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

[tonari]

Almost 7.

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

Small, quiet village.

No way! I won't let my 8yo go unsupervised to the play area next to our home....don't think we will let her out even there unsupervised til at LEAST 10, with friends.
You just don't know who's about.....it takes seconds for an abduction to happen or for someone to do something else inappropriate or dangerous to a child.
And they need to be able to safely navigate roads too.

No . Not in a million years

You’d have to be fucking mental, so no. Seriously, how is this even a question?

Maybe but I’d be worried about other dogs like other posters have said.

My 6 and a bit year old, who has always been glued to me and very sensible, has started to test independence in many ways such as asking to walk ahead, asking to look around in a shop on her own, & asking me to go back to the table in a restaurant so she can walk back from the loo on her own.

I am letting her do these things whilst I secretly follow/watch closely as I believe in following her lead and raising independent kids.

The way she’s going in 9 months time she might be ready to walk around the block. But I likely wouldn’t let her, mostly because I don’t trust drivers and would be worried about it not being the done thing anymore.

Well if they’re almost 7…of course not!

One trillion times no

Absolutely not

Of course it depends where you live, but with a dog, probably not.

My horrible neighbour threatened to report me to social services because I let my 8 year old play on her bike on our drive and in our cul de sac.

Ive no idea what age he thought she was? ( They had a baby at the time)

Same man let his small child play with his power tools on his drive when he was little.

I am calling him a rude word in my head 🤣, but I can’t put it in print.

Probably not no…my 13 year old took the dog round the block today…I got a phone call (luckily has a phone) the lead had got stuck in the lampost and was strangling the dog! I had to go out onto a main road in my pjs with no shoes to rescue her!! I think you could follow at a distance so she feels independent

No. 8 or 9, yes.

Is it actually more unsafe that it used to be though? I would've thought any increased dangers were actually online

So virtually the whole world gets it wrong with their kids doing so?

I agree, as was I.
We were a little put out that one of the neighbours sent their two year old to play with us, as we had to make sure to just stay in the cul de sac and make sure she was ok at all times.
But when she wasn’t out with us, we had lots of fun, and went all over, on our bikes or just playing in nearby public fields all day.

As I got older, I covered the whole of our village on my bike, pedalling around all the estates.

Yes.

Taking all emotion out of it, just look at the trends in the last five years re: rapes and sexual assaults, especially on children and young people.

Can your child successfully fend off one or more grown men enough to scream for help at six?

Eee by gum, a childhood to aspire to 🙄

In broad daylight, in the middle of a residential street, in the summer with many other people out and about, you think they will calmly walk past a 6 yo being assaulted?!

Could you please link to the statistics showing an increase in rapes and sexual assaults on children?

No way.

Are you joking? I live in London and plenty of kids that age walk in on their own.

A 6 year old would have literally zero chance of escaping a vicious dog, group of older children, let alone a predator.

Heck, they'd need comfort if they fell over and their knee was bleeding.

Are some commenting on here childless? Or male?

Because nearly all mums realise that 6 is very young and vulnerable indeed, to any and all potential things that could go wrong outdoors.

Same. I live in a cul de sac filled with grass and trees and the kids play out together and go in and out of each others' houses from age 5/6. In fact my 3 year old has already played out there with her big brother and other older kids, though I do check on her frequently, I don't leave her to it obviously

Out and about woth a friend at 10/11, we had multiple things happen.

Attacked by an older group of boys
Older lad tried to steal my bike- after us both hanging onto it for a while he kicked me between the legs
Man offered to pay us money to let him take pics of us with our own camera and keep the pics, we saw little wrong with this

There are many many awful people out there. They dont all have to be serial killers to present harm.

I was semi equipped to deal with it, with a friend, at 10/11.

Who the bloody hell would stand a chance at 6?

This is.a completely moot point!!!!!

The op says nothing about the 6 year old having a friend with her.

Are people being deliberately dense?

No. I would let him do the walk on his own if it were quiet and safe but not with the dog. Mine has asked and I’ve said no because all sorts could happen with a dog.

Really recommend everyone read this https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/kids-smartphones-play-freedom/683742/

Don't allow my kids screen time. Also wouldn't let them out in their own at 6.

The two are not related at all!!!

10/ 11/12, maybe. 6, are you mad to bring this article up?