/2020 09:04

I would ask her why but not worry.

Teateaandmoretea · 27/07/2020 09:04

@Regularsizedrudy there are some serious nutters on this thread. I don’t blame her at all.

Unfortunately I agree with notheragain, using mumsnet for advice about parenting these days is sadly pointless.

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 27/07/2020 09:05

i would go with her,
or if not able or willing to run,, take her to the park or somewhere she can run and you can see

Mintjulia · 27/07/2020 09:06

How is she being deceitful?

She came and woKe you up, said where she was going and when she’d be back. And it’s the summer holidays.
I think it more likely she’s listened to how we all need to get fitter to stave off cv19, and has decided to join in.

This is exactly the sort of thing my 12yo would do. If she was meeting someone she could easily have left a note saying ‘gone for a walk’ and slipped out.

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 27/07/2020 09:07

i think 10 year old is too young somehow although i dont know if i could argue the point if pressed.

Ellisandra · 27/07/2020 09:08

My then 10yo wanted to go running. I’m not a runner but she’s active and of course sees lots of people running. I don’t find that part odd at all.

What I do find odd, is that when she went out without permission you didn’t immediately haul your backside out of bed, get out there, call her in and parent her.

I’d let my 10yo run, I wouldn’t let them go out when they were told no! Why on earth did you?!

LunaNorth · 27/07/2020 09:08

This thread is crazy. Where the hell do some posters on here live?

She’s probably got a notion in her head, and felt the need to act on it. And we are in the middle of a global crisis, so yes, maybe she is acting a bit differently. She’s been cooped up for months.

I’d just have a word about asking not telling, and get involved by saying you’ll come out and time her or something.

If she’s anything like I was at ten, she’s probably seen someone running in a film and thought it looked cool. It’ll be macrame or balloon modelling tomorrow.

TheFairyCaravan · 27/07/2020 09:08

@barryfromclareisfit

My dd similar age fancied going on a run she wasn’t planning a drug deal or meeting an older man. Think some people have been reading too many silly novels

There's none so blind as those who will not see.

Put a stop to this now, OP. Find out where she got the idea. A man? An older girl? Grooming is a possibility. Also, if she took to doing this regularly, people would know and she would be very vulnerable to being picked up by a couple of people in a van.. No matter how much MNers might deny it, there are bad people out there. Better to be thought over-cautious than to give space for something unpleasant to happen to your child.

Jesus Christ. Get a bloody grip. The child went running up and down the street she lives in. When mine were 10 they used to go to the park to play football with their mates. God knows how they survived to adulthood.
ArriettyJones · 27/07/2020 09:08

Sounds like she just got stir crazy. Sometimes the urge to run is overwhelming.

I’d have a word with her about waiting for permission before just going, though.

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 27/07/2020 09:09

has she been listenign to Boris?

ifyoulikepinacolada · 27/07/2020 09:09

@liberoncolours

I agree with pp that it is likely to be life affirming in motivation, and at 10 years I used to have sudden inspirations to do things like this too! But I think you need to tell her not to do it like that again, because the fact is we live in shitty times in terms of crimes against children and it isn't safe from the point of view of accidents either. Obviously don't say it in those terms. I'd say tell her you are happy about the running inspiration but she has to make sure you are watching. Also, can you arrange to go running with her a few time a week from now? It sounds like it would do her a lot of good. Doesn't have to be at 7am. 7am isn't an optimum time for running i don't think, I think late afternoon is best?
Why on earth is 7am not an optimum time for running?! What makes late afternoon best? How bizarre.

I think she probably just wanted a bit of independence OP - I can see why you felt a bit taken aback but I’d have a chat and say you need to be given a bit more notice and be fully awake next time! There’s nothing wrong with a sporty 10 year old running on the same street as her house in daylight though obviously!

Laaalaaaa · 27/07/2020 09:10

@Rhine

Still fast asleep at 7.30am OP, really? That’s late for most people on a weekday.

Seems a pretty lame excuse for not getting up to see what she was doing.

