Letting a four year old go to the shops unaccompanied?

[wonderingwondering]

DS is 4.5, starts Reception in September. We live 200 yards from our local shop, where they know DS. Today, I thought about letting him go to the shop on his own. We live on a busy road, but there's a wide pavement, and he wouldn't have to cross the road. He's quite sensible.

He seems very young, but he's quite capable of going in to a shop and buying things on his own - he's done that, while I wait outside or in the car, for a year or so now. Is he too young to walk there and back on his own?

Please don't

@wonderingwondering

Yes, I could watch him if I stood at the end of my drive, which I'd do. He's be out of sight for 50 yards, past a row of shops where people know him. We walk past them several times a day, and they wave to him.

I was thinking about giving him some independence, that is all. Not sending him for gin & fags!

Let him get dressed himself.. make some cereals. Plenty of ways to encourage independence

@HeArInGhandsgirl11 Please don't he will be 17 by now so I am sure he will be just fine!

Hahaha why has this come up on my MN... it's been playing up all night not letting me post 😂😂😂😂 wonder if he went to the shop

What have I just read? Are you fucking kidding me?

I'm afraid I'm another "too young" and I was very lax relaxed about my kids' independence. We moved to this house when my eldest was 3 3/4 and there is a corner shop 100m away. One of her first questions here was, when could she go to the shop by herself? I said 6 because at the time that seemed enormous and very far off! And I think she probably went when she was about 5 1/2, but I could see her all the way till she went into the shop.

For the people worrying about change etc - if you know the people at the shop I don't think that's much of a worry, my son once came back with all the money still as he'd been chatting and both he and the shopkeeper forgot he hadn't paid!

Going in while you're outside is enough excitement for now

He'll be 17 now so you should be good to let him go to the shop OP! Bloody zombie threads today...

2009!!! What is going on ?!?!

@UserError012345

2009!!! What is going on ?!?!

I've noticed every thread appearing on active on the mumsnet thread seem to be old posts, it must be happening for everyone as all these old threads have had recent posts from people thinking they're new. So annoying! I have been using mumsnet via my Internet browser and it's all changed so they must be doing something in the background (and IMO the changes are rubbish!)

@TheChild

[quote UserError012345]2009!!! What is going on ?!?!

I've noticed every thread appearing on active on the mumsnet thread seem to be old posts, it must be happening for everyone as all these old threads have had recent posts from people thinking they're new. So annoying! I have been using mumsnet via my Internet browser and it's all changed so they must be doing something in the background (and IMO the changes are rubbish!)[/quote]Same here but I'm on the app. I thought it was just me as no one else had mentioned it. Apart from losing my bookmarks, it's the only change I've noticed and I don't like it. @mumsnetHQ are you aware of this issue with zombie threads?

Interesting insight into the change of tone over the years.

All the historic responses 'oh no, I don't think that's a good idea, he's a bit young, what if..."

Current responses 'what did I just read??!!' 'NO, just NO!'

At 4 1/2? NO, he's far too young. My GD started going to their local shop at 9.

No, I wouldn't let a 4 year old do that. My dm lived 12 doors down from us, in a straight line, on a residential estate. My 4 year old used to phone her, tell her he was setting off and she'd stand on the pavement in front of her house and I stood outside my house as he ran from me to her, whilst we both watched, he was never once out of our sight, and did vice versa when he wanted to come home. One day a TA from his school was walking along just part of his journey from me to my mum and saw him running down the street alone. She didn't see me and my mum stood watching him. Next thing I was hauled in to see the teacher to be told there had been reports of him roaming the streets alone!

When I was 7 yrs old, in the 1960s, we lived on a busy (for then) main road where there were some shops just within sight across the road, but past a junction, so involved several pedestrian crossings. My friends and I used to regularly go to the newsagents shop to spend our pocket money, sometimes together, but not always. It was just commonplace. No parents watching.

I’m saying this now with some horror at the memory, as I would never dream of letting a 7 year old do the same now! And I think 4 is much too young to be out of your sight for 50 yards. How long would you give him to emerge into your sight line? Not worth the stress and potential dangers, imo, for a taste of independence. I can imagine a 7 year old doing the little journey you’ve described.

Why am I reading a post from July 2009

This child is 16/17 now...

Why is this thread even coming up.

@Workinghardeveryday

What have I just read? Are you fucking kidding me?

This thread is from 2009, I think OPs kid is ok to go to the shops on his own now 😂

@ApolloandDaphne it looks like I've been conned , I didn't realise this was a thread from so long ago . Mumsnets really been messing up at the moment 😂

I live abroad now and that's normal here. IMO the UK has become a crazy nanny state. I think it's good for their independence, and you know your child best.