# Is 7 too young to walk to school??



## sam h (11 Sep 2008)

The reason I ask is because the kids came home with a leaflet from the RSA & the very first topic is :

_*Walking to School*_
_Children under 7 should not cross roads on their own. They can not decide how fast a car is or how far away it is. They should be taken to school by a responsible adult._

So, they seem to imply under sevens should be walked and over 7 should be capable of doing it on their own.

I have a 7 year old. He's a smart cookie, attentive, knows how to cross the road. The school is only around the corner and there is a lollipop lady at the main road.....BUT I would NEVER let him do it on his own!! It's not just the crossing of the road but you never know what perverts are around.

Of course, now the kids have seen the leaflet, they think it would be a great idea for us to let them off on their own. 

What age do any of you think they should be going on their own? I know everyone is different, one kid has been going on his own since 1st class & his mum is a teacher.


----------



## purplealien (11 Sep 2008)

I have the same situation as you - The school is only around the corner and there is a lollipop lady at the main road. My child is only six and i dont think ill leave him walk it until he is 11 and only if there is a group of them. I was walking to school by the time i turned seven, but there is a big difference from when i was a kid and being a kid today - too many frightening stories out there !!


----------



## FredBloggs (11 Sep 2008)

Personally I wouldn't let my children walk to school on their own at 7.  And my parents would have a heart attack if I did.  Yet when I was 7 I was walking to school - in fact I started walking at 5 years.  (and we lived a mile from the school and when I was 5 I had to go across a wooded area to get to the road home  )  Probably underlines how things have changed.

A lot depends on the child too - how street wise they are (I wasn't by the way).


----------



## dereko1969 (11 Sep 2008)

have things actually changed or has our perception of them changed due to the constant media stories of kids being abused/kidnapped? even though these things are thankfully very very rare the exposure these few incidents receive is way out of proportion to their occurences (in a mathematical sense, i'm not saying they shouldn't receive attention).
i think if the school is around the corner and there is a lollipop person there then the kids are safe to walk there on their own.


----------



## FredBloggs (11 Sep 2008)

I think its probably our perception of things.  I heard someone interviewed in the last week or so and he said that we now have 24 hour news channels bringing us every detail on for example the Madeline McCann case.  He said bad things happened years ago but there wasn't the same in your face publicity about it so we felt safer.
What has changed is the traffic.  There is no way I would allow my children walk along the road I used walk because of the volume of traffic.

I know the school the  Op talks about is just around the corner and there is a lollipop lady but I would still feel a 7 year old was too young to walk alone to school


----------



## cole (11 Sep 2008)

FredBloggs said:


> ...in fact I started walking at 5 years. (and we lived a mile from the school and when I was 5 I had to go across a wooded area to get to the road home ) Probably underlines how things have changed.


 
I think it's about perception. It's hard to get to my local school because of all the cars dropping kids off. That said I won't allow my 10 year old to walk to school yet (he'd have to cross over a bridge on the M50 with two slip roads). I'll consider it next year though.


----------



## sam h (11 Sep 2008)

> I know the school the Op talks about is just around the corner and there is a lollipop lady but I would still feel a 7 year old was too young to walk alone to school


 
I'm not suggesting I will allow my 7yr old walk to school....I reckon 4th Class will be time enough....by which time he will be 9/10.

I'm just really surprised at the Road Safety Authority implying that 7 and over may be OK to wlak to school without a parent.

I also agree that "yesteryear" wasn't necessarily safer, people just heard less "problems" and/or turned a blind eye.  At the same time, I don't want my kids to grow up fearful of everything.....but they'll have to put up with me walking them to school for a while longer!!


----------



## FredBloggs (11 Sep 2008)

Sam h - I think you have it spot on.  4th class will definitely be time enough.  We only allowed our oldest walk at that stage and even then it was under pretty controlled situations - ie school finishes at 2.20 you should be home by 2.45. 

Wonder would those on the RSA allow their children to walk alone to school at 7?


----------



## theresa1 (11 Sep 2008)

The answer is Yes!


----------



## Bubbly Scot (12 Sep 2008)

I won't let my nine year old walk the few yards from the car to the school but that's because of traffic. Even under the OP's circumstances I wouldn't let a seven year old do it. Again this is because of traffic but also because I want to be sure she is where she should be, once I put her in the gate she is not allowed to leave again without me or a teacher. If she walked to school alone and something happened it might be 3pm before I knew anything was wrong.

