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Original poster

Would you let your 8 & 6 yr olds...

93 replies

SoupDragon · 31/05/2007 10:12

... walk to the post box along residential roads where it involves crossing the not-busy road. It's out of sight of the house, probably 3 minutes wlk there and 5 back (it's uphill )

I can't decide. If it didn't involve crossing the road I'd let them but they've not crossed a road alone before and I'm paranoid about it having been run over myself.

OP posts:
Original poster
SoupDragon · 31/05/2007 11:56

Suggesting that learning/practising to cross the road is the same as learning/practising sex is, IMO, ridiculous. And I am perfectly entitled to say so, being the OP has nothing to do with it.

OP posts:
soapbox · 31/05/2007 11:57

It isn't Awen though, it isn;t the same at all.

Crossing the road isn't something you teach them to do by talking about it - or showing diagrams. You do it by letting them decide when to cross the road every time you do it. You practice it, by doing it.

Sex education is not taught in the same way - you don't teach someone to have sex by doing it, you talk about it, show some diagrams. You don't sit next to the person while they are in the middle of the act saying 'what do we do next', or handing over a condom if they forget it!

It is a silly comparison.

Original poster
SoupDragon · 31/05/2007 11:58

The judgement/preipheral vision stuff was helpful though. ANyway, I can't believe that a perfectly reasonable question has deteriorated into a witch hunt on another thread (well, I can, this is MN after all) so thanks for the helpful comments from people.

OP posts:
MamaMaiasaura · 31/05/2007 11:58

The similarity imo is the fact that children learn things at times that they arent yet physcially ready for.

Crossing road - not till age 10 - periphial vision not yet developed

Couldnt think of anything other than sex education of the top of my head. I havent said that I think it is ridculus/stupid/unsafe/risky to allow a child ho is not yet phyically developed enough to judge car speed to cross a road.. altho i could

FioFio · 31/05/2007 11:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MamaMaiasaura · 31/05/2007 11:59

Soupdragon - I didnt devlop that. I have actually started another thread if you look. Never once was i offensive.. well till perhaps my last post wound me up tho

MamaMaiasaura · 31/05/2007 12:00

lol @ fiofio

soapbox · 31/05/2007 12:00

Desiderata - the person on the zebra crossing would have been as likely to be knocked down if he was 20, 50 or 90 in that scenario.

Age had nothing to do with it.

Desiderata · 31/05/2007 12:07

I don't entirely agree with that, soapbox, although it's feasible.

As an adult, I always wait for the car to visibly slow down before I make a move to cross. An innocent child is more likely to assume that the car will stop.

But as I say, roads worry us all and there are no quick fixes about when it's safe for children to go off on their own.

soapbox · 31/05/2007 12:09

Yes, you may be right. I suppose it depends on the situation. I do imagine a fair few teenagers though, assuming the car would stop.

Desiderata · 31/05/2007 12:13

Yes, apparently teenagers are more likely to be killed on the roads than any other age bracket.

Their heads are in another place entirely.

roisin · 31/05/2007 12:38

Soupdragon at that age I would definitely let the boys do this - and in fact have done so, but separately not together.

IMO my boys are capable of being very sensible and reliable separately when given responsibility; but together they can sometimes be a bit silly.

I'd let them to this together now (they are 8 and 9), especially if it was a bit further because ds1 has a useless sense of direction and a tendency to get lost! But ds2 keeps him straight.

Bink · 31/05/2007 12:44

I was just thinking the "not together" thing too, as roisin says. (Also feel it is not quite fair for the 8yo to have responsibility for more than just him/herself.)

I sent my 8yo on an errand for the first time ever on Saturday - huge production. (We needed some AA batteries, little corner shop at the end of our square has them - BUT to get there you have to get over a crossroads (no green man) where cars come from a lot of different angles.)

So I stood outside our building and sent him off down the pavement, held my breath as I saw him cross the crossroads, and watched him BEAM his way back down the pavement dangling "as many AA batteries as you can get for £10" from his hand. He was so proud.

roisin · 31/05/2007 17:16

Oh, that's great, Bink! And obviously such a boost to his self-esteem.

I agree completely about not having responsibility for a younger sibling.

FrannyandZooey · 31/05/2007 17:17

Oh yes, I would, if you think they are sensible enough

not if they are the bonkers mad type

FrannyandZooey · 31/05/2007 17:22

Have read thread now

agree that children this age can't judge speed or learn to cross safely if cars are about

as others have said in this case you tell them not to cross at all if they can see or hear a car anywhere around

an 8 year old is perfectly capable of this

cat64 · 31/05/2007 20:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MamaMaiasaura · 31/05/2007 20:59

cat64 - ds does get practice. done special training, he finds safe places to cross etc etc etc, but with me there. will be the case until he is 10 and is perphial vision is actually developed. It isnt as if he has no road sense.. he is very very careful. but I persoanlly am not willing to tak the chance till he is better 'equiped' to judfge the speed of an oncoming car and if necessary get out of harms way. Too many crappy drivers, driving too fast or distracted on their phones imo.

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