Is 8 too young

[JerkintheMerkin]

To go to the park alone? My DD just mentioned that she did this while visiting her dad. I am absolutely livid and sent him a strongly worded email. I know I'll get back some smart remark and attempts to minimise but I don't think I am overreacting. I'm surprised at the lack of common sense given the world we live in today. What say you?

Just for starters

How far away was the park?
How did she get there ? W
Who did she go with ?

@Thinkbiglittleone the park is around the corner from the house and she walked there alone. You cannot see the park at all from the house though.

It depends. Mine did but we live in a small village with a park across the (very quiet) road.
If the park near a main road, far from the house or frequented by drug dealers / unpleasant yoofs then of course not.

Hmm for me it depends. If she was meeting friends there and it's only around the corner I don't think it's so bad. If she went alone and was there alone I wouldn't be happy. It also depends where you live. Where I live it's very normal for kids to be at the park without parents from 7 or 8 but there's no roads or anything around it. Saying that, I've only just started letting my 9 year old go to the park with friends but that's because we are about a ten minute walk away from it.

Does she walk to school on her own or is she used to anything like that?

I don't think I would like her walking alone, if she was with a group of friends, in a quietish area, I don't think I would mind so much if it was just around the corner with her friends. But then I would probably still have a little spy.

Although I have to say, our DS is not at that age and I feel I may be over protective anyway, or unaware of what kids do now at that age.

What had been your ex's response

It depends on what the area is, how far it was

Eight is the sort of age kids should be beginning to do things alone

So I’d make it a discussion with him, rather than accuse him of whatever. You should be in agreement on boundaries like this, but he does have an equal say to you.

Literally around the corner from the house in an area she knows? It depends. If the park is safe then I would be fine with it.

my local park is full of broken glass so….

I don't see the issue with it at 8 at all.

Wouldn’t allow my kids to do this as we live in London and the park is across 2 roads, so depends on the area, also 8 year olds do not walk to school at my kids school!

@Thinkbiglittleone she said the park was empty the whole time she was there. His response was surprisingly ok. I don't want or need an argument with him and he said he was going to ask/mention it to me. I have don't know where the park is or it's actual proximity to the house.

I think a walk like the one you describe at 8 is fine.
Jeez, when I think what I was doing at 8!

I wouldn't let my dd but the park is surrounded by woods so anything could happen

It seems fine

All my 3 played out at 7 years…..on our back field

Absolutely too young

I wouldn't want an 8 year old out on their own. Maybe 10, with friends.

I would allow an 8 year old to go to the park with a friend but probably not alone. However her dad has as much right as you to decide what is and isn’t right for his daughter doesn’t he?

I am so shocked nearly everyone thinks it's okay. I couldn't have done this at 8, I had issues ( did not like it) when DD wanted to go to the park with friends in year 6 at 10/11. She did do this but not alone.

8 is absolutely too young in my opinion. I wouldn’t let my DD (who is 8) play out at that age without adult supervision.

Heaven forbid, if something happened to them surely it would be neglect having a child that young out on her own? YANBU.

I’m also surprised so many think it’s ok.

8 is too young. What could she have done if older children/ teens decided to pick on her (or worse!)?

@OneEyedPenguin it was that scenario and more that ran through my brain.

Too young.

I think so

Too young. My dd are 8 and 10. The age it starts around here is 10-11.