Would you let your 5 year old play out?

jools · Jan 26th, 2010, 12:31 PM

Hi all. I have a dilemma with my 5 year old. My husband thinks my son is old enough to go and play out in the street but I disagree. We live in quite a built up urban area with lots of houses, the only thing is if he was to go outside there are no windows in my house where I can keep a check on him. He's not very mature for his age either. Is he too young?

leeanne · Jan 26th, 2010, 16:22 PM

No way. I've read one too many stories of kids going missing and I won't chance that with my child, not matter how safe one thinks there street is.

My older kids are 6 1/2 and 8 and I still don't and probably won't for many, many years.

v2007 · Jan 26th, 2010, 17:38 PM

Nope, my daughter played in the garden till she was 6 then we moved to a flat so no garden, and its only in the last 18 months thats she has been allowed to her mates house etc.

V xxx

kiwimama · Jan 26th, 2010, 18:39 PM

If I were in your circumstance I wouldn't allow it. If I couldn't keep an eye out for him, I wouldn't be doing it.

Tasha · Jan 26th, 2010, 18:44 PM

Absolutely not, my son is 5 and there is no way I would let him go play on his own. I do know lots of parents that do let there children out from even younger than that (one particular family let there son play out from 3), so it is obviously a personal choice.

mommyof3co · Jan 26th, 2010, 19:19 PM

Nope, we don't let my oldest, who will be 7 in April play out front by himself. He can play in the back because we have a privacy fence but that's it

Minstermind · Jan 26th, 2010, 19:46 PM

I think it depends entirely on the situation, area, etc... we live in a quiet cul-de-sac and have a very large front facing window, and my son plays just out the front with his two friends (neighbors). He is always in eyesight of me and not allowed further than that area, and I feel very comfortable with this (he's 7 now by the way, but he started playing outside a wee bit between 5 and 6). The area we are in is very quiet and the town itself is relatively small.

I would not by any stretch of the imagination allow him to play outside alone nor would I do so in an urban area, and **definitely** not without windows to be able to see him at all times. In your particular situation, it would be a big fat no.

Blah11 · Jan 27th, 2010, 02:22 AM

Oh no way, Too many evil/sick people about!

Serene123 · Jan 27th, 2010, 02:24 AM

No way! I wasn't allowed out in the street until I was 11 and the world wasn't even this scarey back then. I'm dreading letting her out on her own. I think I'll get her microchipped

sabby52 · Jan 27th, 2010, 02:59 AM

Defo not, 5 is way to young to be out on the street by himself, I mind a little boy who will be 5 this year and he still doesnt really have any road sense, if he gets excited he will be straight out on the road without a thought. Dan played in the garden until he was 8, then when we moved house he was allow to go to his friends garden to play. I think he was about 9 when he was allow to play out and ride his bike around, but Dan has always been very, very mature for his age, at 9 alot of people thought he was 11-12.

Jan 26th, 2010, 12:31 PM	#1
jools New BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 9	Would you let your 5 year old play out? Hi all. I have a dilemma with my 5 year old. My husband thinks my son is old enough to go and play out in the street but I disagree. We live in quite a built up urban area with lots of houses, the only thing is if he was to go outside there are no windows in my house where I can keep a check on him. He's not very mature for his age either. Is he too young?
jools New BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 9
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Jan 26th, 2010, 16:22 PM	#2
leeanne Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 26,691	No way. I've read one too many stories of kids going missing and I won't chance that with my child, not matter how safe one thinks there street is. My older kids are 6 1/2 and 8 and I still don't and probably won't for many, many years.

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Jan 26th, 2010, 17:38 PM	#3
v2007 Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Trendy Morecambe Posts: 24,528	Nope, my daughter played in the garden till she was 6 then we moved to a flat so no garden, and its only in the last 18 months thats she has been allowed to her mates house etc. V xxx

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Jan 26th, 2010, 18:39 PM	#4
kiwimama Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 6,389	If I were in your circumstance I wouldn't allow it. If I couldn't keep an eye out for him, I wouldn't be doing it.

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Jan 26th, 2010, 18:44 PM	#5
Tasha Other BnB Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 13,789	Absolutely not, my son is 5 and there is no way I would let him go play on his own. I do know lots of parents that do let there children out from even younger than that (one particular family let there son play out from 3), so it is obviously a personal choice.
Tasha Other BnB Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 13,789
Status: Online

Jan 26th, 2010, 19:19 PM	#6
mommyof3co Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Waxahachie, TX Posts: 10,076	Nope, we don't let my oldest, who will be 7 in April play out front by himself. He can play in the back because we have a privacy fence but that's it

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Jan 26th, 2010, 19:46 PM	#7
Minstermind Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 2,376	I think it depends entirely on the situation, area, etc... we live in a quiet cul-de-sac and have a very large front facing window, and my son plays just out the front with his two friends (neighbors). He is always in eyesight of me and not allowed further than that area, and I feel very comfortable with this (he's 7 now by the way, but he started playing outside a wee bit between 5 and 6). The area we are in is very quiet and the town itself is relatively small. I would not by any stretch of the imagination allow him to play outside alone nor would I do so in an urban area, and definitely not without windows to be able to see him at all times. In your particular situation, it would be a big fat no.

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Jan 27th, 2010, 02:22 AM	#8
Blah11 Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 32,875	Oh no way, Too many evil/sick people about!

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Jan 27th, 2010, 02:24 AM	#9
Serene123 Other Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 32,048	No way! I wasn't allowed out in the street until I was 11 and the world wasn't even this scarey back then. I'm dreading letting her out on her own. I think I'll get her microchipped

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Jan 27th, 2010, 02:59 AM	#10
sabby52 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Belfast N.Ireland Posts: 15,162	Defo not, 5 is way to young to be out on the street by himself, I mind a little boy who will be 5 this year and he still doesnt really have any road sense, if he gets excited he will be straight out on the road without a thought. Dan played in the garden until he was 8, then when we moved house he was allow to go to his friends garden to play. I think he was about 9 when he was allow to play out and ride his bike around, but Dan has always been very, very mature for his age, at 9 alot of people thought he was 11-12.

Status: Offline

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