Hey you parents! Do you allow your small child to go outside by themselves????

Question

The world is so filled with sickos and predators that I am afraid for small children today. I am only 31 and it wasn't that long ago that I was a small chld myself outside playing, but the world has changed drastically since then. I cringe everytime I see a young child outside playing alone.
Last week my god son's mother was about to send her 6 year old son to her car by himself with the keys to get something out of the backseat. I fussed at her because I didn't feel that this was safe. They live in an apartment complex and who knows what kind of sickos could be out there lurking waiting for a child with keys in hand to snatch and take away. She listened to me and escorted him out to the car but what if I wouldn't have been there? Do you think it is ok for young child to be outside alone?? Am I too paranoid?? All insite and opinions welcomed on this one.

Answer 1

I feel the same way. In my neighborhood kids are out all the time without adult supervision. They ride their bikes all the way around the subdivision, out of parents sight. I just can't do it. It occurs so much so that I feel like I'm odd because I don't set my kids loose to roam around. I just can't do it. Too many abductions happen these days in broad daylight and close to home. I always go out with my kids. Some of these kids are just 5, out on their own. I think it's crazy!!! I keep em close, where it's 100% safe. I don't take any chances.

Answer 2

I have just now started letting my 15 year old go to the car by herself in a parking lot. That's scary to me. I realize I may be WAY over protective but you are right there are to many sickos and perverts out there not to be concerned. I live in a very rural area and know all of my neighbors and I do let my 6 year old child play outside alone, but I check on him often and he knows where he's supposed to be. If I dont' see him and he's where he's not supposed to be he has to come back inside. He hates that so he usualy stays where he knows he can play. I also do let my children (at least 2 at a time ) walk to the bus stop or the mail boxes which are about a 1/2 mile from our house. We live on a dirt road and I know all of my neighbors so this isn't a major biggie with me. In a grocery store or like walmart my kids have to stay with me at all times. Sometimes I will let them look at books/magazines/toys but then the 4 of them stay together in that one area till I come back for them. The world today is a very scary place so I don't think it will hurt any of us being overprotectded or just a little paranoid.

Answer 3

I live in the country and maybe I have a fasle sense of safety, but I would probably send my daughter, Rylee out to the fenced in backyard to play by herself when she is 6 years old. Yet, if I lived in an apartment complex like your friend, I probably would escort the child to the car. It is a scary world. I remember riding my bike with friends way down the street from my house and didn't think anything of it. Yet, just like you, I am 31 and that was about 20 - 25 years ago and things have changed for the worst. You are not paranoid....

Answer 4

i agree with you! it is better to be overprotective on this issue then to end up being one of the statistics and having your baby abducted my daughter never goes outside alone! but i know what you mean i see 5 and 6 yr olds in my eighborhood playing with no parent in sight. it is so scary for me, and i end up keeping an eye on them as well. i couldn't imagine how it would feel if my child was taken! some people don't realize how dangerous this world really is. My friend was at a park and she saw a man and a little girl go in the bathrom. the little girl was crying and looked like she didn't want to go. she called the cops and went in and she said the man had all the little girl's clothes off! thank god she got there before anything else happened, but this is just one case!!! it can happen anywhere, anytime to any child! guard your children from the predators!!!! we have two great danes and a fenced in yard, and i still don't let her play outside by herself! call me paranoid or whatever, my daughter is safe!

Answer 5

Why take the chance???? Parents who let their young kids play outside by themselves are being lazy, they are taking a risk that their child could be paying the price for - they are in denial. Its like letting your cat outside - just because the cat has never been hit by a car before - doesnt mean it will not ever get hit by a car - these are things that generally can only happen once.

I know of a 3 yr old girl who was lured away through a back alley by a man who told her he had found her mommies purse - she went with him, luckily somebody saw this and he was caught immediately....

anyhow sickos can be anywhere, apartments, hotels, subburbs. Just because you havent had a warning about a child preditor in your area doesnt mean there isnt one.

Answer 6

I agree with your concerns. Better to be safe than sorry; your God Child's mother should stay with him while he is outside. Like you, I've also noticed parents who allow their 6 and under children roam the neighborhood alone. This is extremely scary to me - I just can't understand the logic in it at all. What are parent's thinking these days?

By the way I have 3 children one is 6 the others are older.

Answer 7

I live in a court so yes. There are 7 to 10 children out there at all times. Age ranging from 3 to 10. Mine know that when i'm not out there, to stay in our yard on the grass. I have a huge bay window and leave the front door open. if i have to go inside for a minute, i tell them hey girls, yard time.
But the lady across the street is a whole different ball park. She used to LOCK her kids out of the house. Crazy lady. CPS was called. It would not have been so bad if they were older. But her kids were 5 years and under. I think the youngest was 2 at the time. I think when they came in they found some other things going on as well. She lives there, but the kids don't. I dunno, i don't talk to her.

Answer 8

well my children are a bit older 7-10-12 I let them go outside by themselves but check on 7 year old frequently. They are not aloud to leave the yard without me to many things could happen if i don't know where they are . but too much sheltering they will be afraid of everything. I think six is old enough to run to the car in a safe neighborhood but only if mom is watching so make them feel grown up but actually know where they are.

Answer 9

my daughters are 9 and almost 4, my 9 yr old is allowed to play outside by herself, the 4 yr old is allowed to play outside with her sister or us, her parents but not alone. We live in a house though with large front windows so we can see everything if in the living room. We make it a point to be in the living room if the younger one is out with her sister. We used to live in an apartment, just a small one though, 4 units, and while i wouldn't let them play outside unsupervised for any length of time I would occasionally send the older one out to the car to get things if we needed to.

Answer 10

I would say it depends on the neighborhood. I don't think I would send a six-year-old alone to the parking lot of an apartment complex. But I live in a small, suburban neighborhood, in a single-family home in a quiet cul-de-sac. My five year old goes out to the mailbox to get the mail by herself. I don't let her play in the cul-de-sac alone, however. One of her big sisters (ages 11 and 16) has to be with her if she's outside playing.