arrrgh 4yr old dd knows best [hmm]

[misdee]

dd3 is now 4.5yrs old. and very stubborn.

she asked today if she could cross the [small] road by herself. i said no. so off she trots ahead, and then stops at the road, at the bobbly bits as she usually does, looks both ways and crosses the road!

i was not happy, told her off, and said she mustn't cross roads without an adult.

her repsonse, amongst the tears of a dramatic 4yr old

'but it was clear mummy'

arrrrgh!!!

at 4.5 her spatial awareness and visual judgement of speed and distance is simply not yet developed enough for her to be able to do this safely - if a car was coming quickly she'd not be able to tell how long she had to run. But how to explain this to her other than simply saying NO and not allowing it?

I'd praise her for her road safety, but explain that is she REALLY wants to be safe, and not be a splatted red dead thing on the road, she must cross with a grown up for a few more years yet... get her to talk YOU through the left, right, left agains at each road crossing.

thank you.

i have told her about all that, and said that a car is much bigger than her and she could wind up dead if she gets hit by one.

almost 10year old dd1 is allowed to cross a larger road (still small) near school by herslef as she goes ahead due to choir practise several times a week. dd3 just wants to be like her big sister.