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Preteens

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Original poster

What age did you allow them to walk to school alone?

29 replies

missmogwi · 24/08/2011 15:02

My DD1 is going into yr5 next week.

We live about ten minutes from school with just one road to cross. We live on a main road so she'd have to walk that way for about five mins then cross a side road then 5 mins to school. To be honest I'd be going anyway with DD2 which I have pointed out to her but she wants the independence.

I've said from Yr6 maybe she can but I'm getting the "so and so is allowed" etc.

OP posts:
4madboys · 24/08/2011 15:19

i think given how close you are i would allow her.

my ds2 is just 9 and also going into yr 5 :) we live a half hour walk to school and ihave to take ds3 anyway BUT ds2 has korfball club after school one day a week and i am going to start letting him walk home on his own, he knows the way and has gone to and from school on his own occasionally when ds3 was ill.

they will be at high school before you know it (like my eldest) and it does them good to start getting independent :)

SWImmes · 24/08/2011 15:23

I live in Switzerland - the primary school is about 5 mins walk from our house with one very small side road. DS has been walking from Kindergarten (age 5) - nothing unusual over here, kids walk without an adult from around age 5 onwards. I wouldn't have been so happy had it involved a main road though.

DottyDot · 24/08/2011 15:28

we've said ds1 can go to/from school on his own from September - he's also going into year 5 in September so it seems to be the year to do it Smile He can't wait - will mainly cycle there and back but possibly sometimes walk. It's over one main road with a lollipop man and then crossing a few small side roads - 5 minutes in total.

AnyFucker · 24/08/2011 15:31

last term of year 6, so age 11

they have a similar "walk" to yours too

I am always one of the last to "let go" though Smile

sparks · 24/08/2011 15:50

Spring of Y5, she walked with her friend who lives round the corner. One busy road and 2 small roads to cross.

Like you, friend's mum was walking 2 minutes behind with younger sibling.

ripstheirthroatoutliveupstairs · 25/08/2011 07:23

DD started walking 500 metres to get the school bus when she was 7. Now that we are in England, we are practicing the bus again. This time, I am dropping her at the bus station and she gets the proper bus and gets off at the proper stop which is directly outside her school.
She is 10.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 25/08/2011 07:27

Our lot go to Middle school in Year 5 and the majority start walking then .

bellaisinHawaii · 25/08/2011 07:33

Spring of Yr5 here too.

timetosmile · 25/08/2011 07:35

Year 5 - would walk/scoot/bike with friends for most of the time, but if they weren't walking, DS would go by himself. He would also walk with DD,8 one day a week.
They really enjoy the independance.
15 min walk, but only 2 small residential roads to cross

OriginalPoster · 25/08/2011 07:44

End of y3 but with older brother y5, year 5 on his own. 5 min walk crossing small side road and pelican crossing.

Original poster
missmogwi · 25/08/2011 21:58

I'm now thinking maybe after Christmas with her friends. With me and her sister tip toeing(?) after her, hiding behind trees and such to reduce the shame we bring upon her.

Thanks everyone for your replies.Smile

OP posts:
Clary · 25/08/2011 22:04

My DD is in yr 6 this yr but she has been walking to school with a friend or latterly on her own (the friend seemed to find it too much like hard work! Grin) since the summer at the end of yr 4, when she was about to turn 9.

DS2 will prob walk from this Sept, he is in yr 4 and 8 and a bit. Prob with DD tho maybe with an almost 9yo friend.

Two minor and one bigger but still residential road to cross plus a zebra at the end. Lots of other people doing the same walk with/without adults which is a major factor IMO.

One of DS1's pals (aged 12, going into yr 8) was here this week and he mentioned that his mum walked him to primary school to the end of yr 6! I was a bit Shock at that esp as he had no major roads to cross and was about 5 mins away.

aquos · 26/08/2011 14:25

Dd was y4 and ds was y5. They walked to school together, one quietish road to cross. I collected them as the teachers often needed to speak to me Sad.

