To think 8/9 year olds shouldn’t be doing this

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Walking up a big hill with a busy road next to it (known to speeders) to go and meet their friends alone. All in year 4. Then playing on a field to play football. Walking back home mainly alone. 10 minutes walk to get home

Exactly this! We're doing our kids a disservice by keeping them indoors.

So they're walking along the pavement next to the road? The fact it's a hill makes little difference other than one way is more effort.
I guess you could put them in high Vis clothing if it's because it's still a bit dark. But otherwise it seems perfectly fine. Especially If they're in a group. Presumably the alternative is they can't go and play football? Which seems a shame.

Children need to learn to deal with stranger danger but the facts are it's very very rare.

I think there is no more than about 1 case a year of abduction by a stranger and it's often by family when there is a divorce or taking a child to another country.

You need to teach your son how to react if it ever happens- run, scream, go to someone for help.

Being abducted in a street in broad dalight when with other friends is very very unlikely.

thanks

Sounds brilliant and we should do this kind of thing more.

If you feel anxious about it, the best thing to do is to push through that and let them do it. Once they've done it a couple of times it starts to feel much less scary.

High vis clothing is a good idea on dark winter evenings with roads, and DC being in groups because it's more likely someone would alert an adult to any danger then. But I think it's important to let them have some freedom and I do think we should be letting our DC do this more.

I wouldn't be comfortable with this either. My 9 year old is desperate for more freedom, she walks part way home from school, but that's it so far. My eldest was allowed more freedom from yr6, in readiness for secondary school. He's 13 now and has been into town today with friends. My daughter will also be allowed more freedom from Yr 6.

I'd expect more freedom by 13 which would be very sudden if not allowed much freedom, if any, before that age.

Of course we knew about stranger danger in the 80s. Don't you remember the 'Charlie Says' public info films on the subject?
Don't talk to strangers, don't get into cars with someone you don't know we're on repeat from my parents in 1982 when I was OP's child's age, and we lived in a safe rural area.
The difference was, our parents didn't stop us going because of it, they just told us not to talk to strangers.

There are lots of mums in my area that would allow this because their children have been doing it for ages and walking home from school alone for ages. The reality is that myself and a few other parents are walking our kids home and end up with a gaggle of unsupervised children that we get home safe every night. The scary thing is their parents don’t even know their children are walking home with unknown adults. Talk to your DS, ensure he knows his boundaries and foreseeable dangers and set parameters that you are both comfortable with.

I think it is a bit too young
perhaps when talking to them one to
one they would be sensible about the road but in a group when excitement takes over it only takes a second for things to go wrong
With regards to danger from others they may not be able to assess risk at that age or know how to handle it even if they do - even children who are slightly older than them can be a risk

Surely you've taught him about stranger danger.

Does he have to cross the busy road or just walk alongside it?

We knew about stranger danger in the 70s.

I don't see how how a child walking up a main road is more likely to get knocked over by a speeding car running off the road than a child accompanied by an adult.

I'm not there yet, as my twin DC are 7, but in principle I don't think I'd have any objections at that age.

Exactly. The danger of that is the same regardless of whether the OP is there or not.

Sounds a great way to build confidence and learning. By age 11 they will be going off to secondary school and will be negotiating roads, public transport and the general public. It is good to see that these children are getting out and about

and their age. They can be 8, 10 or 16 but the risk is still there.

I think that just turned 8 is too young. I would expect this for year 5/6.

I grew ip in yhe 80s and was out with my mates at that age. There is no way I would let mine out alone till 14 or so. But we live in a big city. It’s not about how sensible my child is, it’s the dangers posed by others. Gand violence is rife here and grooming gangs. These predators befriend children, stranger danger doesn’t register.

Does the road have a footpath? Does he have to cross the road? I'd be a bit uneasy about crossing somewhere without pedestrian lights at 8 because the traffic is a lot heavier now than it was when we were children.

I think there’s roads to cross not just concern walking by busy road from op’s updates.
Most children build up eg playing outside home, calling for local friends, before being trusted to go further afield.
Op is trying to gauge what’s ok.
Most 8 year olds in my area wouldn’t be allowed to do this.
We did a Guides activity with yr 5/6 and got feedback it was first time some had been out without a parent right there with them and this was a small village.

My DD is 8 (turned in Sept) and she is at least 2 years away from that. No judgement, but I trust her just not other people.

Nah, i wouldn't be OK with this tbh.
If your instincts are telling you no then listen to them.

My line of work means I know the dangers more than most. The public are mostly unaware of what goes on, unless it’s hit the papers.

I have an 8 year old and a 10 year old. Fine for my 10yo, she walks to and from school with friends. My 8yo, I don’t think looks property before crossing the road and don’t think is as alert as the 10yo. You know your own child, maybe walk them through the route a few times and ask what they would do in certain situations.