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

[ladyinwaiting99]

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!

Oh with other children he’s just met and who’s families you don’t know? Definitely absolutely not.

I would only have issue with the second one. Your child needs to have a fixed point to find you.

Part of the fun for my kids in camping or caravan parks is being able to have more freedom so I would be happy with all of those, depending on whether there's a lifeguard at the swimming pool. Kids are allowed to go swimming alone from 8 in most council pools in Scotland.
Being able to run about with a pack of kids on a caravan park is one of my daughters happiest memories from a few years back. Not sure what people think could happen if he's in the arcade playing air hockey while you have a drink twenty metres away?

The swimming one is interesting- I have a baby daughter so haven't come across any of this yet but I was surprised by how many people say no. The public pool local to us kids can swim from 8 without an adult so I had assumed plenty do by 10- would I be wrong in that then? Or is there something different about a holiday park pool- never stayed at one myself so might be missing something obvious to other people?

Because it is permissible under the pools rules doesn’t mean every parent will think it the right thing for their child. Especially if they can’t swim. Council pools are lifeguarded. Others might not be.

@SuperCamp oh absolutely I realise it wouldn't be suitable for every child, I would have expected some posters to say no- I was surprised that almost every poster said no when I would have assumed a reasonable number of 10 year olds would be allowed.
Yes obviously if lifeguards but I had assumed a holiday park pool would have life guards? As I said never stayed on one so I may be wrong

Not the swimming.

Probably yes to all for my DC, less so for DC3.

Definitely not swimming but if allow everything else subject to some ground rules. I’m surprised at those people saying no to everything - it won’t be long until your 10 year old is getting ready for secondary school so it makes absolute sense to give them some independence now rather than wrapping them in cotton wool.

*I’d

Yes to everything apart from swimming.

All except swimming.

Yes to all of them, as long as there's a lifeguard at the pool

All of them because he’s 10 not 5

Feel sorry for the poor kids of the anxious mothers on here

Another no to all

No to all. Could be any weirdos in the surrounding caravans.

Anxiety disorders everywhere on this thread I’m afraid

I have a 9 year old. I'd let him go up to the bar to buy a soft drink and leave him in the caravan for 20 minutes but none of the others.

Some might argue that you're under protective.

They would be wrong.

Yes to all except swimming.

Yes, I'd allow my 10 and 8 year olds to do that, together or alone.

Not swim though.

Always have to swim With a grown up or older sibling present.

I’d only allow the staying in the caravan alone for a small amount of time but my 9 year old has ASD so I’m very over protective!

Yes to all as long as swimming is in a pool with lifeguard and not unattended pool or the sea!

My 9 & 11 are allowed to do all of those things on our caravan site except for the swimming, but the only option for swimming is the sea so it will be a long time before that is something that is allowed. They have a gang of mates and it seems pretty similar amongst all of them.