Kids Walking Home Alone From School...

[MadMen]

I have just seen two kids from my childs school, walk past on their own.
The one is 10 and the other (his sister) is 7.
Do you think this is too young to be walking home on their own? I know (roughly) where they live and it's quite a distance from the school, with a couple of very busy main roads.

I think it's too young, but do you think it depends on the individual child/children?

[boxtops]

society, I remember twice being approached by strange men on an empty road. It was very scary, but my mother had dinned into me how I should deal with the situation. I was about 12.

[MadMen]

Boxtops, I have no idea how the airlines operate with that kind of thing, but I should imagine so. My sisters main issue with it is that he's such a shy and timid boy, he'd probably be frightened to death!

[magsmay]

I think children have to be over 6yrs to travel as an unaccompanied minor -they get taken on the plane by a steward and taken off at the other end and taken to the waiting adult -my children did it lots when they visited there grannie in France

[society]

I walked home from school too from when I was 5, and school was quite a distance away. My cousins were around but they were always ahead of me. It was so different then. Now...never!

[ummmm]

I was going to school some miles away on my own at a young age (Jack will know, Bus station to Kingsheath) but we weren't allowed in the bus station, we had to wait at the bus stop opposite the police station....but when it was cold!!

People, in my opinion, do not give their kids enough credit. My kids started going out young because they had older siblings and older cousins who watched out for them.

[albaqwerty]

I walked to and from, about 7 years old and we had one nasty road to cross without traffic lights, zebra crossing or lollipop person, if we lived in the same area and my sons were of similar age, then there's no way I'd let them walk.

[MadMen]

My parents are always telling me to give my child more responsibilty, but I just find it so hard. My anxiety levels would go through the roof!

Speaking of children, I have to finish up here now and go and collect my little darlings. Nice afternoon chatting away :-)

[magsmay]

Ummm -kids can have all the street savvy in the world -but that won't help them if they get grabbed by two pedos and dragged off into a car. Its other people I'm worried about -not the ability of my 12 year old to walk along a road on his own in safety.

[ummmm]

5 year olds are not allowed to travel on planes alone anymore.

My daughter used to travel to Ireland alone from the age of 6, then they upped it to 7, then they upped it to 12. From 12 you're completely on your own as soon as you step through departures.

[society]

Exactly Magsmay!

[ummmm]

Magsmay - Do you think there are suddenly more paedophiles in the world? There's not...our children are in as much danger as we were. How many of your friends got snatched?

[hc4361]

There are no more paedophiles now than there has ever been.
Traffic is the biggest danger to children walking to/from school and as long as they are traffic wise and there are crossing wardens where appropriate then I don't have a problem with it.

Children are at the greatest danger of sexual abuse within the family and the associates of the family than from strangers.

[albaqwerty]

that's the big question. What age do you stop wrapping your children up in cotton wool? 5, 10, 1, 21?
They will always be your child and you will always worry about them, goes with the territory of being a parent.
It never, ever stops. It just changes from one worry to another.

[Mick-Talbot]

Depends on a few things.

The kids themselves the distance and the route. I personally wouldn't let my kids at that age near a busy main road.

Also I assume one of the parents will be at home, would it kill them to walk to school?

[mccfluff]

i used to walk home alone - or in a group of kids from probably about 7. it wasn;t very far though and no main roads, there was a bit of rough ground to cover. when i went to secondary school i usually walked it, meeting up with friends on the way - that was a mile or so.

i think the first time i flew alone would of been to germany when i was about 8, we were "handed" to a steward who saw us on and off the plane. again when i was 10 going to malaysia but again we were passed from parent to steward and steward to aunt/uncle on other side

[rockyracoon]

I agree with others regarding maturity, my kids are very sensible so I would have let them walk to and from school at that age (they got a school bus so wasn't an option). Danger from predators are just the same today as they were back then, it just seems to be more prevalent as we listen to it morning noon and night if something does happen, our living room becomes the big bad world with instant news updates.

My mum and dad used to work sunday markets sometimes, I was about 9-10 years old and used to look after my two brothers who were 2 and 4 years younger than me plus start the sunday dinner.

[ummmm]

I agree hc...traffic is the main problem. There aren't many people waiting to snatch kids at 8am...

The route would be the problem for me. My youngest started upper school at 11 (we'd just changed from a 3 tier to a 2 tier system) his reaction to me walking him..........NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[hc4361]

I walked to school on my one from 5. Only a fifteen minute walk - I got crossed over outside my house, walked down a long road, round the corner, up a hill to the crossing lady.

I walked home to my neighbour's house until mum or dad got home from work until I was 8, then I let myself in the house.

[Old_Geezer]

Times may change but I recall being very indignant at the suggestion that I needed mummy to take me to and from school after I was shown where it was. I suspect I was five when I used to walk there and back on my own.