To be VERY concerned about unattended 7 year olds?!

[Iamthedoctor]

I am actually gobsmacked. For once in my life.

I have just been reading another thread and a couple of people have said that they allow their 7 year olds to walk to school on their own WITHOUT making sure that they go in the gates.

HELLO?!!!

DD is 8. There is NO WAY on this earth would I allow her to walk to school on her own!

Worst case scenario:

DD walks to school by herself. I don't see her go in. Some arsehole snatches her. I don't know about it until AFTER school, because the school don't ring me to say she hasn't arrived. Cue police/newspapers/radio/manhunt.

I feel very strongly about this! It's madness!

Fair enough, allow them to walk HOME from school (then you KNOW that they have arrived!), but PLEASE think about what you are doing!

Ok then.

why is it all getting a bit cloak and dagger?
I would still have sent my son to school on the train regardless of what username you used - not sure why this needs to be sone as some kind of gutless MNer seeking method.

I am also not sure how you know that you have the best relationship with your DD

all getting a bit weird tbh

school phones when my children arnt in and ask whee they are.

Riven

yes it is a strange converstaion isn't it.
I sometimes wonder if I was more confident with DS1 being independent because I have seen how hideous it is that DS2 will never be.

it raises the point with me IATD that perhaps you arent doing your DD any favours by babying her?

Are there really primary schools that don't call the parent if there is an unexplained absence at register?! I didn't go to school in the UK but when I ran away from school (in secondary school), they came round and found me. They certainly called my mum.

Was just pointing out that NOBODY needs to be feeling sorry for my DD. Many Mums have commented on our relationship. But you are right, it's totally irrelavent.

Tragedy s happen to kids of all ages sometimes in front of their parents eyes and speaking to these parents they usually feel so guilty for not being able to prevent it.
I hope any parent who leaves a child home alone for any length of time is a strong person who could live with themselves and the guilt for being irresponsible and that it what it is!!!
If a mother chooses to escort her child to school in the hope of preventing a tragedy so what.Sensible.
Legal or not if a tragedy happened whilst a parent was not at home and no adult was supervising definately if the child was under 8 a charge of neglect would be given.
Same for leaving children in cars.

I wouldn't leave my dd on her own in the car as I have had someone crash into my car while I have been paying for petrol. I always take her out if I am not in the car.

I have left her in her cot asleep and gone outside to put the rubbish out or (shhhhh dont tell the ladies on my TTC thread) have a ciggy.

When she is older and knows the green cross code and about strangers then she can go to places on her own.

I could not put an age on it though as it will depend on her. If she is clued up and sensible then ok but if she is like me (scatty and forgetful) then she will not be going anywhere on her own and I will still be walking her to class when she is taking her A levels.

My secondery(sp) school rang my mum when I went through my school sucks phase and I was bunking off.

yes my views have changed as dd1 has gotton older.

before xmas i wouldnt have though to let walk to school alone. have been slowly letting the reigns go a bit.

I would leave a sleeping baby asleep in a cot if the school was right next door.

I just need to also point out that there was a group of boys last week, about a year older than mine, I think, running around in the road, on way home from school, unsupervised. I'm sure their mothers also 'knew that their kids were roadsafe and quite capable of walking home alone.'

LL ciggys!!! we will be having words madam!! lol

so now IATD you have problems with boys behaviour whe going home alone? all children bahave sill with there friends!!! that is just an inflammatory thing to say!

The chances of a child being abducted on their way to school is tiny and not much different now from 30 years ago. On average one or two children are murdered each week in the uk, eight out of ten of these murders are commited by the child's parents.

Over-protected children are also deprived of opportunities to develop an awareness of the dangers posed by traffic, and are therefore at greater risk of being run over when they do eventually walk on their own.

LL

Ciggys

They were running around in the road - they could have got knocked over.

Your point is EXACTLY the point I am making!! Kids will be kids, no matter HOW well you think you know them!

exactly so why do you think you can protect your DD by wrapping her up in coton wool?? if anything with this restricted freedom wont she rebel???

Well then if kids will be kids what is going to stop your DD stopping to talk to a school friend and be longer than her allotted time to be home?

yes I frequently see 16/17/18yr olds running around on the road too......should they be supervised walking to whereever they're going???

or falling behind you and gettin run over (god forbid obviously) the point i am making is that whilst i respect you rchoice to take all the precautions you can you have made it sound like you are being rather controlling to your DD...you havent said what freedom/ choices she does get?

my kids were taken to school and picked up from school by dh or me until senior school

however i wouldnt automaticall judge people for notdoing as i did as there are many huge variences in this as previously mentioned.

judgey people

i have seen kids do all manner of things - its hardly the "ah ha!" moment for scoring points in a debate

I would just like to put myself on the finding Colditz funny list