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MNHQ

Tell us about the first time you let your child go somewhere on their own - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

221 replies

PoppyMumsnet · 11/07/2016 10:21

It can be a big deal when your child first makes a trip on their own - whether it's to the corner shop, across the road to a friend or the playground, or maybe up to school without you for the first time. Churchill Insurance would like to hear about your experiences of the first time you let your child go somewhere on their own. Tell us where they went, how old they were and how you felt about letting them go. Did you set out any ground rules about road safety or perhaps sticking to an agreed route? Did it all go according to plan? With the school holidays coming up, your DC might be waiting to do their first solo trip then. Where are they planning to go and how do you feel about it?

Please share your stories with Churchill Insurance below. All MNers who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

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Thanks, and good luck!

MNHQ

Tell us about the first time you let your child go somewhere on their own - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
ricola1 · 15/07/2016 06:39

I havent yet as my children are 4 and 7

ell5454 · 15/07/2016 06:41

Haven't yet as he's six, but planning to let him walk home alone (5 minute walk) from school when he's in year 5/6.

claza93 · 15/07/2016 06:46

My eldest turns 11 next week and I have finally allowed her to walk to the shop and back! Most nerve wracking 20 mins of my life!

maryandbuzz1 · 15/07/2016 06:50

I didn't let my child go anywhere until he was 8/9. Then it was along a path which was not next to a road to school. I would wait at the top and watch him until he turned into the school gates.

keepinrunning · 15/07/2016 06:54

DD (age 5) can go to her friends 4 houses down the street alone. She looks out for cars at each drive and knows to be sensible. I watch her as she goes, but she lives the feeling of independence

hiddenmichelle · 15/07/2016 06:55

To his friends house 10 doors along - he is nearly 12 and it's the furthest he has ever been without me!

devito92 · 15/07/2016 07:21

I sent my child to go and visit his grand parents who live 2 streets away.He travelled along a short footpath and crossed one road. I watched him walk most of the way and his grand dad waited at the other end.I wouldn't let him get out of our sight, he was aged 8 at the time.

izbiz88 · 15/07/2016 07:23

My eldest daughter is 9 and about to start Year 5, and this is an issue I'm really struggling with at the moment! She has started to walk to last leg of the school run alone but I can see the school gates from where I stop so can pretty much see her go in.

I really like the idea of her having 'check in' points, as someone posted above though, I think when she starts Year 5 in September we will have to consider those when giving her more freedom :)

pgwynne · 15/07/2016 07:30

My children haven't been anywhere on their own yet as they are 10 & 8. However they have gone with their cousins to play outside and have gone for a walk. I think that when my son start's senior school I may start letting him go to his friend around the corner.

Lisapaige24 · 15/07/2016 07:38

The first time I let my child go anywhere on there own was across the street to her friends house that was in the cul de sac in the corner I watched her go across the road turn the corner and thought yeah she's fine the house is just around that corner no problems she can go anywhere it's a dead end how was I wrong half an hour later I get a phone call of said friends mum is Your daughter not coming around for her tea and to play well red warning lights started to go off I couldn't understand it she had nowhere else to go where was she so liked a crazed lunatic I ran over the road and started knocking on doors to see if anyone had seen her and 3 door I knocked on I could see her playing and laughing with another child who she supposedly wasn't friends with suffice to say I was furious with her and did not let her go out on her own for quite a long time but the worst part is she couldn't understand what she had done wrong and she still says about it now although she does now realise it was the worst thing she could of possibly done to me at the time as so many things ran through my head you have a mixed reaction of ange and relief I will never forget that feeling as long as I live but I have not made that mistake with my other children.

libra101 · 15/07/2016 07:52

It's a while ago now, but the first time I let my daughter out on her own was by going out to play with her friends. We lived on a small estate, at the end of a cul-de-sac and other children of her age group played together safely under the eye of other parents.

We gradually allowed her to venture further, and she gained independence.

glenka · 15/07/2016 07:57

They went to the local shops to get some shopping and it made me proud they were able to do it on their own

KAKADU2001 · 15/07/2016 08:03

It was when we let them go to the Saturday morning matinee at the local cinema. It was a weekly session for youngsters only. Our kids went with their mates every week. As they were in a group we were happy for them to go along unaccompanied by either my wife or I.

jt75 · 15/07/2016 08:19

I have a photo of DD returning from a campsite shop on her own with a bottle of milk. First time she had done this on her own. She was 4 or 5.

jt75 · 15/07/2016 08:23

Aged 4 or 5 we sent my child to buy milk from a campsite shop.

becky004 · 15/07/2016 09:17

I think it depends on the maturity of the child, eldest DD walked to school (just out of sight at end of the street) from the age of 7. DS has ADHD & ASD he wasn't allowed to walk to school on his own until he started at Comprehensive School at age 11 and even then I spied on him, youngest DD is only 2 so doesn't go anywhere on own just yet!

phillie1 · 15/07/2016 09:18

Walking to school in year 5, but me and her sister in Year 2 were never far behind!!

janeyf1 · 15/07/2016 09:29

It was for her to go to the sweet shop a few hundred metres away. As soon as the door was closed behind her I was on tenterhooks and stressed with worry. I was tempted to run after her!

cluckyhen · 15/07/2016 09:31

My DS went to the shop for the first time when he was about 8 - it was only 50 metres away and I made him take a phone as I panicked but he was absolutely fine. Now as a teen it is much harder as they think they can go anywhere that they like - I've never known worry like it!

Ganne1 · 15/07/2016 09:51

We were worried of course, but it has to happen some time, so we just made sure it was safe that time ... and on every subsequent occasion

julieef · 15/07/2016 09:52

mine were aged about 8 we live in a very quiet village and I allowed them to go to the top of the road to the shop

ebay91 · 15/07/2016 10:03

My eldest is only 5, I'm not sure when I'll be letting him unsupervised.

poocatcherchampion · 15/07/2016 10:07

My 4yo is planning how she is going to buy croissants on the campsite in France this summer. We will be watching from a distance but she will cycle over and ask for them. I've bought her a bike basket ready.

She is very excited!

MAT12 · 15/07/2016 10:24

I have both young children and two grown up. Well when my eldest was 11 I got him his first phone ready for secondary school and decided it was time to let him go to the local shops. I watch him from the bedroom window until i couldnt see him any more and then i phoned to see if he was there and then i phone back a few minutes later to see if he was on his way back. I know it was extreme but I felt so sick. Im much more calmer these days

BathshebaDarkstone · 15/07/2016 10:28

We haven't yet, until DD 8.10 proves she can cross the road by herself, we won't. Also, I think she'd panic at the moment. I've told her that I won't be walking her to secondary school, so at some point she'll just have to be brave and do it!