I used to walk alone, across roads, through woods but I agree with the others above, it's not that more bad things are happening, it's that we are more aware now that they do.

Used to ride my bike for hours and come home when only when it got too dark too!


----------



## ophelia (12 Sep 2008)

Wasn't there some kind of study performed on young children and roadcrossing. It came to the conclusion that a child has to be aged 11 or older to have the perception of speed and distance when it comes to approaching cars.
I certainly would not let a seven year old walk to school alone (around the corner or not).
Having said that my parents let us three walk 2 and a half miles to school, in rural Ireland in the sixties, when we were aged 4, 5 and 7!!
Not alot of traffic then, but distinctly remember meeting a fair number or weirdos on route.


----------



## j26 (12 Sep 2008)

I do remember walking a mile to and from school in a town when I was 7, but sadly I think the world has changed, and the car is king.  I walk my 3 year old to the creche (only 4-5 mins walk) and I'm looked on as a bit of a leper by the laydees in their Chelsea tractors.  No harm - I enjoy it, and am teaching her that you don't get ferried everywhere, and that you don't melt in the rain.

  I think about 9-10 would be okay age to be walking to school depending on the child.  Remember, the child wants to get on with his/her own life, and grow up.  Children don't grow up with their parents around - they need to do their own thing, so let them walk as early as you think they are able.


----------



## MrMan (12 Sep 2008)

> My child is only six and i dont think ill leave him walk it until he is 11 and only if there is a group of them.



Is that not over cautious and smothering development not to mind embarrassing the life out of him, if I had to wait till I was 11 to walk to school and only with a group I think I would have gone mad. Molly coddling kids isn't doing them any favours.


----------



## purplealien (12 Sep 2008)

MrMan said:


> Is that not over cautious and smothering development not to mind embarrassing the life out of him, if I had to wait till I was 11 to walk to school and only with a group I think I would have gone mad. Molly coddling kids isn't doing them any favours.


 
I'd prefer to be over cautious than god forbid something happen to him. Nobody in our park lets their kids walk to school and im on about 9 - 12 year olds. All the kids are dropped to school and when im dropping my kids to school in the morning ive only ever seen one group of children from our whole estate (2000) houses walking to school. Whether the kids are too lazy to walk or not i dont know know but it just doesnt seem to be the done thing anymore. In my case, why i said 11 is because his brother is 2 years younger than him so he will want to walk with him.  I think at 9 and 11 they should be safe enough because they will be together, but if the 11 yr old was sick, i would not let the 9 year old walk on his own to school.


----------



## Blossy (12 Sep 2008)

i think seven is a bit young,but when they are older and there is a group of them the 9-10 is ok i reckon, i know myself, id prob follow in the bushes just to make sure he ok for the first few mornings haha!! , would prob be more embarrassing for him tho if i got caught! in our estate the older kids used to walk the younger ones, so you werent uncool, cos its wasnt your mom, but u were still being walked!!


----------



## tara83 (12 Sep 2008)

I would have to agree with Mr Man.  There are of course risks attached to everything but I think it is a parent's role to educate children on this and allow to a certain amount of freedom.  If a school was a short walk I would think 9 or 10 would be fine.


----------



## dereko1969 (12 Sep 2008)

purplealien said:


> Nobody in our park lets their kids walk to school and im on about 9 - 12 year olds. All the kids are dropped to school and when im dropping my kids to school in the morning ive only ever seen one group of children from our whole estate (2000) houses walking to school.


how far are you from the school itself? the whole issue of parents driving their children to schools very nearby just increases the traffic jams in this country leading to longer rush-hour*s* and is helping to lead to severe childhood obesity levels, whatever about walking your kids to school driving kids to schools around the corner just doesn't make sense.


----------



## AriesWoman (12 Sep 2008)

I think 7 is too young to be walking to school unsupervised but I also agree with dereko1969 that parents driving kids to school increases traffic (for other road users and kids who are walking to school). Surely the parents who drive the kids to a school which is 5 minutes down the road could walk the kids to school. On my route to work I regularly see a lady walking her daughter to school and she also has the dog on a lead with her so mum, daughter and doggie all get exercise at the same time.

Also there were always perverts around but with 24 hour news channels and the internet we are more aware of possible dangers. My mother told me a few years ago about an something that happened her when she was cycling home from school one day. She is from a rural part of the country and was cycling home from the nearest town (about 6 miles away). She saw a guy who was known locally to be "a bit peculiar" and would "flash" at kids. Anyway this particular day mum happened to be on her own and she saw this guy hanging around. There were a few boys from the Christian Brothers school in the same town just behind her on their bikes as well so she slowed down till they caught up with her. Nothing happened with the guy but as mum says he probably wouldn't do anything when there was a few of them. She was about 12 at the time and is now 80 so it goes shows there were always perverts out there.


