How old before your kids can walk to school alone?
I know it is dependent on a few things (distance, crossing roads, etc), but I'm curious what the general consensus is here on CP. Google suggests somewhere in the 9/10/11/12 range, which seems a little high considering I probably walked to school by myself starting in grade 1 or 2 (i.e. 6 or 7 years old). However, I also appreciate that societal standards (and parental paranoia) have also changed over time.
On a side note, I'm also curious how many kids take the bus to school (i.e. elementary or junior high). We're looking at moving and the ability for our kids to walk to school seems like a major plus for me.
Both my kids take the bus. They're in grades 1 and 2. In the afternoon we meet up with them at the stop because they have to cross a decently busy street. Lots of other parents don't but their kids are in grades 3 and up. We'll see about next year.
We're outside the walking area though we have ridden our bikes a couple times.
I was walking to the bus stop by myself whenever one of my Grandmas wasn't staying with us so that would've been as early as first grade I'm pretty sure (I can't remember my parents ever walking me to the bus).
My little sister didn't go alone until the 3rd grade but her bus stop was a decent ways away for a kid and across a busy residential street without any controlled intersections near by.
My kids will be driving themselves to kindergarden.
My kids are 8 and walk themselves, but they just have to walk across a field to get to school. I'd say they were fine this year walking themselves as long as they didn't have to cross a busy road themselves, which we're just starting to let them do alone.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
I think I started walking alone to school/bus stops middle of both grade 1 or 2 (Moved cities, so the parents walked with me a few days the first week to acclimatize me and allow them to know the path I would take to and from school).
However, I don't think I was allowed to stray from school to home path (or baby sitter) until Jr High. If going to a friend's place, I had to go home first, drop off my bag to signify I had been home/leave a note w/ friend name, (+address and phone number if it's one they had not heard of before), before making my way to the friend's place. Again, I could not stray from path of home to friend's place and vice versa.
This however was in an era pre-cell phone, where perhaps a text message or phone call to pinpoint where exactly I was and/or wouldn't panic if they couldn't find me right away or if I didn't show up 1 hour+ after where I was supposed to be. I think I forgot to drop off my stuff once after school, went to the neighbors' place and my parents wandered the path between home and school for 45 minutes. They then went home, called around and discovered I was only 30 feet away playing video games... 2 hours after I was supposed to have returned home.
To the parents that let their kids walk to and from school by themselves, are they staying home until you get home from work as well?
I am thinking of letting my oldest son walk to school himself in September 2017 (he will be 8 turning 9 that November). He would be home by himself for about 60-90 minutes.
To the parents that let their kids walk to and from school by themselves, are they staying home until you get home from work as well?
I am thinking of letting my oldest son walk to school himself in September 2017 (he will be 8 turning 9 that November). He would be home by himself for about 60-90 minutes.
For me I wouldn't let them leave on their own (my son might stay home all day!), but he comes home and no one is there for a while and its not a big deal.
The Following User Says Thank You to Slava For This Useful Post:
They left me home alone all the time as a little kid. I remember many nights crying cause my mom went to get groceries and she was gone longer than however much patience a little kid has.
To the parents that let their kids walk to and from school by themselves, are they staying home until you get home from work as well?
I am thinking of letting my oldest son walk to school himself in September 2017 (he will be 8 turning 9 that November). He would be home by himself for about 60-90 minutes.
My kids have stayed at home alone from 3ish till 4:30ish if my wife have to work late.
We did a "Home Alone" course for both. It was a good course, all about fashioning weapons and booby-traps from household products.
__________________
Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Corporal Jean-Marc H. BECHARD, 6 Aug 1993
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to undercoverbrother For This Useful Post:
Used to ride my bike (with my brothers) to school from ECS on up. It was probably a 15 min ride. Can't remember the winters honestly. Parents must have driven us.
How old before your kids can walk to school alone?
