Kids Playing Outside Unsupervised

[RosyBlue]

At what age can kids play in the backyard unsupervised? I live in a pretty nice, quiet neighborhood (Allen Park) and my kids are 6 and 5. My neighbors include a family with kids on one side, a young couple in the other side, and an older, retired couple in the house behind me.

[LadyKay]

I think a lot depends on the kids. Like can they be trusted not to leave the yard and do they know about not taking candy from strangers. Stuff like that.  Oh and how well do you know your neighbors.  When I was a kid 6 and 5 was old enough to run the neighborhood. Which I did. But it is not like that anymore.

[RosyBlue]

5 hours ago, LadyKay said:

I think a lot depends on the kids. Like can they be trusted not to leave the yard and do they know about not taking candy from strangers. Stuff like that.  Oh and how well do you know your neighbors.  When I was a kid 6 and 5 was old enough to run the neighborhood. Which I did. But it is not like that anymore.

Yeah it's definitely not like that now. I was walking to school on my own by 7. My daughter (6) walks to the bus stop on her own now. It's one house down to the corner, where she crosses a seldomly used side street, then the bus stop is in front of the house on that corner, if that makes sense. I was thinking about trying them out one day when I can keep an eye on them without them knowing I'm watching, to see if they try to leave the yard.

[Scary Guy]

Kids will get into everything they can.  Curiosity isn't a bad thing though, as it just means they're trying to learn about life.

That said, get a nice gate lock and let them have fun.  Helicopter parenting only hurts kids IMO.

I suppose you could set up a webcam for "security" reasons, and then just monitor them while they're in the back yard.  Then if anything happens it's on DVR.

[Maureen Falcon]

My son is 9. and daughter 11 with autism. I know my neighbors and everyone "watches" them. Their dad does the school thing because we live too far for walking. I walked a block to school in 1st grade, but I echo the times have changed sentiment.

[RosyBlue]

I agree that helicopter parenting is bad, I just don't know where the line is. Plus, my neighbor with the kids is one of those crazy, busy-body, call the cops if you leave an outside light on rather than just saying something first kind of people.

[kat (1)]

10 or 11 but checking on them frequently seems about the average. Angel was about that age when I let her. That was also in Allen Park (Northern).  We used to have a house there when I was married. 

[Scary Guy]

14 hours ago, RosyBlue said:

I agree that helicopter parenting is bad, I just don't know where the line is. Plus, my neighbor with the kids is one of those crazy, busy-body, call the cops if you leave an outside light on rather than just saying something first kind of people.

First, no one knows where the lines are, and don't be afraid to try to color outside them a bit.  I think the biggest thing is to stop worrying and let them be kids.  They'll get hurt and if they need help they'll call.  Keep an eye on them but don't let them know so they'll think they have some privacy, which can be a nice feeling to have.

As for the lady, I'm going to guess the cops know here by name already and are tired of responding to and dealing with her shit.  Remember what I said about privacy, if the cops come around be sure to let them know you exist too.  Also teach your kids to treat cops as strangers and to go get you, because you never know if someone is impersonating an officer.

[RosyBlue]

17 hours ago, Scary Guy said:

First, no one knows where the lines are, and don't be afraid to try to color outside them a bit.  I think the biggest thing is to stop worrying and let them be kids.  They'll get hurt and if they need help they'll call.  Keep an eye on them but don't let them know so they'll think they have some privacy, which can be a nice feeling to have.

As for the lady, I'm going to guess the cops know here by name already and are tired of responding to and dealing with her shit.  Remember what I said about privacy, if the cops come around be sure to let them know you exist too.  Also teach your kids to treat cops as strangers and to go get you, because you never know if someone is impersonating an officer.

Yeah even if I do decide to let them go outside on their own, I'll be checking on them frequently and keep windows open so I can hear them. I just feel bad when they can't go outside because I have stuff to get done around the house.

[RosyBlue]

On 11/6/2016 at 6:17 PM, kat said:

10 or 11 but checking on them frequently seems about the average. Angel was about that age when I let her. That was also in Allen Park (Northern).  We used to have a house there when I was married. 

10 or 11 in the backyard? I see kids who are younger than that running around the neighborhood. Do you mean if they're not being watched at all? I should be more specific, I mean in the backyard but checking on them frequently.

[kat (1)]

5 minutes ago, RosyBlue said:

10 or 11 in the backyard? I see kids who are younger than that running around the neighborhood. Do you mean if they're not being watched at all? I should be more specific, I mean in the backyard but checking on them frequently.

Your actually right now that I think about it she was aloud in the yard as long as she was within visual at about your kids' age...except when I lived in Detroit.  I remember I was obsessive when she was little though.  I am still like overprotective and she's 20😉

She has to remind me sometimes. Her brother same too. He's 13 and I still try cuddling him like he's little or I go to hold his hand walking through a parking lot or in the store and he kind of laughs like um...mom...

Hugs though because I remember how hard it was to get things done when my daughter was little.  I had homework and papers to write, cleaning,  cooking, typical stuff, and a little one that wants to be outside all day. Oh, yes and I had those neighbors that thought they were supermom, always in your business trying to act like they are better than everyone.  That stuff drives me crazy.