----------



## TarfHead (12 Sep 2008)

My son turned 8 in June and is, only recently, allowed to go to the shops by himself. This involves crossing 2 roads in a residential estates. He may have been ready for that degree of independence before now, but we weren't . 2 classmates of his who live nearby are, this term, allowed to walk to school together by themselves.

I believe that the threat of '_stranger danger_' is overblown. Are statistics available for incidents reported to the Gardai of adults approaching unaccompanied children, or worse ?

A German friend of my wife, whose kids are similar ages to our own, believes that Irish parents are paranoid and over-protective in this respect. It's hard to argue with her when the 'facts' aren't available ?


----------



## lightup (12 Sep 2008)

sam h said:


> :
> _*Walking to School*_
> _Children under 7 should not cross roads on their own. They can not decide how fast a car is or how far away it is. They should be taken to school by a responsible adult._
> 
> So, they seem to imply under sevens should be walked and over 7 should be capable of doing it on their own.


 
Stating that under 7 year olds should not walk to school does not imply that over 7 year olds should be capable of walking to school.  It implies what it says -  that children under 7 do not have the capacity to judge oncoming traffic.  Those over 7 may or may not have the other abilities required to walk on their own.


----------



## ramble (12 Sep 2008)

There are a lot more normal people than weirdos.  At school time, near the school there will be lots of nomal parents and kids.  A child over 7 should be ok (depending on the chilld) to walk to school on a well travelled route with no road to cross.   When my third child was born my older 2 were 8 and 5, the youngest was ill and i couldn't bring her outside so the older 2 had to walk to school, 10 minute walk, one road to cross.  Lots of other kids were walking and parents driving.  I metioned to a few other parents that my kids would be walking on their own and they were more than happy to keep an eye out. They are now teenagers and wouldn't dream that a lift to school would be a possibility (20 min walk).  Kids need a bit of freedom, if they are always watched they will grow up expecting there to be someone else responsible for them at all times and not be willing to take responsibilty for themselves.


----------



## aircobra19 (12 Sep 2008)

All good points above. 

I'd add that even where there no majors roads, these days, traffic even in housing estates, small roads is usually speeding, very agressive, and largely unpoliced. So whereas 15yrs ago, someone would stop and let you cross, these days thats unlikely to happen. Even as an adult its far harder to cross a road these days. Even walking along side a road is more hazardous. Only last week a car in our estate lost control crossed a grass verge to hit 3 or 4 cars in a slip road. Thats on a road with a 30 limit, and on a blind corner. I'd also add that some of the junctions and road crossings are very badly designed these days. Which doesn't help.


----------



## aircobra19 (12 Sep 2008)

ramble said:


> ...Kids need a bit of freedom, if they are always watched they will grow up expecting there to be someone else responsible for them at all times and not be willing to take responsibilty for themselves.


 
Thats a good point too.


----------



## purplealien (12 Sep 2008)

Maybe if there was a system in place where parents would volunteer their time to walk a bunch of kids to school in the mornings - one parent could do monday morning and another another day etc - it would cut down on alot of traffic in the mornings


----------



## tara83 (12 Sep 2008)

"Maybe if there was a system in place where parents would volunteer their time to walk a bunch of kids to school in the mornings - one parent could do monday morning and another another day etc - it would cut down on alot of traffic in the mornings"
Heard of that before - think it's called a walking bus or something like that


----------



## TarfHead (12 Sep 2008)

tara83 said:


> .. think it's called a walking bus or something like that


 
A great idea, if enough people buy into it. A group of parents of children at an Educate Together, local to me, do a form of this. They all meet at a point about a mile from the school, not necessarily near their homes, and walk the kids to school along a path seperated from road traffic. From my own experience, a child walked to school is far more awake and alert starting class than one stumbling out of a car.


----------



## michaelm (12 Sep 2008)

sam h said:


> I have a 7 year old. He's a smart cookie, attentive, knows how to cross the road. The school is only around the corner and there is a lollipop lady at the main road.....BUT I would NEVER let him do it on his own!!


