Page 2 | Would you let a 8 and 9 year old look in a shop on their own?

wheeliebinrun · 2025-10-21T10:55:40+00:00

If you were in the shop next door which didn’t interest them and there was a shop next door that they wanted to look in. Would you let them look in the shop while you were next door?

StarlightRobot · 21/10/2025 13:28

If the kids are responsible, then yes. The risk is that the shop staff are being used as childminders which isn’t ok. I worked in a shop many years ago and parents did regularly use our shop as a place to leave their kids, ie free childcare while the adults do their shopping

ThePithyFinch · 21/10/2025 13:32

I do. My daughter is 9 and in a couple of years she'll be travelling to school alone. We always have a clear plan of where we'll be meeting - usually she stays in the shop she's visiting and I go to her - and she knows not to wander anywhere else. Independence needs to be encouraged and practiced. It's unfair to keep them too close and then throw them in at the deep end.

CloverPyramid · 21/10/2025 13:45

Depends on the children’s personalities. If they could be trusted just to stay looking around that shop and then come back to me (or wait for me, whatever we agreed) then I would. And that they wouldn’t get talking to strangers or go off with them.

I’m really surprised how many people think it’s too young. I wouldn’t let them go off to a shop on the other side of a busy shopping centre, but it’s ridiculous paranoia to think a 9 year old going to the shop next door for a short period of time is at risk at being forcibly abducted.

UtterlyOtterly · 21/10/2025 14:19

Goodness, how things have changed. From age 7 I used to walk the mile or so to the shops with my purse and a string bag. A little list, and permission to spend a thruppeny bit on sweets.

Yes, I would allow my DC to go to a nearby shop in a quiet town.

JadziaD · 21/10/2025 14:44

CloverPyramid · 21/10/2025 13:45

Depends on the children’s personalities. If they could be trusted just to stay looking around that shop and then come back to me (or wait for me, whatever we agreed) then I would. And that they wouldn’t get talking to strangers or go off with them.

I’m really surprised how many people think it’s too young. I wouldn’t let them go off to a shop on the other side of a busy shopping centre, but it’s ridiculous paranoia to think a 9 year old going to the shop next door for a short period of time is at risk at being forcibly abducted.

Edited

It's so funny. I have already said I would most likely allow this but I worry less about them being snatched and more abot them breaking something or being targeted by staff/strangers who are annoyed they're in there and whether they can cope.

But you're so right, for a lot of people, it's the snatching they worry about which I see as just such a small issue at this age in a busy shop.

Natsku · 21/10/2025 16:16

So long as you can trust them not to mess about or cause trouble then of course. I send my 7 year old down the road to the shop when I need something small, he could definitely handle being in a different shop next door to me!

Cougarintown · 21/10/2025 18:55

Sarah539 · 21/10/2025 13:27

Hopefully you keep them well away from smart phones and SM too. Much more important than whether they go in a shop or not IMO.

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Not sure what about my post would suggest I wouldn't.

StillAGoth · 21/10/2025 19:03

Depends on the child.

I would have and did when mine were that age.

I also teach children that age and some I would absolutely trust to do that were they my own. Others? Not a chance!

notthatoldchestnut · 21/10/2025 19:16

I have kids the same age and yes I would. Both of mine are sensible and they know my telephone number and what to do in a given number of scenarios. I go to Costco and let them look at the books whilst I’m shopping. They know to come and find me.
i might be a bit more reserved at letting them go to a completely different shop, than elsewhere in a larger store. It would depend on the place

bugalugs45 · 21/10/2025 19:20

I let my 8 year old niece go in & buy sweets in the little newsagents by me , whilst I wait outside with my dog , she also browses the beauty products in boots ( 8 going on 18 ) whilst I look elsewhere in the shop so the answer for me would be yes . She knows all about stranger danger and wouldn’t talk to anyone or go with anyone I hope 🤞

herbalteabag · 21/10/2025 19:28

Yes I would and did. I let my children walk to the local shop from 7, although they mostly did it from 8.

tripleginandtonic · 21/10/2025 19:38

wheeliebinrun · 21/10/2025 12:08

It would be in a town centre and we might go in a clothes shop and they might ask to look in the works or somewhere next door while we look at shoes or something. Also we might be in a big shop like the range and they might say can we go and look at the toys while you look at wallpaper?
Older one is very sensible and they would stay together.

They're fine OP. Just make sure they know where to never you.

Ahwig · 21/10/2025 19:42

My son wanted to buy Christmas presents for me and his dad on his own. I said well that’s fine I’ll wait outside the shop then. No he said because then you’ll know which shop I’m going into and you’ll guess what I’m buying you ( body shop) . He was almost 9 . So we settled on letting him go off but he had to check in every 10 minutes. Obviously I was secretly monitoring him as much as I could.

Wingingit73 · 21/10/2025 20:20

Nope

SunnyCoco · 21/10/2025 20:26

Yes, I would let them.

I am also following the book 'the anxious generation' a pp mentioned.
(I give them more responsibility and freedom in 'real life', but no unsupervised access to smartphones etc.)

Needspaceforlego · 21/10/2025 20:29

Yes I'd let them at that age, especially with two of them together.
The odds of something going wrong has to be so low, even if a fire alarm was to go off the chances are BOTH shops would be evacuated.

frodss · 21/10/2025 20:30

Yes I would. What are people actually worried is going to happen??