Anonymous wrote:No, stop being lazy and go inside.

This!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No.

There are back exits to restaurants btw.

The paranoia is staggering.

As is the laziness. Seriously? Sending an eight year old in to accomplish an errand? If you must do that, at least get out of your car and stand close enough to observe your EIGHT year old 100% of the time she's in the store.

Anonymous wrote:Why not go in, too?

Some of them don’t have parking. The one near my house doesn’t. I have dropped my son off to run in and drive around the block and pick him up when he comes out.

Anonymous wrote:A guy at my local Starbucks approached an eight grader and asked her whether she could hold the leash of his puppy, and then later to walk the puppy to his car. Luckily she was smart enough to decline. So no.

An 8th grader SHOULD have enough sense to know not to do this. That is 13-14 years old!

My son is 12, but starting at 10 I sent him to the grocery store across a busy street alone (with my credit card!) to pick up a few things. I can watch him cross the street from my window and I would have him walk to the store ahead of me (as if he was alone) for several months before he actually went alone. I’m sure I had sent him in stores while I waited in the car at age 8. But hey, I also got rid of his car seat when he outgrew it in 3rd grade. There are plenty of dcum teenagers that are still in booster seats.

Why not go in, too?

When my oldest was 8, she was allowed to walk to the corner store 2 blocks away and buy an ice cream occasionally. If she had liked Starbucks I would have let her walk to the Starbucks that was about the same distance away, but she preferred ice cream. My favorite Starbucks has a drive thru so I never thought about sending dd in to pick up (not sure they had mobile ordering then anyway), but I did let her return books inside the library herself, go inside a grocery store to get a drink while we were working a cookie booth, and walk the dog around the block. She’s a very independent child.

In a safe area? Yes, I would and I'm very protective and cautious.

Starbucks pickup is probably the easiest thing. Walk in store, walk to the section where they have the cups, look for your name.

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up. We walked home from school. Stopped at the local market, hung out at the library, rode our bikes to the town pool, etc.

I distinctly remember as a 4th grader walking to the store to get my mom tomato paste or something she needed last minute to cook dinner. I definitely remember running into the store or the post office or whatever while she sat in the car double parked. I also recall being dropped off at a movie theater with my sister or a friend while my mom shopped at the mall. All of this when I was 8 or 9 years old.

Depends on the child, the area and the Starbucks ie if you are a regular and the employees would recognize your child.

Some employees/stores might now allow or question a child picking up an order. Some might even say they are only allowed to serve adults. They can serve kid a only when the adult is present.

Of course not, your child might be getting a double espresso behind your back!

Yes. And she would be able to handle it without any issues.

My daughter at 8 was like a mini adult. I did send her in to pick up take out. My son at 8 is like a 4 yr old and would get distracted by the color of the floor tile. He doesn’t get to go anywhere alone.

Same here.

Yes I would. My dc is autistic and for god's sake I watch her for safety purposes but she needs to gain life skills and the confidence to navigate through life knowing one day she will not be living at home. Our children need the confidence that they can do things on their own - and they need their parents to gauge what they can handle at their age/maturity level.