gut check -- age to go to park alone with friend
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Anonymous
| DD is 8-years old and has an also 8-year old neighborhood friend with whom she plays outside in our yard or hers. We also have a small playground about a 5 minute walk away that often is quite empty, but sometimes has some families or a few kids. It's on a quiet street, so really no passerbys. The friend has asked DD a couple times if she can walk there and play, and I've said no in instances where DH or I are not available to go with them. DD is upset and thinks we're too strict. We don't disagree she's quite old enough to play unsupervised, and she's a well-behaved kid. She plays often in various neighborhood kids' yards or in ours without adults hovering. However, because the playground is a bit isolated we don't think it's wise for two young girls to be there alone. Seems like they should be maybe 10 years old + and have a little more "street smarts" first. Are we too strict? |
Anonymous
| I would be ok with it as long as they don't have to cross busy streets and know that they have to stay together. |
Anonymous
| At least age 10. I thought VA guidelines stated children should be at least 9 years old before staying home alone for 90 minutes during the day. 8 year olds should still have adult supervision |
Anonymous
| I would be fine with that. We got a dumb phone I can give my kids in circumstances like that in case someone is worried. |
Anonymous
| My kids are that age and we have a park like that. I think they are too young. We had a predator in our nice suburban neighborhood- you just never know: |
Anonymous
| Give her some pepperspray and teach how to use it if you want. Better than nothing. |
Anonymous
| Ehhh it depends. Where I live, the teens go there to make out and smoke. I wouldn’t want my kids there. Doesn’t sound like you have that issue though. |
Anonymous
Someone assaulting kids in pairs at a local park? Really? |
Anonymous
| I would be worried about them getting kidnapped. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
| No |
Anonymous
| It used to be normal to be outside without supervision back in the day. These days people will call the police. |
Anonymous
| No. The kids who play unaccompanied along the bile path and parks in Bluemont are middle school age. They walk home at that age anyway. |
Anonymous
Someone called the cops on my third grader walking to the library by herself. The cops assured me and her that it was fine and she was absolutely allowed to do that. |
Anonymous
|
This would really depend on the street layout & neighborhood for me, so absent any other info I’d probably say wait at least one more year.
I’d probably take a gradual approach and walk over to the park with them (I’d bring the dog), leave them there alone and walk nearby, then swing back to walk home with them. That way you are in the near vicinity the whole time (and can also check out who is at the park when they arrive) while they still get to play alone. See how they do and go from there… |