How old when you let DC ride bikes unsupervised?

[ilovehalloumi]

DD8 desperate to ride her bike at all time. I need to work. We live in a pretty quiet cul de sac. She's very sensible and most of the neighbours know her. Would I be a terrible parent if I let her ride her bike in the street barely supervised? I would keep popping my head out to check on her? Is 8 too young?

Haha, thanks. I'm pretty laid back and my gut feeling is she's fine. I've been watching her out of the window without her knowledge for the last few mins and she seems to be managing no problem.

We lived in cul de sac and all my children played outside on their bikes from about age 6/7.The only accident involving bikes was when my husband was outside with them and his bike knocked daughter off her bike and she had a hideous banana arm fracture!

I don't think it makes you a bad parent at all but I personally wouldn't let her until she's a bit older (unless she was with friends or older siblings.) Do you have an old phone she could use or a neighbour who wouldn't mind watching?

Mine were 8 within very strict parameters (the fields behind our house and the bits to get to and from there). We gradually extended the area they were allowed in.

So if you're only allowing cycling within your quiet cul-de-sac, I'd think that was fine.

My DD isn’t a brilliant cyclist and she is 9.5. We live in a busy neighbourhood. I now let her ride to the park and around the park and home. Once she improves on the roads I will let her cycle to her Nana.

My worry is if she falls off, someone will approach her. I do not want that to ever happen, covid19 or not. I need her to be old enough to say she doesn’t want help, thank you I don’t accept help from strangers.

I don’t trust anyone at all. There are bad people out there in the world, a lot more of them than you realise.

We have just started letting DS aged 7.5 go round the block on his bike, checking on him approx every 10 minutes.

In my opinion that is fine. Make sure she knows potential dangers, e.g. what to do in unlikely events such as huge lorry entering road by mistake. I don't live in the UK and where we are 8 year olds cycle shortish distances such as to their friends houses on their own.

5/6

Thanks all!! Have set clear boundaries and talked to her about what to do if anything comes into the road. She's very excited about being allowed to ride her bike without me sat in the driveway

Up and down the quiet road is ok at that age. I first let DS cycle to the park 1.5 miles away without me at age 10.