Would you let your children do this?

[Mellowmallow201]

Children aged 10 and 7. Walk to the shops on their own. They have to cross 3 main roads with heavy traffic. Once in the main village they have to cross one of these roads where heavy duty vehicles eg big lorries have to fit around a small tight corner. Often these lorries bump the kerb to try fit round the bend.

These aren't my children, just wondered if it was unreasonable to let them do it?

No

No

It's fine. Kids need freedom and responsibilty

Is there lights on the crossing to let them know when it's safe to cross?

It depends on the children in question. I have a very sensible 7 year old and would trust her with an equally sensible ten year old in tow. Conversely my six year old lives with her head in the clouds and will be an adult before I'm happy to set her loose without my supervision!

I don't think so. Definitely not the 7 year old.

Certainly depends on the children but i wouldnt

Depends. Are there traffic lights to cross the main roads? How well do the DC know the route?

My DC have walked everywhere since they could walk and are VERY hot on road safety. If it was a route they'd taken multiple (nearing the 100s) times with an adult and had also proved they knew what to do (I get my DC to tell me when it's safe to cross for example) then maybe for the ten year old. Probably not for the 7 year old unless extremely sensible and road "trained".

Then again I started training my DC to cycle on Parisien roads age 5 (very early on Sunday mornings) so I doubt many would agree with me.

Your asking a very leading question with that description. Obviously no in those circumstances.

No

Yes it's fine.

No way. But my only child is neurodiverse so I may not have a parent's usual experience of assessing risk.

Lots of children do.
I would stay out of having an opinion.

No lights or zebra crossings anywhere along the journey

Well then no, definitely not. However, as much as I try to loosen the reigns I'm very much a helicopter parent/have mostly been a SAHM, so I think I'm probably more over protective than most.

No, definitely not. Mine grew up rurally and wouldn't have been streetwise enough for main roads at that age.

I would not let my 10 year old, let alone leave them in charge of a 7 year old. It's drivers I don't trust, not my child. Crossing roads can be terrifying.

I allow mine to do this. Same age.

If you by any chance are my SIL or MIL then f *ff. I am the mother of my children and would never put them in a situation they couldn't cope with

No way I’d let my own children do it, but I wouldn’t say it was completely unreasonable, at least for the ten year old. Much depends on the children involved - mine still aren’t good at assessing speed or anticipating and making allowance for drivers doing unexpected things. I dare say some are more capable.

Unless they’re your responsibility in some way I think this is one you should stay out of.

No, not with such busy roads with no crossings

Depends how sensible and how familiar they are with the route, but probably not.

Not the 7 year old. Definitely not.

10 yo- probably. It won’t be long before they start secondary school but not mature enough to supervise a 7 year old across 3 main roads.

No a 10 year old can’t be held responsible for a 7 year old crossing a busy road. It’s not safe and not fair on them. Even well behaved small children can step out into the road at the wrong moment.

You obviously don’t think so OP. I was out and about on my bike from about 8 years - I wonder when that stopped being “normal”

My kids are younger but thinking of my experience of them so far and thinking back to the trips me and DH took at those ages etc. 10yo - probably not but possibly. Depends on child, reason for the trip, the route exactly - I know you've described it but it's not the same as me knowing a local route and the info around that. Definitely not the 7yo tho and wouldn't leave a 10yo 'in charge' of a 7yo in the situation you described.

No. You say they're not your children, so this is not the time to experiment.

My DD is just 7, and I wouldn't let her do the journey you suggest. She's very rural, though, and I'm sure some streetwise 7-year-olds would be just fine if accompanied by a responsible 10-year-old. But this isn't the issue. You make these decisions about your own children. If it's not your own child, then err very, very far on the side of caution - or tell the parents who've asked you to look after their kids that you're not comfortable.