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I have been pondering the same issue. My boys are 8 & 10 -- 3rd and 5th grade. We live less than a mile from our school and it is all quiet neighborhood roads except for one street where the principal is the cross guard every morning. That street is not a major street but does have a fair amount of volume as it is a neighborhood service road. I think they would be fine and they are asking me to walk on their own but I am just not feeling ready yet! Mostly because my 3rd grader is not nearly as responsible as the 10 year old but then I hate to hold back my 10 year old. It's hard to decide!
Yes exactly same here,, I have no office rush hours or anything, mostly I work during the school hours at office and rest from home. But I thought of letting her walk alone but I walk behind and see how it goes if I can see that she is carefully walking to school then I can let her go but she likes me to walk with her. So I need to see how it goes in the coming time.
This is a new age of news opening up to weirdos out there that prey on children.I'd say older.
Yes that is also true as a child when I was little we used to go to school alone. And neighbors were care for us , school security were there even open transportation were very much help full too. Now days it is really sick people out there. This is a time we cannot even trust our own family members with young kids so how do we trust people on the road. you have a good point.
Is there any best age send kids alone to school?
As I live here in Holland most kids go alone to school when they are little. My daughter is 8+ but some mothers from other kids who send kids alone to school bugging me to send my child to school alone and they see me walking my child to school as waste of time and kid wont be independent. But my mind is saying DON'T do it yet.
Honestly I prefer walk my daughter to school and also to the class then I go to my work with peace in mind. And I never see walking my child to school as a waste of time,I am sure here might some parents who has elder kids than mine.
what was age you send your kid alone to school in case if you ever did? I am afraid of doing something when my mind is doubting. I appreciate some advice or your experience.
Thank you in advance!
If you enjoy walking her to school, it is good exercise and she is your child. On the other hand you could be making her uncomfortable if all her friends walk alone. I think it depends, mostly on the majority of the child. You do have to remember she is going to grow up and you are going to have to learn to let go. I see you mention things like school security and bad things sometimes happen. Your walking her to school will not prevent something happening after you leave her. BTW, my kids, growing up in the 60s and 70s walked to school or I would, on occasion drive them; the same when I was growing up and the same with our grandchildren.
Again, only you can make the decision about when to let go, but even if she doesn't say anything to you, she might wish you would let her walk alone with friends. Have you asked her about this? That would probably be the best way to handle it.
She is your child, and you should do what you are most comfortable with. Don't let other parents use peer pressure to make you feel bad about it. You have the right to walk her to school if you choose. I personally think 8 is still young enough to need someone to walk her to school.
I would never allow my child to walk to school alone. However, I might allow him to walk with a group of children at that age, if I could be sure the children could be trusted to stay together. Plenty of kids have been abducted, even tweens, while walking to and from school, and I live in an area of dense population, so there are plenty of known predators living around here, plus who knows who else, and it's just not safe. When I was young I lived in a rural area, and there weren't many people around, and we rarely saw anyone we didn't actually know. At 8 I definitely walked to the bus stop on my own - sort of, anyway - but there were lots of other kids walking there at the very same time, so I wasn't exactly alone on the street. Plus, there were parents around and everyone knew everyone. It's not like that where I live now.
Traffic is also a concern here - everyone is in a hurry to get to work at that hour, and it is necessary to cross streets. We have a high number of pedestrian and bike accidents here, so that's another reason I don't think it's safe.
What you and me experienced at our little age that culture either safety is not there any more. Yes where I live is new building area ,, and also there is a crossing where I am always nervous about. The society already changed and also weirdos are out there some where too. My sens always say not to do things regret later on. I see on the TV shows too mothers are saying " I regret that I choose my child to send alone" and many other stories and not only that news freaking me too most of the time.
As other posters have said, it's up to factors including your comfort level, surroundings, traffic, as well as neighbors keeping an eye out for each other's children.
Agreed that we live in a day and age that there are too many variables that render it dangerous to allow younger children to walk to school or even play around the area, unattended.
I've lived in several different European countries, including the UK, while my children were younger - ages 2,4,8, up through 11 additional years.
