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At what age did you allow your children to play outside unsupervised?

Posted September 28, 2015 - 7:35pm

I'm not talking about the fenced in back yard, but crossing the street... going to neighbors backyards, etc.?

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beachcitymom

well...we just started that when my son was 11 but we live near the main busy street on a military base...even I have to be careful with crossing the street when walking our dog.


Hallz105

My kids are 5, 6 and 8.  We live on a dead end street with only 7 houses and I'm still not completely comfortable with letting my kids play outside alone.  I've let my oldest 2 go out of our driveway on ocassion for short periods of time with the neighbor kids who are the same age as my oldest 2.  They let their kids roam but they carry a two way radio, stick together and clearly follow their family's rules.  I sort of wish I was more comfortable with my kids doing the same but I just can't!


Your Kid's Table

I'm right there with you, although, my oldest is just coming up on 6. We also live on a cul de sac, and many of the neighbors with kids the same age allow their kids total freedom. I just don't get it.


CandyOvercaffed

Ugh. Never? People drive like idiots in this neighborhood, even though we live on a cul-de-sac. We often sit outside while the kiddos play and we aren't watching their every move. That's as close as we get right now.


Your Kid's Table

You guys are making feel better, I thought I was being overly strict! There will be plenty of time for that later.


CandyOvercaffed

Glad to know I'm not alone!


sunnykathleen

I think mine were about 10 when I felt sort of comfortable. It is nerve-wracking. We are in a nice neighborhood, but still we are only 7 miles from downtown Seattle and we are close to a bus route. You just never know who is wandering around.


Your Kid's Table

Right, you have to keep that stuff in mind all the time!


Mommy Ramblings

We live out in the country and on a private lake. The kids mainly just play in our yard. We do have another house on the lake 4 houses down from ours. Sometimes if I am swimming with them at that house and my older son who just turned 8 forgot his Kindle at our house, I will allow him to walk back to our house to get it. That only started very recently. They can ride their bikes up and down in front of both houses where I can see them but not around the lake by themselves. My kids are very cautions. 


Your Kid's Table

Oh my, that sounds lovely! My kids are cautious too, but we live in this little plan and they are too comfortable. They really respect the rules, but I'm not ready to give them that freedom.


justamom

Depending where we live. Cities I was definitely more protective, smaller towns I let them out around 8, they weren't allowed after dark until around 12.