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Yes we are in Hawaii and the kids are out unsupervised all day. It's like "be home for dinner" kind of situation. I never think about it. We are on north shore and it's a small island and small town up here in general so not really anywhere for them to go.
It's a narrow street, separating the buildings of the complex. Minimal traffic. As for the 3-year-old, the sidewalk is lined with parked cars; he'd have to make a concerted effort to end up in the street, but he's a cautious kid by nature.
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Originally Posted by Katiana
As for crossing the street, it depends on the street. Are you talking a quiet street in a residential area, or a busy through street? There's plenty of research that says kids can't really judge car speed until they are around age 10. I'd also be concerned about a 3 year old riding a scooter on the sidewalk, with an adult not within arm's reach. Too easy to go out into the street, or get hit by a car backing out of a driveway.
Yup. I live in a suburban area and most of the kids in my neighborhood are frequently outside unsupervised riding bikes, swing sets, shooting hoops, etc. The little ones (under (5) usually have a parent out there, but they're also not really leaving their yards either. There p is a neighborhood park about a mile away that everyone bikes to as well - a little older for that one though, maybe 7 or 8.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Yes, our city of about 45,000 is a bedroom community and the only traffic off the main (1) arterial is at commute times. The rest of the day, and on the weekends, there is very little so kids play and ride bikes in the street. Often on a dead end court people put up those "kids at play" signs.
I always let my kids out to play when they were younger. They all walked to school when they went. I am really surprised at how other parents and adults act like this is a crime now instead of helping to take care of their neighborhood kids. It takes a village is now reduced to, it takes a cell phone to call the cops on the mom.
When I was young, adults in the neighborhood all looked after the kids on the street, including yelling at you when you got out of line. Most parents worked late, and the grannies and grampa's helped out, brought out snacks, had you help them bring in groceries for pocket change. I felt the whole neighborhood was my home, not just within my 4 walls. Certainly gave me heaps of confidence.
I'm really shocked at those moms getting arrested for letting their kids out to play. That poor low wage earning mom from McDonalds. Can you imagine what her options are exactly? Welfare or working at a low wage job without child care. She is working, not taking welfare and we arrest her. Just WOW!!!
Like the video stated, why didn't the mom pack her an extra sandwich and apple, kept an eye out for her neighbors kid, if she really cared about the child she would've done that instead of looking at it like a crime and calling the police. The one who called is probably the welfare mom, with time on her hands to spare......The child's mom is still in jail, and her kid is in foster care.....what a shame. Shame on us for letting these things get out of hand. A living wage would be nice or at least a helping hand instead of hand cuffs.
There aren't many kids playing outside unsupervised in my neighborhood. None on our block at least. Some kids we never see except when they come and go from their homes with their parents, others play in their yards and neighbor kids are welcome to join them. For awhile there was a kid my oldest child's age who lived on the block and we let them play together unsupervised outside. The kid moved away so now there aren't really any kids out playing. I still let my kids out but it's not much fun since there isn't anyone to play with. It makes me want to pack up and move to the suburbs.
Yes. They play outside a lot. Especially in the summer. If they aren't playing in the neighborhood yards, they are meeting someplace like the neighborhood pool. My child was at the pool for about 8 hours yesterday.
Yes, the kids in our community play outside and ride their bikes around the neighborhood on a regular basis. It's one of the things that I really like about living here.
If the other toddlers are there then yeah. I only don't let her play there if there's no other kids there. Usually they don't go to the park without the older kids though anyway, they stay in the communal gardens or in my back garden to go on the trampoline (I supervise that though)
I am literally floored that you would let four three year olds play unsupervised anywhere, let alone across the street for "ten minutes" at a time.
I am literally floored that you would let four three year olds play unsupervised anywhere, let alone across the street for "ten minutes" at a time.
She lives in a different country where it's the norm still today. Neighborhoods are different there too.
The park across the street isn't as far away from the windows of her house as you're imagining.
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