Do your teens walk home from school?

[Anonymous]

the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

The kid is 14, not 4. You're not doing your child any favors by trying to constantly bubble proof the world they live in, and not allowing them to develop the confidence to walk 10 minutes without a parent or grandparent.

[Anonymous]

Mine does not walk, he bikes. 0.6 miles. Has been doing that - or walking - from 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

OMG. My 14-year-old DD walks to and from the bus stop, and has occasionally walked the mile home from school with friends. You need to let your DD do these things. She's leaving for college in four years, OP!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

So, just to play along with this lunacy for a minute, what makes a group of three unsafe, and a group of four acceptable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

I'm sure this will preclude your kids from ever driving too. Because you know, car fatalities.

Or swim, because you know, drownings.

Or fly, because plane crashes.

Or get married, because domestic violence.

Or eat, because choking.

[Anonymous]

My kids don’t, but they don’t go to the neighborhood school. I do know that most teens in my neighborhood walk to an ajoining neighborhood to pick up the bus for high school. They do this because otherwise they have to cross a major busy road and the county does not provide a crossing guard. It is extremely dangerous.

[Anonymous]

This cannot be serious. I would let my kids do this before they are a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

The kid is 14, not 4. You're not doing your child any favors by trying to constantly bubble proof the world they live in, and not allowing them to develop the confidence to walk 10 minutes without a parent or grandparent.

I think that it is actually prudent to know which kids are walking home on your street. If you have several other kids walking home around the same time that your kid is or you know that there are neighbors home, there is a certain safety in that even if your kid is technically walking alone.

Stranger abductions might be rare. But things like having a car follow you or a weirdo flashing you happen - especially when you're walking alone and it is scary when it happens.

[Anonymous]

Your parents need to be examined for the onset of senility.

Of course a 14 year old can walk 1/2 mile home from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the OP has the right to be concern. As the old saying "when your neighbor loses his job, it is a recession. When you lose your job, it is a depression." Crime statistics is meaningless if it happens to your child.

Is it safer if your child walk home from school in the Mclean area versus Falls Church? Not necessarily. Pedophiles live in both Mclean and Falls Church, just saying.

Yes, your child can walk home in a group of at least 4 kids that live within one block from your home. Otherwise, the answer is NO.

The kid is 14, not 4. You're not doing your child any favors by trying to constantly bubble proof the world they live in, and not allowing them to develop the confidence to walk 10 minutes without a parent or grandparent.

I think that it is actually prudent to know which kids are walking home on your street. If you have several other kids walking home around the same time that your kid is or you know that there are neighbors home, there is a certain safety in that even if your kid is technically walking alone.

Stranger abductions might be rare. But things like having a car follow you or a weirdo flashing you happen - especially when you're walking alone and it is scary when it happens.

But then you learn you can cope with "scary". Do you think they will never be confronted with anything scary? Talk through things that might happen, how to handle it. You don't help people grow up into capable adults by shielding them from never, ever potentially running into anything that might possibly not be roses and sunshine.

[Anonymous]

Is the bus stop that is .3 miles away a school or city bus stop? If it is a school bus stop and you live .5 miles away then why is she eligible for the school bus if you live so close? Does she have to cross a highway?

[Anonymous]

My son started walking home alone from elementary occasionally in 4th grade. 1/2 mile, lots of people around, no major roads. By 6th grade he exclusively walked to/from his middle school, am and pm. Sometimes with someone, usually not.

He’s 13 now and a veteran walker, as are most other students at his school. The thought of a 14 year old not being allowed to walk at his school would be ridiculous, and hugely embarrassing to the 14 year old. Having a car service to drive 1/2 mile when other kids walk twice that twice a day?

No.

[Anonymous]

My 4th grader walks to and from school on his own. Unclench and tell you parents to get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son started walking home alone from elementary occasionally in 4th grade. 1/2 mile, lots of people around, no major roads. By 6th grade he exclusively walked to/from his middle school, am and pm. Sometimes with someone, usually not.

He’s 13 now and a veteran walker, as are most other students at his school. The thought of a 14 year old not being allowed to walk at his school would be ridiculous, and hugely embarrassing to the 14 year old. Having a car service to drive 1/2 mile when other kids walk twice that twice a day?

No.

I am trying to figure out how much ridicule we (and my 11 yo) would suffer if we got her a car service for the .7 mile walk to middle school. It's unimaginable.