Some people do sleep in later. I got up at 8:30 this morning and I have a 9 month old. My baby loves to sleep - I take advantage of it. Just because you get up early - not everybody else does.
MsTSwift · 27/07/2020 09:10

There are some seriously mental posters on this thread. Dear me poor kids!

My 11 year old dd woke up full of energy left us a note and did a few laps of the cricket pitch. She is not deceitful entitled or in the grip of an eating disorder 🙄🙄 Just a resourceful independent sporty kid. Dear god.

Rollmopsrule · 27/07/2020 09:10

Op ignore the fruitcakes. Mumsnet is full of them unfortunately. It doesn't sound like anything sinister to me Op. You probably already have but just have a chat with her about it. Sounds like she's decided to get some exercise in she's been lacking in lockdown. Sensible girl.

Hohofortherobbers · 27/07/2020 09:11

Some people here are just hysterical! 7:30am too late to sleep? Child fancies a run? Calm down! Their street might be perfectly fine to run up and down and it was 7:30 not midnight. She'd be allowed to walk to school at that time but not exercise?

Original poster
BelleBoyd · 27/07/2020 09:12

That looks really fun-I’ll keep that in mind thanks. She doesn’t have a phone but would love one!

OP posts:
Original poster
BelleBoyd · 27/07/2020 09:12

Re the running app mentioned...

OP posts:
MsTSwift · 27/07/2020 09:14

My god that doom monger poster insistent there is “more to it” referencing drugs and grooming. You are properly mad. Step away from the Daily Mail!

ArriettyJones · 27/07/2020 09:14

The number of posters who have gone immediately to insisting the DD is being “coached to say X” or “groomed” or is obviously being “deceitful”...Dear god. Shock

bumblingbovine49 · 27/07/2020 09:14

My goodness the overreaction on here is astonishing. The ops Dd called up that she was going out for a run. The op got up and watched her run up and down their street

And from that we get the the DD.might be involved in drug running ShockConfused. Bonkers!!

Op . I can see why you.migjt be wondering where this came from . I'd ask her if she enjoyed the run and say that it is fine for her to do this but that she needs to give you 5 mins warning as you are not happy if she goes out of your sight .so you want to keep an eye on her while she is running .

I'd so keep light watch out to see if it is the beginning of a food or exercise disorder, just because it came out of the blue but but unless you have other clues it seems unlikely. It is just as likely to have been that she felt like moving/ running and just did it.

AudacityOfHope · 27/07/2020 09:16

I did this when I was that age, but it was a different time really. I have a ten year old and wouldn't be happy about it, no. She asked for a Fitbit last year to go for runs alone but thankfully went off the idea. At least with a tracker watch I could have seen where she was though.

ILikeGinAndCake · 27/07/2020 09:18

Put a stop to this now, OP. Find out where she got the idea. A man? An older girl? Grooming is a possibility.

Maaaaaybe she decided she wanted to do some exercise. I liked running as a child and teen and went on to run marathons as an adult, I got the idea that I liked to keep fit. If op doesn't like the running alone thing get her signed up to a local running club. It's no wonder kids are obese, they show interest in exercise and people assume some sort of sinister motivation. People do enjoy exercise believe it or not, I loved running from around aged 8. My parents were very encouraging but I guess this was before we were a country of fat lazy blobs.

RJnomore1 · 27/07/2020 09:19

Was she just running up and down your street?

Maybe she needs to move to calm herself. My husband is like that. If she’s told you where she’s gone and was running up and down the street I’d just have a wee chat about why she’s doing it.

If she’s gone further afield I’d chat about safety, including even the best runners giving their routes to people in case they injure themselves. Is she road savvy?

MsTSwift · 27/07/2020 09:19

As with many of dds crazes this enthusiasm didn’t last long sadly 😁

Guess the child groomers and drug runners that live behind the hedge on the cricket pitch have moved on to another child oh dear

MahaMoon · 27/07/2020 09:21

@ArriettyJones

The number of posters who have gone immediately to insisting the DD is being “coached to say X” or “groomed” or is obviously being “deceitful”...Dear god. Shock
Agreed. Says more about them really. Shockingly even kids say they’re doing something and then actually do it!