What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I just cant stop thinking about that innocent little boy from Brooklyn and his parents

I have no idea when I will allow my kids to go somewhere alone. I will be a nervous wreck until I get the call that they have arrived. I will probably follow them in my car without them knowing


In your opinion....what age is the "right" age to allow your children to walk or ride their biikes alone?

There are just so many sick people in the world today. It makes you never want to let them be alone.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Probably never .

DH and I were just talking about it this morning. We live in Brooklyn so I know it's probably more common for younger kids to walk to places nearby but I honestly don't know. There are horrible stories of kids being abducted almost everyday. It's terrifying. The one thing we did agree on was that we both thought 8 or 9 would still be too young for us to allow DD to walk home from school/camp.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

My niece just turned 10. She still gets picked up from school and it is about 5 blocks from her house.

I think I was in JHS when I was allowed to walk home by myself, and I think that is a reasonable age, 13ish.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Horrible story!

I am not sure, but 9 to me is too young...

I'm neurotic about this stuff, so I will have a hard time letting them do stuff like walking home alone.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

No.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

probably high school age.

or at least at an age when he totally understands the "If mommy and daddy tell you a plan LISTEN TO NO ONE else."

I don't know, but I feel like this little boy probably recognized his attacker and thought it was OK to go with him.

sweet mother mary. I cannot believe what happened to him.

it is just so scary. trying to protect and shield your child from monsters like this.

I mean, really...what goes through your mind as you are hacking 8-year-old limbs from a tiny body.

ETA: I want to add that this is a very common thing though. I walked to and from school with my younger siblings in my care at probably around 10 years old. but I was an "old" 10. in broad daylight, with so many people around...I mean that nabe is popping especially during the day. ugh. those poor parents.

Message edited 7/13/2011 11:38:49 AM.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I am not a mom but my mom once call me every day during one week that I had to walk home from work (3-4 blocks away). She did not let me hang up until I got inside my house. I was 24 and married lol so its ok that feeling would never go away.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

honestly i am not sure.
But i do know that in elemantry school i can remeber the exact age i *think* maybe 7 or8 we were not bused to school if we lived i think less than a mile a way. So i walked to school but it was always with friends and my brother. I did have to go to catholic school for 2 years cause my brother was going and i could not walk by myself to school
ETA: i also remember ridding bikes and walking every where with my friends at rather young age it was common and i guess at the time no big deal.

Message edited 7/13/2011 11:43:58 AM.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

NEVER after that story!

Its just so scary out there. I dont know why its so much different (or if it really is, and we were just living in ignorant bliss in the 80s) from when we were younger. Probably by 6th grade me and my friends were walking all over town. To school, to get ice cream, to each others houses, etc. and no one gave it a second thought.

Seriously, I dont know.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Never!

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I don't know. We have the upper elementary school in our neighborhood (grades 3-5), and I know that groups of kids walk over there from our side of the 'hood, but I don't think I'd be ok with it at that age. Our HS is also within walking distance, and I'm still not sure if I'll let DD walk there.

Ugh, that poor boy and his parents.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

well i think we all grew up in different times

i am only 26 and it amazes me and in such a little time things have changed. I was riding bikes by myself in elementary school and walked to school by myself in 6th grade crossing a major road!!!!

DH was navigating around NYC at 11 by himself. i dont think i would allow DD to do any of those things at those ages

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

If DD goes to the school I went to, it will be 6th grade. She has to cross ONE street with the crossing guard and then ONE street alone. She will only have to walk one block alone and I will probably just have someone stand on our corner and wait for her (like my Grandma did for me).

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

MAYBE once he's in 7th grade and that's bc we live two blocks away from the school. NEVER before then, EVER!

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I really don't think that we grew up in different times. I don't there are more child murderers in the world.

Adam Walsh made headlines when I was a small child. so did Eton Patz. I was just turned 4 when Eton was kidnapped, eerily similar to the way little Leiby was also kidnapped...his first time navigating the streets by himself.

Message edited 7/13/2011 12:05:24 PM.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I took the city bus to school and back by myself when I was 10 years old. I rode the train into the city by myself for the first time when I was 12..

NO WAY IN HELL can I picture myself allowing my children to do the same.

I don't know. This story hits too close to home (literally). I've always thought Borough Park was a safe place.. because if you "belong" you're one of many, and if you don't belong you stand out like a sore thumb and 50 people have noticed you before you even cross the street.

My heart goes out to that child's family.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

this is EXACTLY why I am all for human lojack!!!

but really, all we can do is teach. teach and pray pray pray.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

i think i was 12. BUT...i still chose to always walk with my friends. that was easy since we all lived on the same block in brooklyn. i think 8 is way too young. i feel so bad for those parents.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

DS is 8 and I drive him every morning and pick him up every afternoon from school. We live in a apartment complex and I see many kids DS age walking towards to entrance at the complex to wait for the bus. I just don't think its safe. I know just this past school year alone we got two separate letters in the mail alerting parents about men in cars trying to get kids to get in. Scary stuff.

The middle school is across the street from our apartments entrance and I still will walk with him or drive him. I just don't care. I rather be safe than sorry.

I would consider it in High school but we live far from the HS so walking there and back isn't even an option. Thank God.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Having grown up in and raising my own kids in Brooklyn this story kills me

i do remember walking to school in the 80's in 5th grade but my mom would literally have her head hanging out the window looking at the 5 blocks it too me to get there

It looks like this little boy did know this person.

what a horror

to answer your question:--I have no idea

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

After hearing about what happened to that poor little boy...probably not until Hs. On a side note I remember riding my bike to school in 2nd grade

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

Not until high school, and even then "alone" is a relative term. When I was in 11th grade one of my guy friends was attacked walking home from the mall by two guys trying to rob him of his backpack. He was by himself. It will ALWAYS be with another person.

I was allowed to walk home from middle school (8th grade, so I was like 13?) with my best friend.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I live in a very safe area where there's never been a story of abduction or harm to any child, but I still won't allow it while DD is a kid. I have the philosophy of "Better safe than sorry". That's why I still lock my house and car doors, even with the lack of break-ins in the area, and will continue to. It only takes one time. I don't know exactly how old I'll let DD be - maybe 13 or so?

ETA - I agree with PP tho, it will not be alone probably ever though. Even when she's in HS it should still be with a friend. i remember in college I still felt weird about walking at night alone because there WERE rapings there and other forms of violence.

Message edited 7/13/2011 12:48:10 PM.

Re: What age will you allow your DC to walk home from school/camp./wherever alone?

I never walked alone EVER. and i know I wouldnt let my dd walk alone. I always think of tragic stories like this one and im so damn paranoid. I rather be safe then sorry.