to let the DC cycle unsupervised.

[onthebus]

I have 2 DCs aged 6 and 4. At the weekend they wanted to go out on their bikes. Normally this involves me sitting out on the drive and watching them go up and down on the pavement (unless I want to walk with them to the park).

I was busy upstairs so DH told them that they could cycle up and down on the pavement on their own. He told them strictly that they were not to go near the road and could go up to the end of the road (6 houses up) one way and to the edge of the park (5 houses down) the other way. They were threatened with dire consequences if they didn't stick to this.

I came down and was horrified that he'd let them out unsupervised. DH convinced me I was overreacting. In fact they were fine and mostly cycled up and down a few times, then came back to the house/garden to "check in", then went back out again. The one time they'd been gone for over 10 minutes I went out and checked where they were (and they were chatting to neighbour's DCs).

Spoke to a work colleague with similar aged DC this morning and she was amazed we'd let them out on their own (though she say she thought she was overprotective of her children). We live on a fairly quiet road, there is a grass verge between pavement and verge, I do trust them not to go onto the road, plus there are usually other (older) DCs about. I'd check every 10 minutes or so if I'd not seen/heard them.

AIBU?

I don't think so but I would impress upon them the need to stick together ie I wouldn't let 4 year old do this by himself.

onthebus - I don't think you are being unreasonable, I wouldn't have let my pfb do this but with ds2 (4) he is allowed out with his big brother in similar circumstances to your own.

YABU - a 4 yr old is still very unpredictable - they only need to see a friend and they might ride over the road to them without thinking - and a 6 yo is too young IMO to have the responsibility of looking after a younger child. i wouod not expect my 10 and 8 yr olds to look after 5 yo DS

that said, people round here let 2 yos play out in the street!

On a side issue, I think that cycling on the pavement can be dangerous, if people park on their driveways. Drivers don't always have a good view of the pavement, and children really bomb along. A couple of years ago, I saw a child knocked over by someone coming out of their drive - luckily the child wasn't seriously hurt. The mum blamed the driver, but it was the child who rammed the car! (I was too diplomatic to tell her that though!) I guess the boy didn't look up in time.

YABU to let a 4 and 6 year old to cycle on their on their own. They are very unpredictable at that age.