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Original poster

Which of these things would you let an almost ten year old do?

129 replies

ladyinwaiting99 · 23/07/2022 10:41

Hi! So I'm on holiday with my ds who is 9 and turns 10 in early September.
I'm finding it an interesting age in terms of independence so can you help me gauge if I'm over protective or not please?

On a small, laid-back site with a sensible child about to turn ten would you let them:

Walk to and from the caravan alone (five minutes walk)

Play somewhere whilst you went for a short walk alone.

Go to the bar to buy soft drinks.

Have money and play on an amusement arcade whilst you are in the bar next door.

Go separate ways and meet you at an agreed point in 10 minutes time.

Stay in the caravan alone whilst you went out for 20-30 minutes.

Go swimming on their own.

Any help much appreciated, thanks!

OP posts:
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Cotherstone · 23/07/2022 10:59

Everything but the swimming, if DC we’re happy doing them

NuffSaidSam · 23/07/2022 10:59

I'd say definitely yes to most of them.

Leaving them in the caravan alone would depend on how I felt about the neighbours and the specific caravan. Possibly.

Swimming would depend on how confident a swimmer they were, how busy the pool is, how good the lifeguards are etc.

YesIKnowIABUbutIamreallytired · 23/07/2022 11:01

Most parents overestimate their children's ability with regard to swimming. I'm not in UK but would be surprised if 9 year olds were allowed in pool unsupervised by an adult.
It is not the job of the lifeguard to mind your kid. They are there for emergencies.

I used to work as a lifeguard and the amount of people that assume their children are fine is scary. It's so easy for an accident to happen and very difficult to watch everyone in a busy pool.

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10 year olds Families General parenting
MaChienEstUnDick · 23/07/2022 11:01

I think most ten year olds would have a problem with how long 10 minutes is, so no to that one unless they had a watch. I wouldn't leave them to play and then go away from the site, so probably no to them playing while I went for a walk. But I would let them play out in the site if I was also on the site, if that makes sense. And of course no to the swimming - I would let them go in a guarded pool if I was poolside but absolutely not in any other circumstance. Swimming on your own at that age isn't any fun anyway.

Tallulasdancingshoes · 23/07/2022 11:01

I’d say no to most of them and my dd is the same age as yours. I’d probably let him pop back to the caravan to grab something or buy a drink if I was close by. But I’d feel uneasy leaving him in the caravan for so long or playing if I’d gone for a walk. I definitely wouldn’t let him swim alone even though he’s a good swimmer.

Goawayangryman · 23/07/2022 11:02

Everything bar swimming and staying alone in a caravan. First because of water danger, second because of fire/escape/ carbon monoxide risk.

ThanksAntsThants · 23/07/2022 11:02

Are they with other kids, either siblings or kids they’ve met on site? If with other kids then all of them, if on their own they they probably won’t want to swim alone, but if they do then it would depend on whether they were a good swimmer or not.

I grew up caravaning so did all of these things that age and younger. My DS has also done the same.

Twinkle1989 · 23/07/2022 11:02

No to all but staying alone for 20 minutes, depending on how mature they were

GreenManalishi · 23/07/2022 11:03

The only answer is, what would work for that particular child? They're all so wildly different, take two ten year olds, one could be perfectly fine with the whole list, one could cause fire, flood and damage to life and limb!

MajorCarolDanvers · 23/07/2022 11:04

Everything except swimming on their own. And most of the rest my 10 year old has been allowed to do for a couple of years.

DinosaursEatMan · 23/07/2022 11:04

None of them.
Depending on circumstances I would let dc buy drinks from a kiosk/shop, but not a bar.

CrisisCafe · 23/07/2022 11:07

most -except play somewhere while you went for a walk, or go swimming. I think you should be somewhere fixed, nearby and known if she is being left alone in public.
Having said that, I don't know how sensible, practical, good at swimming, happy being left etc she is.
Only you can judge. But she is at an age where short bursts of independence are good- so long as you are immediately available to notice and act quickly if she does not return as expected etc

PuttingDownRoots · 23/07/2022 11:08

Swimming... definitely not.
Bar... is that allowed with licensing laws etc? Shop or cafe yes.

Its quite normal for kids to get a lit of freedom on holiday parks and campsites. Just basic rules about not going in others property watching for cars, boundaries etc.

riotlady · 23/07/2022 11:11

Yes to all except swimming for me, I know there’s lifeguards watching everyone but I’d want to be watching my child specifically.

MrsPartridgeKleio · 23/07/2022 11:13

All of them. Swimming with friends is ok. Not if completely alone in pool though. Can't believe the people saying they would t let their child do any of those things!

MrsSkylerWhite · 23/07/2022 11:13

No to all of them

gogohmm · 23/07/2022 11:13

All of them except my dd who has seizures who cannot swim unless I'm arms length away. I would send my two to the camp shop/bakery under 10 mins away for the bread and croissants at 6&8 but then I did the same at home too

Original poster
ladyinwaiting99 · 23/07/2022 11:16

I'm not in UK but would be surprised if 9 year olds were allowed in pool unsupervised by an adult.

They're allowed at 8 actually but I don't see myself doing this as I really enjoy swimming with him.

In answer to other questions, he's made friends on the site and is asking to be allowed to do some of these things with them. So it's not that I'm trying to ditch him!!
At the moment I'm trailing around after him like a lady in waiting, hence the name change but the responses on here have given me food for thought...thanks!

OP posts:
MammaWeasel · 23/07/2022 11:18

No to swimming, yes to all the others.

CuriousCatfish · 23/07/2022 11:18

All of them except for the swimming.

SuperCamp · 23/07/2022 11:19

Yes to all except the swimming, unless it is a lifeguarded pool (not sea) and he can swim confidently.

DinosaursEatMan · 23/07/2022 11:20

If they doing these things with a group of friends I would allow more freedom. I read the OP as them being alone.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 23/07/2022 11:21

Not the swimming.

I'd allow everything else dependent on the site layout.

BeautifulDragon · 23/07/2022 11:22

he's made friends on the site and is asking to be allowed to do some of these things with them.

So when you say 'alone', he's actually with other children? I think that's different to wondering around a campsite by himself. I have a child the same age and it would all depend on what the friends were like, the feel/ layout of the site etc.

I would sit and watch the swimming, but couldn't give a definite yes or no to the others without being there.

Mol1628 · 23/07/2022 11:22

No to all of them apart from buying a drink if it was a family friendly type of bar and I could see him.

My son is the same age and he’s just not mature enough to know what to do in an emergency situation just yet. In another year I think it will be very different.