What age to let kids walk home on own?
Jul 15th 2011, 3:40 am
#46
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
Can't imagine anyone pays $100 to go somewhere very public to nick a kid, and then has to get them all the way out of the park
Jul 15th 2011, 9:55 am
#47
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Location: NJ for work..... Hawaii and Marbella for fun.....
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
Disneyland etc are probably full of security cameras so probably not the best place for kidnapping children.
Not that I would leave my kid alone when I went to the bathroom....
Not that I would leave my kid alone when I went to the bathroom....
Jul 15th 2011, 10:14 am
#48
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
My kids are 11 and 13. I've been spared these sorts of descisions so far because we've lived in rural areas where we were too far from anything to walk anywhere anyway. When I look back at the things I did and places I went and distances I traveled (usually on my bike) as a kid I'm really kind of shocked I was allowed to do it. And I always considered my Mom overprotective!
I remember once encountering a man who was stumbling drunk, I was 10(ish) at the time. He was trying to climb a ladder into the window of a second floor apartment. He'd get a few steps up the ladder and fall off. Of course, I stood nearby to watch the show.
He finally came over to me and slurred, "Boy, I've locked myself out of my apartment. If you go in there and let me in the door I'll give you a dollar." Now, having been constantly warned by my parents about talking to strangers, and bearing in mind this was probably just the sort of man and situation they were thinking of as they were doing it, I grabbed the dollar and up the ladder I went.
Even though my boy is 13, just under 5'10" and 150 pounds, having grown up in rural areas he's just not savvy about things like this. Even though I've told him since he was little about answering the door, talking to people on the phone, strangers etc... I would still worry if he were out and about by himself. It's kind of silly I guess, in another 2-3 years he's going to be driving and working, FFS.
And really despite every precaution you can take, wasn't that girl (Forgot her name) snatched right out of her bed?
I remember once encountering a man who was stumbling drunk, I was 10(ish) at the time. He was trying to climb a ladder into the window of a second floor apartment. He'd get a few steps up the ladder and fall off. Of course, I stood nearby to watch the show.
He finally came over to me and slurred, "Boy, I've locked myself out of my apartment. If you go in there and let me in the door I'll give you a dollar." Now, having been constantly warned by my parents about talking to strangers, and bearing in mind this was probably just the sort of man and situation they were thinking of as they were doing it, I grabbed the dollar and up the ladder I went.Even though my boy is 13, just under 5'10" and 150 pounds, having grown up in rural areas he's just not savvy about things like this. Even though I've told him since he was little about answering the door, talking to people on the phone, strangers etc... I would still worry if he were out and about by himself. It's kind of silly I guess, in another 2-3 years he's going to be driving and working, FFS.
And really despite every precaution you can take, wasn't that girl (Forgot her name) snatched right out of her bed?
Jul 15th 2011, 12:06 pm
#49
Queen of my house
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 5,043
Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
My kids are 11 and 13. I've been spared these sorts of descisions so far because we've lived in rural areas where we were too far from anything to walk anywhere anyway. When I look back at the things I did and places I went and distances I traveled (usually on my bike) as a kid I'm really kind of shocked I was allowed to do it. And I always considered my Mom overprotective!
I remember once encountering a man who was stumbling drunk, I was 10(ish) at the time. He was trying to climb a ladder into the window of a second floor apartment. He'd get a few steps up the ladder and fall off. Of course, I stood nearby to watch the show. He finally came over to me and slurred, "Boy, I've locked myself out of my apartment. If you go in there and let me in the door I'll give you a dollar." Now, having been constantly warned by my parents about talking to strangers, and bearing in mind this was probably just the sort of man and situation they were thinking of as they were doing it, I grabbed the dollar and up the ladder I went.
Even though my boy is 13, just under 5'10" and 150 pounds, having grown up in rural areas he's just not savvy about things like this. Even though I've told him since he was little about answering the door, talking to people on the phone, strangers etc... I would still worry if he were out and about by himself. It's kind of silly I guess, in another 2-3 years he's going to be driving and working, FFS.
And really despite every precaution you can take, wasn't that girl (Forgot her name) snatched right out of her bed?
I remember once encountering a man who was stumbling drunk, I was 10(ish) at the time. He was trying to climb a ladder into the window of a second floor apartment. He'd get a few steps up the ladder and fall off. Of course, I stood nearby to watch the show.
He finally came over to me and slurred, "Boy, I've locked myself out of my apartment. If you go in there and let me in the door I'll give you a dollar." Now, having been constantly warned by my parents about talking to strangers, and bearing in mind this was probably just the sort of man and situation they were thinking of as they were doing it, I grabbed the dollar and up the ladder I went.Even though my boy is 13, just under 5'10" and 150 pounds, having grown up in rural areas he's just not savvy about things like this. Even though I've told him since he was little about answering the door, talking to people on the phone, strangers etc... I would still worry if he were out and about by himself. It's kind of silly I guess, in another 2-3 years he's going to be driving and working, FFS.
And really despite every precaution you can take, wasn't that girl (Forgot her name) snatched right out of her bed?
Jul 15th 2011, 10:15 pm
#50
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Maryland
Posts: 485
Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
It's the pedo dream and where most of the abductions take place.
It was only a few years ago that Disney started doing background checks to see if their employees were sex offenders.
Grab a kid, cut and die hair in the bog, new shirt, kids unknown and out the park in minutes and no one will know for ages as there's hundred of adults with kids milling around.
It was only a few years ago that Disney started doing background checks to see if their employees were sex offenders.
Grab a kid, cut and die hair in the bog, new shirt, kids unknown and out the park in minutes and no one will know for ages as there's hundred of adults with kids milling around.
