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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would you allow a 6 year old to go out alone?

310 replies

tonari · 24/08/2025 19:38

Almost 7.

To walk around the block with (very) small placid dog. Takes less than 5 mins.

Small, quiet village.

OP posts:
PragmaticIsh · 24/08/2025 19:39

No. Absolutely not.

Sunseekingcat · 24/08/2025 19:40

No

KateMiskin · 24/08/2025 19:40

No.

Sundaysoon · 24/08/2025 19:40

No

youalright · 24/08/2025 19:40

No not a chance maybe 8

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 24/08/2025 19:40

Absolutely fucking not

Linenpickle · 24/08/2025 19:40

No!!

MaidofBriz · 24/08/2025 19:40

No ! Absolutely no way

3pears · 24/08/2025 19:40

No of course not. By herself would be bad enough, in charge of a dog is just ridiculous

moose17 · 24/08/2025 19:40

No

Chocolateisameal · 24/08/2025 19:41

I would but only if I was either secretly following them or I had spies watching them when out of my sight.

The child thinks they’re grown up but you’re able to step in immediately.

Enigma54 · 24/08/2025 19:41

Not alone, no.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 24/08/2025 19:41

Not with a dog no

TokenGinger · 24/08/2025 19:41

Absolutely not. My DS is 6, and I won’t even allow him to play outside on the front without an adult.

KilkennyCats · 24/08/2025 19:41

No, of course not.

MyLimeGuide · 24/08/2025 19:42

No. No.

Cracklingsilverwear · 24/08/2025 19:42

No - your dog may be a perfectly behaved pooch - but they make walk into a massive unfriendly off lead dog that goes for them. Could your son handle such an interaction?

would he pick up the poo and dispose of it safely ?

is he really mature enough to manage himself alone (if he fell / someone approached him etc) let alone a dog too?

6 feels very young .

JurassicPark4Eva · 24/08/2025 19:43

Not in charge of a dog, never.

I always worry about kids walking dogs alone. They absolutely should not be left with the responsibility for that. Yours might be placid but the dog they meet round the corner may not. No child should be dealing with a dog attack / dog that ran into the road / dog that got loose and ran away.

decenteringmen · 24/08/2025 19:44

LOLNO

Ecrire · 24/08/2025 19:44

Are you insane?

SunshineAndFizz · 24/08/2025 19:45

No.

Round here, kids start walking to school without parents at 9/10, so I’d personally use that as a gauge.

ShyTealBiscuit · 24/08/2025 19:45

No way. 6 is too young, 7 is also too young. A sensible 8yo maybe.

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 24/08/2025 19:45

What?

No of course not

Coconutter24 · 24/08/2025 19:48

Definitely not, especially not in charge of a dog

Summerbay23 · 24/08/2025 19:49

No way. So much could go wrong here (and to be honest the least bad of the awful things I can think of is the dog slipping its lead and running off or getting hit by a car). Let alone anything that could potentially happen to an unsupervised young child.