Whats a good age to let your kids walk to school by themselves?

Question

My daughter is 10 years old and she crosses 2 short roads before getting home. Its only a 6 minute walk.

Answer 1

It would depend on if you think she is ready to start walking by herself. Do you let her go outside by herself ride up and down the street on her bike, etc.?

I have a 9 year old and I just now started let them go in the backyard by themselves, but there is no way I would let them start walking to school at that age.

I might if they were older, but then again if I am home why should they have to walk to school alone if I am a SAHM??

Answer 2

It depends on how busy the road is. I would let my children walk on their own if the road was safe. I let my own daughter walk to school at 10.
By the way, there has never been an increase in paedophiles - the same number of children get murdered now as then. The media have made us more aware. But the statistics are the same. I am much more frightened of my daughter being run over by a car then being snatched off the street. These things happen, yes, but last year a little girl was snatched form her bath and raped. You have to keep things in perspective. Kids need to learn how to cross roads by themselves and how to get along on their own.

Answer 3

At this day and age even a 6 minute walk can be dangerous....My daughter is 9 yrs old & I already have plans to drive her to and from school all the way through high school, but I'm a little overprotective. I don't want to come home to a missing child or an child that was attacked.

But like I said, I'm overprotective. Some children in my daughters school are walking by themselves at 9-10 yrs old.

Answer 4

I was walking to school with my sister's in 6th grade and my older sister (by one year) and my younger sister (by 2 years). But it wasn't too far away, maybe 3 - 4 blocks around a corner. It was a safe neighborhood. Can you see her the entire trip? This day in age it only takes a minute for a kid to get snatched. I would love to say only a 6 minute walk everything should be fine, but there are too many pedophiles out there looking for an open door and I'd hate to advise you to open it for them. Trust in you child, maybe a cell phone or a whistle to carry with her for safety as she cannot carry anything to school with her for protection. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Hi, I would say she should walk with a you or at least a friend, not alone. 9-10 is the age most parents start to give their children a little more independence and freedom, but it is also unfortunately the age that most girls are preyed upon. A good rule would be for her not to walk alone...walking is ok for exercise, but we want to keep our girls safe, right?

Answer 6

well my kid is 7 and I drive her, but alot of kids walk that are younger then her. I dont' know about alone. Kid alone tend to be VERY catious. It is cute, they stop at all the roads and totally refuse to go when you stop for them. Kids walk to bus stops alone at grade 1. Personally, I would wait till 10 or 11 or 35, lol. But no, we like to keep them safe.. but in reality... they need to be trusted. In two years she is old enough to babysit. I would say this year or next to walk to school

Answer 7

My mom had me walking since 3rd grade. I complained a lot. I wasn't overweight at all, it was just a pain in the butt to have to walk when it was super cold or 100 degrees outside and she didn't have any good reason not to drive the 1 minute to pick me up/drop me off.

Answer 8

In this day and age is there ever a good age? Make sure your daughter never walks alone.

Answer 9

That sounds fine. I walked to and from school when I could since I was 6.

Answer 10

I cringe when I see children walking alone on the street because they do NOT have the ability to defend themselves against someone (usually a deviant) trying to harm them.

I wish you and your child well.