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Parenting

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Original poster

What age did your DD/DS start heading to school on their own??

17 replies

jackeroo · 11/04/2013 15:04

and how did you feel? My DS is keen to start. Some of his friends do. He is nearly 9. We have a very busy road to cross. He doesn't always look for traffic and I fear he will be worse if walking with friends, however I know it has to start somewhere and I managed it about that age...

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howshouldibehave · 11/04/2013 15:09

DS was 10, nearly 11. We have one v busy road to cross, but there is a zebra crossing there with a crossing lady so we don't have to worry.

Can you cross him over that road and then he goes on his own from there?

Original poster

jackeroo · 11/04/2013 15:43

Thanks - yes, will start with crossing the busy road with him. And will probably follow him along to begin with, a block or so behind - hopefully will feel able to abstain from becoming stalker mum before too long.

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Notmyidea · 11/04/2013 18:43

8, in a small market town, but I had two siblings who walked together and they could be trusted.
If you feel your ds doesn't give enough attention to road crossing explain this to him and get him to show you an improvement before giving him the freedom.

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 11/04/2013 18:46

Not until they started secondary. Their primary school was a 20-25 minute walk away, with several busy roads.

sensesworkingovertime · 11/04/2013 20:10

Same as Remus

Gorjuss · 11/04/2013 20:16

About half way through year 6, so about 11. I was going same way with dd2 but let her set off earlier.

Original poster

jackeroo · 12/04/2013 12:12

Thanks all - I think will leave it to re-think during Year 5... not least because we experienced a driver speeding straight through a red light on the busy road yesterday - we had to run to get out of the way.

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BellaVita · 12/04/2013 12:21

Spring term of year 5.

We do live in a village and not any major roads to cross, however we do get a lot of lorries cutting through.

Bunbaker · 12/04/2013 12:23

When DD started secondary school. I asked if she wanted to walk on her own by the time she was 10/11, but she didn't want to. The main road was horrendously busy and I would have stalked her until she had crossed the main road anyway. She is 12 now and walks around the village to call for friends now.

gazzalw · 12/04/2013 12:28

DS only started really going to school on his own when he got to secondary school. He did used to walk home (half an hour's walk) after school clubs in Year 6 and the tail end of Year 5 (when it was light late pm).

However, his walk home meant that he passed many of our friends' homes en route, so he always had the option to go and knock on the door of a friend if he felt 'spooked' at all

DD is 7 and I'm not at all sure when we will be happy for her to do the walk - possibly similar age to DS?

I think in this day and age really 9/10 is soon enough. There is a lot more traffic around and there seems to be a lot more erratic, madcap driving going on these days....

MirandaWest · 12/04/2013 12:30

DA will when he's in year 5 (but we do live about 2 minutes walk away and he generally walks home anyway after giving me his bag in the playground )

morethanpotatoprints · 12/04/2013 12:32

I let my ds's walk during the last half term of y6.
We got a letter from school and they had a talk, preparing for transport to secondary. Most had to walk a short distance to a bus stop, or a couple of streets if they lived near their school.
Their schools frowned upon Primary school dc walking to school, so it was practically unheard of. I think all schools vary in this respect, I suppose it depends on the area, location, type of roads and distance tbh.
I'd ask at school what their stance was on the subject.

Original poster

jackeroo · 12/04/2013 12:37

agreed gazzalw re madcap driving and traffic. we are in busy london and it's a half-hour walk to school. if we're not worrying about the busy main road we're worrying about the back streets where people speed through to escape traffic jams - the unexpected fast cars are just as dangerous. i guess all children are different - i feel we still need some time for DS to become more on the ball and get practice with road safety. he is getting better as he gets older...

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Original poster

jackeroo · 12/04/2013 12:40

thanks morethan - the school actually allow walking to and from school from year 4 - a note mentioned we could send in a letter to allow this. I was a little surprised and then heard that a couple of friends were already doing this, but I do think it's only 2 out of the whole class so far.

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signet · 12/04/2013 12:42

Aged 9 for mine. Although we do live in a village with only one main road to cross. They know exactly where is the safe place to cross and to be fair it is not particularly busy.

overmydeadbody · 12/04/2013 12:43

Since Christmas, yr 5.

It's a mile and DS cycles it.

Flyonthewindscreen · 12/04/2013 14:13

Last half term of Yr 4 walk home from school by selves, Yr 6 walk to and from school by selves for my DC. We live on an estate in a village with no main road to cross to get to school but the majority are walked to and from school well into Yr 4 and I like to let them walk home alone first before doing both ways as have the reassurance of knowing they got to school safely in the morning.

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