That’s a real shame. MN is full of catastrophising mums 🙄.
hes 10, more than capable if he has confidence and independence….and you’ve raised him to be aware of his surroundings etc.
sure, doing a practice run where you tag along but he leads is worthwhile, and obviously if there are busy roads on route of walk it’s best to be accompanied as kids brains are not yet fully developed to assess speed or be risk adverse. Being hit by car is probably biggest risk in that sort of journey.
But a small local line during day that he’s used to using is really safe. Yes there is an incredibly rare risk that a unsavoury person may try to harm him , but you can explain he finds seat in train where there are others, ideally women, about . Just like women do. If he feels uncomfortable he asks for help, and if someone touches him he shouts in very loud voice. Just as women do.
it makes no difference waiting 2 years, 4 years etc..,at some point he will have to learn to do this and the sooner he builds confidence on small safe journeys the better. By the time he’s a teenager he’ll be more at risk statistically of assault by other teens than he is by a random stranger now, even though in most places that is still very low. So,when IS the right time? Children don’t suddenly wake up,age 12, 14, 16 or even 21 equipped with navigating the world without their parents. They learn through a gradual loosening of apron strings. This journey seemed a simple safe place to start.
so what if he misses his stop. He can get off and double back. Trains are brilliant for that. So what if he looses a ticket- call parents or Gp. If he’s used to trains he knows to stand back from line, wait till train stops before approaching, hold onto rails when train is moving etc. he’s not a roomy on this is he? He has a phone can ask for advice or reassurance. If something unusual happens. It will build mental resilience for him to think on his feet and solve small problems. Yep, it might make him a little anxious, but that’ll happen to any of us when stuff happens we don’t expect and that’s what mental resilience is all about. Feeling a tadge of fear but knowing well handle it.
we’re no more unsafe in terms of crimes towards children than we were in 60s. Yet we act as if the world is full of people waiting in wings to molest or attack your child. In practice as we all know he is way more likely to be harmed by someone he knows in scouts, football, boys brigade, school or church or his own home. Sadly.
i always think mums that post these messages here are trying to get approval for breaking a social taboo and to absolve themselves of any guilt if something went vaguely wrong. But socially acceptable parenting bar seems to raise each year with limiting ever older children from learning independence. It’s nowt to do with other mums. He’s your child, you know the GP and the route, have confidence in your own risk assessment and beliefs.
There is a lot of harm done to teenagers and young people’s mental health when they’ve not developed that mental resilience and independence…but no one on these threads wants to consider that.