Would you or Wouldn't you....

[rappites]

O.K. here is a little background.

Our six year old takes the bus to school. At the beginning of the school year we were walking with him to the corner and walking down to the corner to pick him up from the bus when it dropped him off after school. At the end of September or beginning of October. We started letting him walk down to the corner by himself and walk home by himself. He has been doing great at this by himself.

Well, my sister-in-laws are shocked that we let him do this. They think we should walk down to the corner with him everyday and and meet him there everyday.

They think that someone will take him.

What do you think? Would you let your six year old walk about a block down from your house to catch the school bus? Or would you walk down there with him everyday?

[TrixieB]

That depends on the circumstances and the kid. Can you see him all the way to the stop? Are there other kids that meet the bus there and can see him coming and going? Are there other houses around with neighbors that you trust would look out for your son? How mature is he? Not all six year olds can handle that kind of autonomy.

I have two nephews that are a year apart, but have very different personalities. One would handle it very well, while the other needs an adult there just for the security.

[Nostromo]

Six is pretty young, even for a mature six. There are many elements out of their control including traffic, and other children - older children in particular - who may be less than kind.

We were extremely lucky to be in a neighborhood close to our children's school.
We walked with them for as long as they could stand it. :) As they got older and safety was no longer, walking too and from school was a good opportunity to talk - find out what was going on in their lives.

N

[rappites]

We cannnot seee him at the corner from our house. there is a little girl with him at the bus stop. There are houses all the way to the corner. we live on a very busy street. He is very mature for six years old when he is by himself. If he has other children to influence him then that is another story.
It is only for three days a week. When I work on Thrusday and Friday. I take him to the bus stop. When it becomes warmer then we will all walk again. So, I guess you can say I do not want to take the time to dress my two year old and take him out in the cold for a couple of minutes to drop his brother off at the bus stop.

[neglet]

I'd say if your son is responsible for his age, and you've had the "stranger danger" talk and he knows what to do if someone were to drive up and talk to him, let him walk by himself. Heck, when I was his age I was walking half a mile to school by myself (usually with my head in a book, luckily there weren't many streets to cross). You know your neighborhood best, whether it's safe or not. Your in-laws don't live there, so don't let them pressure you.

p.s. Does your little one know the "stop, grab, and roll" method of escaping a grownup trying to grab him? I could attempt to describe it if you're interested.

[Kaeos]

I have to agree with some of the folks here. 6 is a bit young for my taste as well. Our middle son will be 6 next summer. I look at the older boys, 10 and 8, and I can't imagine at that age feeling safe with them out of my line of sight. Until they are physically on the bus and pulling away, I keep them - even the older ones in my range of vision.

But then, I am also one of those parents who proudly strapped a safety harness on all the kids up to age 3 whenever we go out. Life is too precious and this world is too fucked up to take chances with our kids.

[rappites]

I'd say if your son is responsible for his age, and you've had the "stranger danger" talk and he knows what to do if someone were to drive up and talk to him, let him walk by himself. Heck, when I was his age I was walking half a mile to school by myself (usually with my head in a book, luckily there weren't many streets to cross). You know your neighborhood best, whether it's safe or not. Your in-laws don't live there, so don't let them pressure you.

p.s. Does your little one know the "stop, grab, and roll" method of escaping a grownup trying to grab him? I could attempt to describe it if you're interested.


Well you could try. We have been thinking of getting him into some kind of martial arts class.

[UNCLEagent]

I've known dates to use the drop, grab, and roll technique. BA-DA-BOOM!!!!

I personally wouldn't have my son walking alone at 6, not because I wouldn't trust him; I don't trust the world coming at him.

I heard some psychologists explain that until they hit 10 or 11, their perceptory skills skills aren't fully developed and that they can't always fully comprehend the speeds of vehicles, distances etc. I don't know if all that is true. They seem to grasp it pretty well on the playing fields!

I'd have to say it's entirely subjective and go with how negs said it.

[Jakester]

When I started school, we lived just inside the "walker" zone, so I had to walk to school -- The bus would pick me up for kindergarten, but I still had to walk home. It was just under a mile each way two houses down was the mile mark. I had older (1st or 2nd grade) friends to walk home with, and when I hit first grade, I walked with them, but, sometimes, I remember walking both ways by myself. Strangely, I don't trust, as Unc says, the world.

Unrelated. I just took a huge slice out of my left index finger and now have a bandage on it. Typing is very difficult. I think it just halved my typing speed.

[rappites]

Unrelated. I just took a huge slice out of my left index finger and now have a bandage on it. Typing is very difficult. I think it just halved my typing speed.

To what? 3wpm.....:D






But, but,....I guess I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that I have to get my little one dressed and walking in this cold weather. Then having to come back home in the warm house. I guess I will start doing it. I really feel guilty now. :(

[neglet]

Well, you could always duct tape the little one to his bed while you walk the older one... :D


Okay, the grab, drop, and roll (easy to remember because it's like fire safety's stop, drop, and roll): when you practice this with your kid, make sure you have room to fall forward without hitting your head.

You start with your kid standing in front of you. You grab him with both arms. (Don't lift him off the floor, though, that requires a different countering technique.)

This is what he does:

1. Grab. He wraps both arms around you, or just one leg if that's all he can manage. This would surprise the bad guy.

2. Drop. He slides down your leg and drops to the ground. His arms should still be around your leg; he should drop to one side of you (left or right, not front or back); and he should wrap both legs around your ankles. Now you, the bad guy, can't move.

3. Roll. He should roll towards your front. This will trip the bad guy and put him on the ground. Then he should let go and run!

Most kids can pick this up very quickly, and I've seen little ones (5, 6 years old) bring down an adult with it. Make sure you practice it several times (practice the running away part, too) and he'll get it.

[rappites]

O.k. sounds good. We should have fun with this.


Well, this is my last week of watching the baby that I have been watching Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

You all have brought light to my eyes and as of next week me and my two year old will start walking him to the corner.

Like this morning I did not let him leave the house until I knew he would get to the corner when the bus should show up exactly. She can wait for him to get to the corner if he is running a little behind.

Thank you all for your input.

[Sgt. Awesome]

I was abandoned early as a child, my parents work in film so they had crazy hours. I had to bus (that's public transit) too and from school on my own from about age 10. My school was about two miles from my house.

My school had a great before and after school care program, so my parents could drive me to school on their way to work (at 6:30 in the morning) and pick me up twelve hours later, before we were all comfortable with me busing. That is something else you might want to look into as an option.