(rant over)
(goes back to to lurking)
Jul 15th 2011, 10:16 pm
#51
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
Disney have apparantly done background checks on all employees (not just park employees but office staff too) since 1998, and it was in place before that in California.
Background checks only work anyway if people have a prior conviction, Casey Anthony worked at Universal, you just never know.
Background checks only work anyway if people have a prior conviction, Casey Anthony worked at Universal, you just never know.
Jul 15th 2011, 11:20 pm
#52
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 0
Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
The big question is: what factors worry you the most? That he might be abducted/hurt, or do something stupid/dangerous? The former is an incredibly small risk, the latter depends entirely on the child's maturity and obedience.
If there are lots of other people taking their kids hom the same way, then try to get him to tag along with one of them every day.
If there are lots of other people taking their kids hom the same way, then try to get him to tag along with one of them every day.
Jul 16th 2011, 2:28 am
#53
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
I was out for dinner a few nights ago with my daughters best friends Mum. She was telling me that next school term, one day a week she won't be able to pick her daughter up from school and they are thinking of letting her walk home on her own. Apparantly, she won't be in the house alone for long, no more than 10 minutes.
She'll turn 9 in September. Her walk home is through a housing estate and doesn't cross any main roads, also lots of kids and parents walk that way too.
I was quite shocked, her daughter is quite timid and she admitted that if someone showed her kid a kitten she'd probably go over. Where as mine, would run like crazy, and I still wouldn't let my kid come home on her own.
Am I the crazy overprotective one who imagines bad things around every corner? What age did you let your kids walk home/stay home on their own?
She'll turn 9 in September. Her walk home is through a housing estate and doesn't cross any main roads, also lots of kids and parents walk that way too.
I was quite shocked, her daughter is quite timid and she admitted that if someone showed her kid a kitten she'd probably go over. Where as mine, would run like crazy, and I still wouldn't let my kid come home on her own.
Am I the crazy overprotective one who imagines bad things around every corner? What age did you let your kids walk home/stay home on their own?
With friends like you who needs enemy's hey? You go out for a meal with a 'friend' and then publish her private business all over a public internet forum. lets hope non of the pedophiles and child abductors you all speak of come on here and work out from all your previous posts where you live, not too tricky to find the school then is it!
Jul 16th 2011, 2:38 am
#54
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Posts: 22,105
Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
With friends like you who needs enemy's hey? You go out for a meal with a 'friend' and then publish her private business all over a public internet forum. lets hope non of the pedophiles and child abductors you all speak of come on here and work out from all your previous posts where you live, not too tricky to find the school then is it!
Jul 16th 2011, 5:18 am
#55
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
With friends like you who needs enemy's hey? You go out for a meal with a 'friend' and then publish her private business all over a public internet forum. lets hope non of the pedophiles and child abductors you all speak of come on here and work out from all your previous posts where you live, not too tricky to find the school then is it!
Jul 16th 2011, 7:48 pm
#56
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
I walked to school for several weeks when I was around 8-9 (I think 3rd grade). It was maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile to the school from my apartment complex, through a subdivision. Wasn't a big deal, until I noticed one day that the same car had traveled around the block and passed me by several times. Luckily I was pretty close to the school at the time I realized this and was able to run across the street and into the school parking lot. To this day I remember how scared I was. Who knows, it could have been nothing but a lost driver, but you just never know.
But I was coming home by myself after school for several hours when I was 11 and had just started middle school. There was no after school daycare, and the school did not provide a bus to my grandmothers house (I went there everyday in elementary school), so my parents had no option but to let me go home. By the time I was 12, my parents had taught me how to cook, so would have dinner on the table by the time they got home!
But I was coming home by myself after school for several hours when I was 11 and had just started middle school. There was no after school daycare, and the school did not provide a bus to my grandmothers house (I went there everyday in elementary school), so my parents had no option but to let me go home. By the time I was 12, my parents had taught me how to cook, so would have dinner on the table by the time they got home!
Jul 18th 2011, 4:38 pm
#57
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
With friends like you who needs enemy's hey? You go out for a meal with a 'friend' and then publish her private business all over a public internet forum. lets hope non of the pedophiles and child abductors you all speak of come on here and work out from all your previous posts where you live, not too tricky to find the school then is it!
Nothing I have said on here I didn't say to her face, I wouldn't have a problem showing her this thread. It's an interesting conversation topic, which is why I posted it. I'm genuinly interested if it's me who's over protective or if most people feel the same way as me.
Not sure what your problem is with me, but I've got no interest in playing your school yard games. You can go slag me off on facebook now and call me a retard again
Jul 18th 2011, 5:57 pm
#58
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
The friend is question is actually from LA and my daughter didn't go to the local school, so good look with that one.
Nothing I have said on here I didn't say to her face, I wouldn't have a problem showing her this thread. It's an interesting conversation topic, which is why I posted it. I'm genuinly interested if it's me who's over protective or if most people feel the same way as me.
Not sure what your problem is with me, but I've got no interest in playing your school yard games. You can go slag me off on facebook now and call me a retard again
Nothing I have said on here I didn't say to her face, I wouldn't have a problem showing her this thread. It's an interesting conversation topic, which is why I posted it. I'm genuinly interested if it's me who's over protective or if most people feel the same way as me.
Not sure what your problem is with me, but I've got no interest in playing your school yard games. You can go slag me off on facebook now and call me a retard again
Seriously?What a nice person this TraceyM is, with people like that, you surely don't need enemies....eh?
Last edited by AmerLisa; Jul 18th 2011 at 6:01 pm.
Jul 18th 2011, 7:12 pm
#60
WTF?
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Re: What age to let kids walk home on own?
wtf