To collect child from school fornnext couple of weeks?

[Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]

Child in Y5.

For the last couple of months (in terms of actually being in school) my child has been walking part of the way home himself, and I have been meeting him at a certain point to then walk the rest of the way.

The idea being that once he's at the end of year 6 he will be walking all the way home by himself. This would better prepare him for secondary school when he will have to be more independant.

Tonight it's come to light that a man attempted to abduct a child from a nearby primary school when they were walking home. Police are involved.

I've decided thatbfoe the next couple of weeks at least I will go back to collecting him from the playground, or at least within sight of the school gates.

YABU - carry on as you are
YANBU - collect from playground

He shouldn’t have been walking part of the way home by himself anyway He’s far too young for that.

Don't be ridiculous EmilyFrost

You know nothing about the route or the child.
Plenty of dc in Yr5 are perfectly able to walk home without their parent holding their hand.

YANBU

Too young to walk 400 yards by himself? 😅
You're right...maybe I should see if I can find some reins for 9 year olds. It's the only answer!

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

Too young to walk 400 yards by himself? 😅 You're right...maybe I should see if I can find some reins for 9 year olds. It's the only answer!

🤷🏻‍♀️ You said the attempted abduction was "near" the primary school. Within 400 yards? Your choice, op. But you're actually arguing both sides. Pick one.

But you're actually arguing both sides

Probably why she’s asking for advice - she’s unsure!

When a poster agreed with her caution she made a crack about reins for a nine year old.

The poster said they shouldn’t have been walking home initially. The circumstances have changed, that’s why she’s asking.

No I didn't

I said it was from a nearby primary school.

Also, being fine with him walking 400 yards normally, is different to worrying about him walking 400 yards when there's been an attempted abduction in the local area.

I’ve OCD so I completely understand you not being sure if you’re first instinct is an overreaction or not. I frequently need to check with someone else whether or not my response to something is a normal one or whether I’m jumping in the deep end again.

But in this instance, I’d not care if it was an overreaction or not. Always best to go with an overreaction when it comes to making sure your child isn’t at risk of abduction

*When a poster agreed with her caution she made a crack about reins for a nine year old.

I think you need to read that bit again. They weren't agreeing with my caution, they were saying my son should never have been walking 400 yards by himself in the first place.

I said it was from a nearby primary school.
You did, apologies. I misread.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

Too young to walk 400 yards by himself? 😅 You're right...maybe I should see if I can find some reins for 9 year olds. It's the only answer!

Yes, especially when there is a predator known to be operating in the area outside the school. Not sure why reins have been bought into it.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

No I didn't

I said it was from a nearby primary school.

Also, being fine with him walking 400 yards normally, is different to worrying about him walking 400 yards when there's been an attempted abduction in the local area.

Everyone will be being cautious this time. I'd argue that just because there hasn't been an attempted abduction in the last few weeks say doesn't mean there won't be one in the next few.

Yanbu to collect, and you were equally nbu to previously allow some freedom. There are some posters here who won't let their children out of their site until they become adults. That's not healthy.

@PandaFluff He hasn't been walking by himself since it became "known" that there was someone attempting to abduct a child. And again, it was not "outside the school" it was at a nearby primary school.

It seems you and others are determined to paint me as an awful careless parent for allowing him to have some independence.

I'd like to thank those who have a)actually read my posts and b) have confirmed that not allowing him to walk those 400 yards by himself for now is the right decision, and not one born out of anxiety.

I'm not trying to paint you as an awful careless parent. I'm saying for me I wouldn't be happy to let my child walk. You've painted me as an overprotective mother with jokes about reins.

My comment about reins was in response to a completely different poster! Unless you have 2 usernames?

To someone who thought 400 yards was too far for a child of that age to walk themselves. Which in my current location I would agree with.

You are saying I've painted you as awful and careless and I haven't said that. Just that for me I wouldn't be comfortable.

Are you in North East Surrey by any chance. We've had a number of incidents in the last 1-2 weeks both in our town where we live, and the neighbouring town (where DD12's school is). I'm not letting her travel on her own at the moment. (I've also wondered if other parents think I'm overreacting...)

No I'm in Yorkshire.

I hate that we live in a world where we even have to think about this

There is some weird behaviour going on at the moment .... there seems to be lots of rises in incidents in lots of different places.

Voted YABU admits such a ridiculous question 🙄

As it's *

I am shocked how many different areas are having this problem at the moment!