What age is appropriate to let your kids walk home from school alone? There are a couple kids in my neighborhood I see coming back with backpacks totally alone (no friends no siblings no adult). It makes me nervous.... not for the older ones, but some of these guys look like they are in kindergarten. I personally wouldn't let a 5 y/o walk home alone... I always watch from my window when I see them to make sure they are okay, LOL!!! Ugh!! Where are the parents/babysitter anyway, because I'm pretty sure you are not allowed to leave a 5yo alone in a house, so why are they not having someone pick them up from school??

I'm not trying to be paranoid or judgmental...! I just worry when I see kids that little wandering around the neighborhood by themselves.

Completely understand what you are saying. Same goes in my neighborhood, although I usually see the young ones with an older sibling. We only live a couple of blocks from ds school, but I still worry about him sometimes when he is walking to and from school. My older dd has a long ways to walk and it always concerns me. My youngest (6), we drive him and pick him up every day. The other two kids often catch a ride in the mornings with the youngest one, but they have to walk home as he is out of school earlier than they are. I'd have a hard time letting my child walk by themselves until they are probably in Grade 4 or 5. Guess I'm just paranoid.

I have thought the same thing when I have seen little kids walking past our house on the way home from school. There is no way I would let my 5 year old walk the streets alone. I'm not sure where the law stands on this - it seems odd that the law over here dictates that a child under 14 years old cannot be at home alone but it seems to be acceptable for even really little children to walk the streets alone. My 5 year old has only been at school since the middle of March - so I still walk him right up to his classroom door and pick him up there at the end of the school day (most of the other mothers seem to do the same thing at this age).

I don't know what age I would let mine walk alone like that, as I've not been faced with it. But I am certain I would not let my 5 yr old! Not sure about my 7 yr old...*my* 7 yr old at least. So I guess that puts me in that 4th/5th grade camp too.

Good for you Cheese for keeping an eye on the little tikes :) I would too. Maybe even making it a point to go for a walk with my yahoos around that time so an adult would be OUTside.

I think it would depend on where you live and your child...We live in the city...no way jose!!!!

I think it would depend on where you live and your child...We live in the city...no way jose!!!!

I completely agree!!

There was a boy that got hit by a car just a few weeks ago at a local school... and I have heard similar stories from my friends... there's just too much chaos sometimes. It's not like it was a drunk or speeding issue... the kids are okay, but man!

I do know some moms who live pretty close to the school and they let their kids walk...

I just started letting Aiden (a new 9) cross the street by himself this year... 3rd grade

We just started letting Eric walk home from school this year, and he turned 8 in February. As the weather turned warmer, he was on his bike. He was really thrilled with being able to go to and from school by himself; made him feel like a big kid for sure. That being said, we live in a reasonably safe suburban area.

Well Rachel is now 20 but when she was 14 a freshman in high school she asked to walk home seeing we've always dropped off & picked up [halo]
Anyways, as she was walking a car pulled over to talk to her it had 3 guys :twisted: Well one got out tried to pull her in she yelled grabbed her phone out they saw the phone they drove off.
We live in the nice part of town, goes to show you it happens anywhere!
THAT'S THE LAST TIME SHE WALKED HOME...WE REPORTED IT!!!