Even though we lived in relatively small villages for the most part, I observed a vast difference in parenting attitudes from country to country. In Italy, it was almost a crime to be without hearing/seeing distance of your younger children...even whilst walking to and from school.
In the UK, most mothers walked their children back and forth to primary school (up to ages 9-10). Both for socializing with other mums, as well as for protection. In Germany, I observed little ones as young as 5 and 6 walking alone to and from school...
The pedestrian crossing in front of the UK primary school was not "busy" by any means...yet twice, both a child as well as a crossing guard were hit by cars. Additionally, there were several child abductions/rapes/murders within 5 miles of our little school during that time.
So, at least for that time and place, I think all of the parents were pretty much vigilant about keeping an eye on their children, ages 10 and under whilst going back and forth to school, as well as to friend's houses, and playing outside.
I personally was never comfortable allowing my own children to walk most places unaccompanied, even as they grew older and we were back in the US...at least up to age 14 or so. I'd either walk with them, keep a distant eye on them, have other neighbors watch them go by, and/or have them call from their nearby (safe walk) destination.
If I had any lingering doubt or concern, I'd walk or drive them there. It just wasn't worth the worry to me, nor the risk of an accident or abduction. (An abduction occurred in the '90's from an acquaintance of mine back in the U.S....this also "raised" my radar, and made me quite nervous about my own kids...)
-So, I'd recommend to remain on the better side of caution, especially if you have a lot of traffic nearby.
There are comparatively few stranger abductions, but..... did you know that almost 60% of them are children who are 12 to 17, NOT elementary aged kids. 70% of all of the stranger abductions are females.
Don't let yourself be pressured by the other parents. You do what you feel is right. I'd say the same thing if the situation was reversed, and they were all pressuring you to walk with your daughter. This is your child and your decision, nobody else's.
Exactly OP. Follow your parental instinct. Your instinct is telling you to walk her, just ignore those other folks.
I once lived in a large apartment complex. My daughter was an infant....the other mothers would go to the swimming pool without their babies....they left them in play pens in their living rooms...I always took my daughter with me, we swam and played in the shallow end together...Th other mothers began ridiculing me every time, saying "Here is the perfect little Mother" They were just feeling guilty, and taking it out on me. Ignore them, it is all about you and your daughter...no on else. Your daughter will let you know when she wants to go it alone
As other posters have said, it's up to factors including your comfort level, surroundings, traffic, as well as neighbors keeping an eye out for each other's children.
Agreed that we live in a day and age that there are too many variables that render it dangerous to allow younger children to walk to school or even play around the area, unattended.
I've lived in several different European countries, including the UK, while my children were younger - ages 2,4,8, up through 11 additional years.
Even though we lived in relatively small villages for the most part, I observed a vast difference in parenting attitudes from country to country. In Italy, it was almost a crime to be without hearing/seeing distance of your younger children...even whilst walking to and from school.
In the UK, most mothers walked their children back and forth to primary school (up to ages 9-10). Both for socializing with other mums, as well as for protection. In Germany, I observed little ones as young as 5 and 6 walking alone to and from school...
The pedestrian crossing in front of the UK primary school was not "busy" by any means...yet twice, both a child as well as a crossing guard were hit by cars. Additionally, there were several child abductions/rapes/murders within 5 miles of our little school during that time.
So, at least for that time and place, I think all of the parents were pretty much vigilant about keeping an eye on their children, ages 10 and under whilst going back and forth to school, as well as to friend's houses, and playing outside.
I personally was never comfortable allowing my own children to walk most places unaccompanied, even as they grew older and we were back in the US...at least up to age 14 or so. I'd either walk with them, keep a distant eye on them, have other neighbors watch them go by, and/or have them call from their nearby (safe walk) destination.
If I had any lingering doubt or concern, I'd walk or drive them there. It just wasn't worth the worry to me, nor the risk of an accident or abduction. (An abduction occurred in the '90's from an acquaintance of mine back in the U.S....this also "raised" my radar, and made me quite nervous about my own kids...)
-So, I'd recommend to remain on the better side of caution, especially if you have a lot of traffic nearby.
thank you,
Dandiday
Thank you very much I enjoyed reading it. I thought of listing to my own parent sens.
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Dangerous today???
