more or less in response to this whole thread: we definitely are more protective/worried about the kids these days. Mine are both under five and the nearest park is across a major road. The rule is that they have to have an adult with them outside now and probably for a few more years, in large part because that's the way all the other moms on this quiet cul-de-sac articulated it when I moved in and only one has a child younger than my eldest. It's also that we found a baby copperhead in our driveway the first spring in this house. However, I will run in and out of the house, unloading groceries or visiting the bathroom with the 4 1/2 year old outside alone or with the toddler.
I can remember my mom being furious she had to pay for the schoolbus until I was in third grade and then railroading the principal on my younger siblings being allowed to walk home with me as soon as I was. I'm not sure I felt ready to walk home when I was younger than that, but then all the older neighbors took the bus at that point too. My siblings, otoh, never waited for me to 'pick them up' from their teacher, so I was always getting in trouble about that, but they felt just fine walking home on their own (~1.5miles).
I watch other kids at the playground and try to guess ages for when it'll be ok to let mine go alone. As far as the grocery store thing, it's nice around here in that if I notice or am noticed leaving kids in car while returning cart, the observer just tends to stand at their car and watch until mom is back, nod with a smile and continue on.
As far as being alone, I'm pretty sure that was legally defined where I grew up (chicago 'burbs), but that many people also ignored that. I know there were scandals about liquor cabinets being broken into during jr high, as the HS 'babysitters' were only to happy to join the party.
public transit was a default way of getting to and from school and in HS of visiting friends in the city proper.
As it is, I'm thought weird because my kids are ready for and asking their friends about sleepovers. Though the whole spending one night a week at the grandparents for years now when I taught in the evenings is undeniably a factor there.
Neighborhood girl I mentioned in other comment will probably try to transfer to same school we're trying to get ours into so we can share meet the bus duties/carpooling/etc until theirs is old enough to walk the neighborhood crew home.
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Date: 2010-09-20 08:41 pm (UTC)I can remember my mom being furious she had to pay for the schoolbus until I was in third grade and then railroading the principal on my younger siblings being allowed to walk home with me as soon as I was. I'm not sure I felt ready to walk home when I was younger than that, but then all the older neighbors took the bus at that point too. My siblings, otoh, never waited for me to 'pick them up' from their teacher, so I was always getting in trouble about that, but they felt just fine walking home on their own (~1.5miles).
I watch other kids at the playground and try to guess ages for when it'll be ok to let mine go alone. As far as the grocery store thing, it's nice around here in that if I notice or am noticed leaving kids in car while returning cart, the observer just tends to stand at their car and watch until mom is back, nod with a smile and continue on.
As far as being alone, I'm pretty sure that was legally defined where I grew up (chicago 'burbs), but that many people also ignored that. I know there were scandals about liquor cabinets being broken into during jr high, as the HS 'babysitters' were only to happy to join the party.
public transit was a default way of getting to and from school and in HS of visiting friends in the city proper.
As it is, I'm thought weird because my kids are ready for and asking their friends about sleepovers. Though the whole spending one night a week at the grandparents for years now when I taught in the evenings is undeniably a factor there.
Neighborhood girl I mentioned in other comment will probably try to transfer to same school we're trying to get ours into so we can share meet the bus duties/carpooling/etc until theirs is old enough to walk the neighborhood crew home.