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

[PoppyMumsnet]

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.

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Thanks, and good luck!

MNHQ

[sarah861421]

My daughter and her friends went shopping at the age of 11, they were in the 2nd term of their last year at primary school. I was chatting to the school secretary about it and she commented that almost every year, the same thing happens

[SirNiallDementia]

DS is in Y4 (9) and has recently started popping into the corner shop for a few bits. It's about 5 metres away! But I still hate him going as i worry about him just because he is very absent minded.

Unfortunately his friends don't live withing walking distance and school is a 30 min walk crossing main roads with no safe places to cross so I can't let him get there on his own.

Planning on looking for some opportunities to "let him loose" a bit more in the Summer holidays,

[freefan]

My DD gets to play out in the garden and ride her bike between the two lamp posts outside the house - where I can see her clearly, luckily her beast friend lives next door so they are allowed in the same bit :)

[Topsyturvy01]

I let my son go to the corner shop when he was 7. I was so nervous that I ended up following him to the shop without him knowing and then rushing back home before he came out of the shop.

[sosotalk]

I haven't let my daughter go anywhere on her own yet. Does letting her wander across the room in playgroup count?

[rennie1811]

I let my two play out in our enclosed yard by themselves but that's about as far as I will go at the moment. Mine are 9 and 5

[pfcpompeysarah]

My 9 year old is only allowed to go across the road to his friends on his own, and we always make sure the other side is in and they get safely inside each others houses, other than that he hasn't been anywhere on his own.... and I am dreading it. My mum reckons on her first day letting me go to school on my own she followed me to make sure I was okay, and will probably find myself lurking behind peoples garden fences when my son does too!!!

[LeeR1985]

My daughter is only 6 so she hasn't went anywhere yet, I'm terrified of the thought of letting her out on her own though!

[gamerwidow]

DD has just turned 6 and hasn't been allowed out by herself yet. We live on a busy main road so we don't really have the environment to allow it. I remember being about 8 when I was allowed to go to the shop by myself. I was really proud until I caught my mum hiding behind a wall, she'd followed me to make sure I was OK :)

[lhlee62]

My daughter is only 4, but from the age of 3 I've been letting her go up to the counter to order her own drinks and ice cream. We visit Ikea occasionally and I stand back and let her queue on her own and order ice cream. She is quite tall for her age so people don't think anything of it.

I won't be letting her go anywhere on her own until she is quite a bit older, maybe 8 or 9 to the local shop which is really close, maybe a bit older because her younger sister would want to go as well and there is 20 mths between them.

[compy99]

aged 12 being allowed to go to local shops ( I followed at a safe distance for the first few times!)

[user1468621814]

My daughter was 8 years old when she first went to the shops,I told her to be careful when crossing the road.

[JulesJules]

Dd1 started going to the corner shop and nearby friends houses on her own when she was about 9 - to start with I would walk with her, then walk part of the way, then just see her across the road etc.

Dd2 is 2.5years younger. They walked to and from school together from the age of 9 and 11.

Dd1 goes into town with her friends, started when she was about 13. Probably older than I was when I started going to places on my own or with friends, but I grew up in a much smaller place - a village near a small town. We live in a city, biggest issue is the busy roads and my biggest worry is inconsiderate drivers - people go over red lights all the time, even on the crossings right by the schools.

[ThemisA]

At around 8 my eldest son really wanted to walk to his Grandmas about 8 minutes away with no major roads. I felt nervous but didn't want to undermine his confidence and felt he knew basic safety rules and that the risk was outweighed by the gains. I did however watch him for ages and asked my Mother to do the same the other end!

[Marg2k8]

This was never a big thing with my children, because it was introduced very gradually. I started by letting them go to a neighbour's house a few doors along, where I could watch them all the way, then to another friend still in the same road, but further along, then to the post box at the end of the road. They always knew and respected the boundaries I set.

[Piffpaffpoff]

I just let my 9yo DC go away to a shop alone for the first time, while on holiday. I've not done it at home because our nearest shop is 1 mile away over a couple of very busy roads.

They went off quite happily with their list and came back very happy with their bag of shopping and the change, having had a wee chat with the lady in the shop! I thought it was a good opportunity to let them have a go as we were in a little village where the shop is a five min walk away down a quiet road. I of course was watching the clock the whole time and had to restrain myself from nipping up the lane to see if they were coming back yet! I'm determined to give them a bit more freedom this summer so will be looking for other things they can do like this.

[mumsbe]

We let our daughter have her first bit of freedom now age 8 at a Brownie sleep over. We thought this was a good safe environment in a church hall and she had a fantastic time. We were waiting for a phone call at 2am to go and collect her but it didnt happen. Last year she was offered the sleep over but she was not ready.
We would definatly let her do this again.

[Mandahul]

I let my eldest go to our local park on his own when he was 10 but had my sister already there with her children to keep an eye on him and text me updates. I wanted to give him a little Independence ready for walking to senior school on his own.

[tiddles12]

We let our son go to Ireland on his own (via plane with aircrew escort) to visit his grandparents for the summer. It was a great adventure for him, and he felt very grown up and had a great time.

[Natsku]

How old was your son when he went tiddles? I've been wondering what age would be good to start sending DD over to England to visit her grandparents as I want to start a summer habit of her spending a couple of weeks there to keep her English skills up.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

DS1 is 8 and walks to Cubs at the village hall next door by himself.

We have a gate in our fence onto the rec ground next door and both kids (6 and 8) run back and forth to the football pitches and play equipment and back to our garden.

We live on the edge of a village though - used to live in London suburb and wouldn't be the same there.

[Dormouse1940]

Currently my little fellow is just over a year and a half, and I can't imagine him letting him out on his own anytime before his twentyseventh birthday... ;) I'm sure I'll mellow as he gets a bit older, but blimey, the mere thought of it right now is terrifying!!

[RACHELSMITH45]

My little girl started primary school and was invited to her new friends house. Before this I had always accompanied her on playdates so was a bit of a nervous wreck.. but all went well and she had a lovely time. Since then we've had her friends over too (without the parents!)

[sweetsomethings]

i let my son go round to his friends house the other day he is 6. Its just around the corner from us and i was looking out the window the whole time

[Ikea1234]

My eldest son recently when to a local bar that holds pre teen social events. All the bar is covered over, fruit machines covered, ID strictly enforced, no money needed as soft drinks included in advanced ticket. I worried like you wouldn't believe, and it was the longest three hours of my life, but he came out having had the most amazing evening with a friend, and loved it. Apparently I was a really cool mum for letting him go and not worrying! (It'll be our little secret!)