I have three in primary school (5, 7 & 8). They get the bus in and out, but on a Friday we let the 7 & 8 year old walk home.  There are about eight roads, mostly estates but also shop (where they pop in to spend a euro) and petrol station - one lollipop lady and one set of pedestrian lights en route.  It takes them about half an hour.  Kids have to learn to do stuff and get about but it's often hard to give them freedom for fear for their safety.





purplealien said:


> Maybe if there was a system in place where parents would volunteer their time to walk a bunch of kids to school in the mornings - one parent could do monday morning and another another day etc - it would cut down on alot of traffic in the mornings


Like a Walking Bus?


----------



## SarahMc (17 Sep 2008)

Probably too young to walk to school, as so few people do, that roads are busy and very few other children about.

Walking home is a different matter, as there is a stream of children walking home at the same time, and lots walking home with parents.


----------



## Caveat (17 Sep 2008)

I walked to school at 7 (late 70s this was) - it was only a 10 minute walk though, with a lollipop lady at the only crossing.  I think most other kids of that age walked too.


----------



## aircobra19 (17 Sep 2008)

So did I back then. But the same road now is about 100 times busier and theres more bigger junctions to cross now.


----------



## FredBloggs (17 Sep 2008)

FredBloggs said:


> Personally I wouldn't let my children walk to school on their own at 7. And my parents would have a heart attack if I did. Yet when I was 7 I was walking to school - in fact I started walking at 5 years. (and we lived a mile from the school and when I was 5 I had to go across a wooded area to get to the road home ) Probably underlines how things have changed.
> 
> A lot depends on the child too - how street wise they are (I wasn't by the way).


 
further to my earlier post and since this thread started my parents have discovered my 12 year old walks to school and absolutely freaked!!  when I pointed out that I'd walked to school at 5 and for part of my journey through woods on my own they said that they weren't aware of all the weirdos that are out there!

As it is where my 12 year old walks is fairly straightforward, lots of people about, loads going that way to the school.  But there are three roads to cross - though only one is major - and as I posted earlier I'd be more worried about the traffic than anything else.   But you can't keep your kids in cotton wool.... (though 7 is definitely too young to walk to school)


----------



## Caveat (17 Sep 2008)

FredBloggs said:


> further to my earlier post and since this thread started my parents have discovered my 12 year old walks to school and absolutely freaked!!


 
A definite overreaction IMO.  At 12 I was cycling through busy roads all the time, camping miles from home, conducting 'dangerous' experiments with chemistry sets ... and the rest 

But maybe it's just changed times, new paranoias, justified fears etc etc as has been said.


----------



## aircobra19 (17 Sep 2008)

Grand parents eh?


----------



## purplealien (18 Sep 2008)

dereko1969 said:


> how far are you from the school itself? the whole issue of parents driving their children to schools very nearby just increases the traffic jams in this country leading to longer rush-hour*s* and is helping to lead to severe childhood obesity levels, whatever about walking your kids to school driving kids to schools around the corner just doesn't make sense.


The school is 1 kilometre away - i agree with everything you say.


----------



## my2leftfeet (19 Sep 2008)

I would think 7 is too young to walk - even if our little un was with a friend I would not be happy for them to tackle 2 main roads [one with lollipop lady] themselves. Its a short enough walk [10 mins] - which we do 2 -3 days per week - but i think it would be quite a few years before we would let her go solo - i.e. at least 5.


----------



## jazzhead (19 Sep 2008)

yes, seven is to young


----------



## jwestave (20 Sep 2008)

personally I dont let my children walk to school unless they with an older brother or sister or someone over the age of 11.


----------



## Hamek (20 Sep 2008)

It all depends on the child. Some children are smarter, generally more alert and adhere to instructions better than other kids; even those older than them. You will be suprised that some teenagers still need to be supervised closely while some 7 yr olds can be trusted to carry out simple tasks with minimal supervision. You will usually know when your child is ready and able to do stuff. Sometimes, they bring up the ideas (i.e walking to school on their own) by themselves. Naturally as parents, we tend to worry, but really that's what parents do even when your child is 50, u still worry anyway. But when a child is ready and able to do things, don't hold them back or deny them the chance otherwise you ll end up lowering their confidence in themselves. It's also easier when there are 2 or more. You know they ve got one-another's  backs covered.


----------



## cleverclogs7 (21 Sep 2008)

my daughter is 8 and we live about 200 meters from the school.we have to cross a small road.even at 8 i wont let her walk alone.your right about perverts.but i think it also depens on how mature the child is.7 AND 8 IS TOO YOUNG.REGARDLESS OF CROSSING THE ROAD OR NOT.


----------

