I’ve changed names for privacy. I live on a lovely road, and a few houses down there’s a family with two children - a girl of about 11 and a younger boy, around 6. I’m increasingly worried about the little boy.
Our road is home to a large three-form entry primary school, so there’s usually a lot of traffic. Despite this, the boy is often outside playing on his own - scootering up and down, crossing the road by himself, and he’s been doing this since around the age of four. He’s often barefoot and I’ve even seen him standing at an upstairs window, which opens fully, with no safety precautions.
Just today I saw him walking around carrying a metal bedframe headboard. The family also has a large Rottweiler, who seems genuinely friendly, but the front door is often left wide open as the children run in and out and it often escapes! They sometimes play go-karts right in the middle of the road.
To be clear, the children appear healthy and happy. The little boy, in particular, is very confident - he’s been riding a bike from a very young age and often spends whole weekends outside on the street with other (mostly older) children. But given that this is not a quiet road, I do worry about his safety. They are a very chill family! But I worry one day what if the boy falls from the window and I said nothing. Cars are supposed to do 20mph but they don’t.