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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

walking to school

49 replies

Rhianaroo · 10/01/2011 22:01

Would you let your 6.5 yr old walk home from school alone with no roads and just a 5-10 min walk along a footpath? Most parents here don't but my dd is keen to and is sensible. It's a busy footpath at home time.What do you think?

OP posts:

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Shamechanger · 11/01/2011 10:32

I would wait till next school year to be honest, 7+ is a decent age to walk home as they have a certain amount of confidence. As others have said you could start maybe next term meeting her halfway then see how that works out.

Absolutely flabbergasted at the number of people who think this is neglectful. Your child is many times more likely to be hurt by you, your partner, your dad, your sister's lovely new boyfriend...than by a stranger. The real big danger to UK kids today apart from from their own family is from fucking cars.

nickelbabyjesus · 11/01/2011 10:36

even when I was a child, we were only allowed to walk home on our own when we were at junior school (KS2) and i'm pretty sure that had my big sister not also been walkign that way, I wouldn't have been allowed at 7.

I wouldn't do it.
wait till next year.

UniS · 11/01/2011 10:41

depends on child/ geography/ number of known adults doing same route at same time. more likely with 7 yr old than 6 TBH.

StewieGriffinsMom · 11/01/2011 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

coppertop · 11/01/2011 10:44

At our school the children aren't allowed to leave without an adult until they're in Yr3, so a 6yr-old would be too young.

PaisleyLeaf · 11/01/2011 10:50

I don't think it's fair to the other adults around.

WimpleOfTheBallet · 11/01/2011 10:50

No way. All it takes is one freak to spot them and wait for an opportunity.

gorionine · 11/01/2011 10:55

PaisleyLeaf Tue 11-Jan-11 10:50:11

"I don't think it's fair to the other adults around."

Why?

neuroticwhome · 11/01/2011 10:58

Actually Shamechanger my children will definitely not be hurt by me or my husband, but if your children have those odds, restrain yourself, don't leave them alone with your sister's new boyfriend and walk them to school to make sure they don't get lured away by an acquaintance, or hit by cars of any nature.

Haribojoe · 11/01/2011 11:01

Personally I wouldn't even entertain the idea.

gorionine · 11/01/2011 11:01

I think Shamechanger was talking statistically, not saying that you shouls worry more about your child being hurt by yourself than a stranger neuroticwhome.

PatriciaHolm · 11/01/2011 11:02

Our school wouldn't release a 6.5 yr old on their own. All KS1 children have to be released to a parent. I think Yr 5 and 6 (so aged 9-11) can, if a parent gives permission, but not before that.

My 6.25 yr old would probably be fine - we have a 5 min walk, no roads, plenty of other people on the route - but I wouldn't; at that age the littlest thing can upset/spook them; we get people walking their dogs off their leads for example, and both DCs have been jumped on by dogs in the past on this walk.

I think other adults on the walk would feel obligated to keep an eye on them too, which isn't fair as they have their own DCs to worry about.

Kendodd · 11/01/2011 11:02

I would, if I thought the child was ready and wanted to. I think we over protect children far to much in the Uk and I don't think it's a coincident that we have the most unhappy children in the western world.

PaisleyLeaf · 11/01/2011 11:07

I know I'd probably feel responsible for a 6 year old just for maybe being the nearest adult to her if she had no one.

There are several reasons I wouldn't really.
I'd worry more about bullying, and maybe being egged on into something by older children, more than I'd worry about stranger danger. (My 6 year old doesn't much have the skills to deal with that sort of thing yet).

Whenever I pick my DD up she often has something to say straight away - excited about a dress up day tooth wobbling, whatever. I'd feel sort of bad about her walking home all on her todd especially if something had happened in the day to upset her.
Sometimes the teacher wants a quick word.

RealName · 11/01/2011 11:31

I think you should trust your own judgement on this one. I don't think horror stories like the one about the mother fighting off an attacker are particularly helpfull to the OP in making up her mind as that child was 9 and therefore 'safe' according to most of these posts.

neuroticwhome · 11/01/2011 11:36

I was aware, but thanks for pointing that out. I was illustrating the fact that those societal statistics don't work when applied at an individual level, as most people won't abuse their own children, while also pointing out the obvious ways to avoid those risks. Therefore, saying 'Your child is many times more likely to be hurt by you, your partner, your dad' isn't actually correct. Some children are hurt in their own homes, but that doesn't stop dangers from existing outside of the home.

Walking to school in the presence of a caring adult isn't going to ruin a child's life. Being hit by a car, abducted etc might. I'm not suggesting putting reigns on them or holding their hand the whole way. There is nothing wrong with hanging back several paces so that you can see they are safe, while they walk ahead with a group of their friends to chat/play along the journey.

crazygracieuk · 11/01/2011 12:19

Depends where you live.

I live in the London suburbs and our LEA say year 5/6.

Personally if the school is ok I'd probably wait until juniors (year 3 ).

coppertop · 11/01/2011 13:26

I think PaisleyLeaf has a point about other adults feeling responsible. I often end up walking most of the way home with more children than I started out with as some of the unaccompanied children like to walk with us. I know that technically they're not my responsibility but I feel as though I should step in when they're about to get hurt or in trouble.

Blu · 11/01/2011 13:30

DS has been walking to school on his own since he was 8 (7 min walk, no roads to cross). I don't think I could have squared it with myself at 6.5.

mcv1 · 11/01/2011 21:47

personally i wouldnt let a child of 6 1/2 walk to school alone, infact our children leave the local village school for high school at 11yrs old. Then they will meet the school bus at the end of the road, and the bus drops them off at the school gates. That is when i will give up walking my children to school.
Other parents round here let their children walk alone around the age of 9 i suppose it is personal preference and what you feel comfortable with.
claire

gorionine · 12/01/2011 10:22

Point taken Neuroticwhome!

Coppertop, I agree with you as I tend to do the same but it is my choice rather than an expectetion from other parents for me to step in so I do not actually have to take responsability, I just choose to which somehow makes it less of a "chore". I think it is also part of the old "it takes a village to raise a child" when people look after one another in that way.

coppertop · 12/01/2011 10:34

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy walking with them. It's not a chore at all. I'd even love to keep a couple of them. :)

It wouldn't feel right to not step in though. By "trouble" I'm talking about things that would mean police involvement rather than grazed knees etc. Some of the younger ones try to copy older troublemakers who live in the area. This wouldn't apply to the OP's dd but it was more of a general point IYSWIM.

seeker · 12/01/2011 10:41

Most schools don't let them out without a grwon up until KS2 anyway - so it's not likely to happen.

But if there were really, really no cars. or idiots on bikes or motor bikes, and not chance of meeting a scary dog and if the child was so sure of the route that there was no chance at all of getting lost, then why not as soon as the school is preparet to let them?

The is absolutely no chance your child is going to get abducted, unless you have a very complicated and unhappy family history and a relative might try to snatch him or her.

galletti · 12/01/2011 10:44

No, Too young

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