Anonymous wrote:Punishment...? Certainly not.
What you need to do is clearly outline what she needs to do in certain situations. She's 8 and clearly didn't know what to do so she did what she thought was right. Talk to her, make things clear, let her know you were worried (!!!) and teach her what to do next time instead.

This!!

Punish the adults in charge who made no effort to contact you when your child went AWOL. Sounds like they have a very slipshod system in place for accounting for all children. But if you picked her up walking on your way back to pick her up (presumably because it was the usual time camp was over) then she must not be there very long - or she was missing for a long time!

Anonymous wrote:Actually I think that I would praise my daughter for independent problem-solving.

And then I would ask her to, in the future, please stay where she is supposed to be, when we have agreed on a location for me to pick her up.

Praise you are nuts.

I would physically walk her to class everyday for at least 6 months. If the school had an issue I would explain how she is too immature to get there on her own as clearly she displayed that.

I disagree that 8 is too young to drop off. But I do agree with others, I don't think you should punish her. If it were me I'd tell her you are not to wait for anyone you are to walk straight upstairs to your class. And I would talk to her about why she should not leave the place where you dropped or nor should she be walking home.

I would be inclined to praise her. She did not panic and made a good decision -- to return home. She is too young to figure out that the teacher will turn up sometime... Also it sets a precedence for you to talk to her about what you want her to do in future situations. Positive reinforcement here works best.

Also in the no punishment boat here. I would talk to her about the situation so she does the right thing the next time.

You two clearly need to work on communication, and you need to step back from the ledge.

Age 8, I would walk her in or do the window "wave" so one adult acknowledges the other.

Too soon, OP.

Punish her for what? What rule did she break ?

Punishment...? Certainly not.
What you need to do is clearly outline what she needs to do in certain situations. She's 8 and clearly didn't know what to do so she did what she thought was right. Talk to her, make things clear, let her know you were worried (!!!) and teach her what to do next time instead.

Anonymous wrote:I would take away something for a few days. She skipped school. I would also park and walk her to the classroom for the rest of school.

Why? from her persective, she saw no one. no classmates. she didn't know what to do so went home. if she went to the mall, that would be a different thing.... but then again.... she's 8. really lucky that she made it home safely. clever girl i would say.