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Would you let your (sensible) 7yo walk alone to the corner shop...

31 replies

MyEye · 19/04/2009 10:30

if s/he really wanted to do this
if s/he would be out of your sight for 2 mins max
if there were no roads to cross en route

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FAQinglovely · 19/04/2009 21:31

Yes - I let DS1 start going to the shop when he was 7

He had to cross to small quiet roads, and was usually gone about 10 minutes - he coped fine and I trusted him.

He did this regularly until Jan this year (he's 8.6 now) when we moved house and the corner shop was 1 big road (with Zebra crossing) and 1 smaller (but still relatively busy) also wtih Zebra crossing - and shop about 10 minutes walk away.

I have recently in the last month stated letting him do that as well

Doodle2U · 19/04/2009 21:32

Yes. No major roads though.

Amapoleon · 19/04/2009 21:36

I wouldn't let my dd but it's each to their own.

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muggglewump · 19/04/2009 21:39

Yes, I do and I let her go to the playgrounds and walk to school with her friend. There's one road but you can see far in each direction. The shop/playgrounds are 2 minutes, school is 4.
We discussed it first, letting her lead the way, deciding when to cross, talked about what she would do if approached (highly unlikely given the naval police are based at the shop/playground and it's always full of Mums and kids), and I watched her sneakily at first.

I'm completely happy to let her go now, and often get her to go to get something for me.

Plonker · 19/04/2009 21:44

Totally depends on the child.

My very sensible 9yo goes to shop on her own (two quiet roads to cross, no main roads) but has only just started to do this.
My 6yo is absolutely not allowed to go. My 6yo is absolutely not sensible!

A 'sensible' 7yo with no roads to cross - I would have no problem with that

IlanaK · 19/04/2009 21:48

Yes, my 7 year old goes to the local shop by himself (much to the annoyance of his younger brother) to pick up things when I need him to. And we live right in the heart of central london. However, the shop is under our building around the side so he does not have to cross a road. We also know the shop keepers well. That said, if the shop was across a street, so long as it had a proper crossing with lights, I would let him go.

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