Do you let your kids out of your sight at the playground?

[Anonymous]

All the time. If it’s a new playground I insist they stay where I could see them if I looked but I usually have eyes on my 1.5yo instead.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we go to some playgrounds that don't have sightlines to all areas, I would let my child play out of sight at that age. She wasn't a wanderer or daredevil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I have a child that might elope, so, I'm always nearby and watching at all times.

Wait, what?

I think she means “run off”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My 4 year old gives herself boundaries (I won’t go outside the path, mom) and is an extremely cautious, so I don’t worry much. She’s constantly checking in

I had a kid that like. He has an anxiety disorders. I never realized this was a sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I have a child that might elope, so, I'm always nearby and watching at all times.

Wait, what?

I think she means “run off”

Elope means to take off. Doesn’t everyone know that? Very common word is the nursing community also.
NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that DS is 4 he runs around quite a bit at parks and playgrounds. Today we were at a park that had a steep hill. He was playing on the hill with some other kids and when they went on the other side he was out of my sight. I was seated on a bench maybe 15 feet away but I really wanted to stand and hover by the hill, bc the park exit was on the other side and DS could have exercised bad judgment and gone up on the sidewalk leading to the street (he’s not a runner but he’s a wanderer- it would be out of character for him to wander away from me but if he was with another child who knows) or someone could have taken him. I felt really uncomfortable but also felt stupid about being uncomfortable. I kept anxiously staring at the hill waiting for a visual every 15 seconds or so. Just wondering what others do.

OP, follow your instincts. Better to be paranoid than to have something bad happen to your kid.

[Anonymous]

Not at 4. Boys are now 8 and 10 so I would let them but we don’t even go to the playground anymore.

[Anonymous]

Yes, sometimes. I have more children than I have eyes. But we usually go to school playgrounds, which means that there aren't too many line of sight barriers, they're small and uncrowded.

[Anonymous]

My 5 yo— I keep an eye on, though she might be briefly out of my sight or really far away but still within sight.
My 10 yo— of course he can play out of sight & has for a few years.

[Anonymous]

My youngest is 5, but when I go to parks that are fenced in she’s allowed to roam freely. Several playgrounds we frequent have nature areas where they kids play hide and seek.

We’ve been doing this for about a year at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never

Agree. Remember Melissa, the little girl at the Christmas party years ago. It only takes a second!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I have a child that might elope, so, I'm always nearby and watching at all times.

Wait, what?

I think she means “run off”

Elope means to take off. Doesn’t everyone know that? Very common word is the nursing community also.
NP

We use this term at school too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I have a child that might elope, so, I'm always nearby and watching at all times.

Wait, what?

I think she means “run off”

Elope means to take off. Doesn’t everyone know that? Very common word is the nursing community also.
NP

We use this term at school too.

I bet you also use bespoke.

[Anonymous]

Wow. I’m surprised by the responses here. My DD just turned 5 and it’s been a year or two since I would have been freaked out about her being out of sight briefly at a park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I have a child that might elope, so, I'm always nearby and watching at all times.

Wait, what?

I think she means “run off”

Elope means to take off. Doesn’t everyone know that? Very common word is the nursing community also.
NP

We use this term at school too.

I bet you also use bespoke.

It’s often used in the special needs context. Educate thyself.