When they went up into y5 & y6 I let them walk there and back alone. If the teachers needed to speak to me they could ring me, but strangely instead of being spoken to once or twice a week, I've only been contacted twice in a whole school year. Hmm

pmk1977 · 28/08/2011 12:12

Ours have just started walking this year - dd1 is 9 and dd2 is 7. They have a main road to cross so for the first few weeks dh is going to walk them to the main road, cross them over and then they walk the rest on their own (10 mins through a quiet residential area). We will gradually get to the point they can cross the road by themselves.

cory · 29/08/2011 07:35

Ours started in Yr 5, and that did involved crossing main road (at proper crossings though and with lots of other people crossing at the same time in the mornings).

ChasingSquirrels · 29/08/2011 08:03

I drop mine in the car on the way to work but ds1 has been walking home on own after school clubs since Yr3.

Let her go 5 mins before you, you are going anyway and can check she gets there.

Fennel · 31/08/2011 15:12

dd1 from about 8, yr4, dd2 a bit younger, she's my most sensible one, I used to let her come home alone at 6 sometimes in yr 2, and dd3 is 7 and I let her go with one or both of her sisters but not alone for a bit yet, cos she is capable of just drifting into the road.

Most of their friends aren't allowed.

motherinferior · 31/08/2011 15:20

On this, as on so much else, I'm with Clary. DD1 started in Y4 and is now about to start Y6 and is - sensibly - keen also to start walking home in the dark later in the year, as she points out she'll have to when she goes to secondary school.

DD2 will be walking with her, in any case, as I'm about to start WOTH fulltime. DD2 is about to go into Y4.

Clary · 31/08/2011 23:09

Grin @ MI

inmysparetime · 01/09/2011 10:20

DS walked to school from Y3, but he is old in the year, mature, and there's only 1 road to cross which has a crossing lady anyway. DD starts Y3 at a different school but as there are far more busy roads and my work is nearby, I will walk her partway.

Original poster
missmogwi · 14/09/2011 16:02

I'm just letting her walk halfway home tonight from choir practise. Meeting her before she gets near main road, thought we could build up to more independence?
Just bumped into XP tho who is not happy and am now deemed bad mother. Strangely did not say will pick her up himself. Grin

OP posts:
exexpat · 14/09/2011 16:08

DS did the 5-minute walk to school by himself most days at age 8 (yr 4) - two minor roads to cross, one busier one with zebra crossing. I was taking DD to nursery in opposite direction.

Then we moved to 20 minutes' walk from the school, and to start with he came with me and DD, but by yr5 (age 9) was walking on ahead, and often meeting up with friends part-way there.

WhereDidAllThePuffinsGo · 14/09/2011 16:23

I started sending dd ahead of me and the boys when she was in yr3. 10 minute walk along quietish road with side roads to cross. She'd leave a minute early and we'd follow. If any of the roads were difficult she'd wait and we'd catch up.

Yr4 she'd do it by herself any time she could get away from us.

This year (5) she should have been at middle school - 20 minute walk across town by herself - but we've moved to an area with primary schools and are a couple of miles from the school so have to drive. She is a bit miffed and is asking me to stop the car on the other side of the village from the school so she can walk Grin.

It did help that we knew she'd got to be independent in year 5 (I can't be at two schools at once) so we were preparing from year 2 or so.

WhereDidAllThePuffinsGo · 14/09/2011 16:24

Missmogwi - silly silly xp! How does he think she will learn?

Building up to independence def the way to go.

nametapes · 14/09/2011 16:30

My son was just 11yrs last week and in Year 6.
We live in a busy centre of town and I dont want him to walk alone yet, as he has many busy main roads to cross through the town. I will probably let him in yr 7 ,although at same Prep School.

My DD used to walk to school with a friend in year 5 , but we lived in a quiet village then .

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