At what age can kids go out sledding by themselves?
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Anonymous
| I sent out my 13 (week away from 14), 11 and 6 yo on their own to sled last snow day. Our 6 yo is kind of wild- I wouldn't have sent him with kids your kids' ages. We went out yesterday together, so today they will be inside or playing in the yard if 6 yo starts driving me crazy. I do *not* have a high powered job, but need to be on my computer during my scheduled work hours and responsive to random check ins. |
Anonymous
And jumped on dcum. I love it! |
Anonymous
According to everyone here, they can just walk away from their desks for two hours. NBD! |
Anonymous
You've never heard of coffee breaks? |
Anonymous
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It depends on set up, and where they walk and the hill. Is it a distance they walk daily and know? Is the hill in their elementary school where they are familiar with the surrounding and will be familiar with people cause it would be a lot of neighbors and kids who go to this school? Do they cross a busy street? Do they have a phone or watch to call in an emergency? 0.75 miles is not a short distance to walk in snow with sleds.
Our closest hill involved crossing a busy street and on one side kids sometimes can sled into another much less busy but still a street. So we never left kids at 6 cause wanted to make sure they stop themselves before sledding into the street. When they became familiar and able to stop, we’d still walk them to the hill and then leave them there. But they were all older than 6, probably closer to 9-10. |
Anonymous
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I would either ask another parent to keep an eye on your kids (and offer to return the favor) or hire a high schooler (plenty in our neighborhood who are out there shoveling!). It’s super icy and it’s not as safe as if it were powdery snow.
Do you have a backyard? Give them challenges like building a small sledding hill, making a snow “kitchen” with some of your kitchen items, building a small army of mini snowmen, etc. plenty of fun to be had in the safety of the backyard. |
Anonymous
Well, Buffy, where’s your au pair? |
Anonymous
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I wouldn't send kids to sled alone because the risk of injury is high and also they get more tired than they realize and the walk home will be unsafe. If they are cold, wet, tired, dragging sleds you cant expect an 11 year old to be in charge.
I would send them out within our block to play alone though. But not .75 miles away with sleds. You either take time off or they dont go. |
Anonymous
Np. I think a lot of people recognize that this isn't always possible. I think OP annoyed people with her comment about having "demanding" jobs. That's why she got those responses. DCUM is full of attorneys who have to figure out childcare too and still don't send their six year olds across a frozen stream to go sledding without proper supervision. |
Anonymous
| I'm generally more of the "let them go" and grow up, not a helicopter parent. But not for sledding that far away at those ages. Lots of accidents, which fortunately don't always happen, but can. It's just not a good idea. Have them play outside, and maybe you can take them during lunch or after work. |
Anonymous
| At you/DH's level, you can cancel a meeting or send a junior staff person. Its not that difficult. We are partners and are making time for family today. |
Anonymous
Defensive much? |
Anonymous
| Playing at the playground maybe but sledding? Hell no. It’s very dangerous. Proper parent response to an accident could mean a kid walking again or not. |
Anonymous
I think a lot of posters expect people to be impressed "DH is a lawyer" and forget there are a lot of lawyers on DCUM who are watching their kids today. |
Anonymous
| No way. Stop being lazy and take them. |