Leaving Children Unattended to Play
I have a poll on the side bar where you can vote about what age you think it appropriate for a child to be outside playing alone. Even though you are checking out the window or door often. A child outside without you right there with them is considered being left outside alone and I mean alone, not with a sibling etc or even the family dog.
When my children were young, they never outside without Emery or me being right with them until they were probably 5 or 6 and that would have been when they were in our fenced in back yard. They were probably 7 or 8 before we allowed them out front to play without us sitting out there with them, and at that we were checking on them every couple minutes.
What are your thoughts on this ? Within the Mennonite church we know several families that allow children under 2 years of age to be outside by themselves, it seems to rather common actually. I would be so afraid, there are things like snakes, spiders, wild dogs, strangers, bodies of water, wandering off to the road and so much more. Please, share your thoughts with me on the subject.
I just checked and in Texas, the law uses a round about guideline of school age for a child to be allowed to play outside by themselves. Anything younger and you run the risk of being charged with endangerment of a child and here in Texas, that can put you behind bars for a long spell of time.
Just thought I would add something here, a p.s. of sorts. Unless my land was totally fenced off with gates and had a good watch dog, nice neighbors etc, not sure my kiddos would ever get to play outside alone now a days. Melanie and Casi won't let Mei-Ling out of their sight for a second !
When my children were young, they never outside without Emery or me being right with them until they were probably 5 or 6 and that would have been when they were in our fenced in back yard. They were probably 7 or 8 before we allowed them out front to play without us sitting out there with them, and at that we were checking on them every couple minutes.
What are your thoughts on this ? Within the Mennonite church we know several families that allow children under 2 years of age to be outside by themselves, it seems to rather common actually. I would be so afraid, there are things like snakes, spiders, wild dogs, strangers, bodies of water, wandering off to the road and so much more. Please, share your thoughts with me on the subject.
I just checked and in Texas, the law uses a round about guideline of school age for a child to be allowed to play outside by themselves. Anything younger and you run the risk of being charged with endangerment of a child and here in Texas, that can put you behind bars for a long spell of time.
Just thought I would add something here, a p.s. of sorts. Unless my land was totally fenced off with gates and had a good watch dog, nice neighbors etc, not sure my kiddos would ever get to play outside alone now a days. Melanie and Casi won't let Mei-Ling out of their sight for a second !
Comments
Well I have always been a mother hen - and had kids with me, even took them out to clothes line with me to hang out washing wouldn't leave them inside on own.
Saying that this week I let two nearly 13yob be at the pools on their own - well I sat in the car outside & read my book looking at the beach.
Love Leanne
ps I guess you are not moving??
My sons are 3 and 5 (birthdays in August so they're more like 4 and 6) and they play outside of our apartment in a park that's about 30 yards or so across the lawn. Our apartment faces inward so we are away from the street and it's really more like a "back yard." They're within eyesight at all times from our apartment and we leave the front door open.
However, the younger boy may not go out without his brother.
At my sister's house they play in the front yard, and they've been taught to book it back to the house if any cars pull into the driveway that they dont recognize or if any people show up. They dont go any farther than we can see them.
My current dilemna is how much freedom to give my almost 10 year old son with regards to walking alone to friends houses and playing in the park.
It is a sticky question for sure.
I am back to blogging again, after taking a long break.
I've always been a Mother Hen , and never let the kids go out without one of us being with them.
We live in agood neighborhood ,but I think now days there's no safe place! Sad too!
Hope you have a great wk.end!
Blessins',Lib
So my 7, 8, and 11 year old kids go up to the cul-de-sac and ride bikes, and I go up now and again to bring drinks and sidewalk chalk. Their friends come and join them. I force myself to put the scary stories aside and show confidence in my children - they know what to do in various circumstances. I want my kids to have the chance to build their sense of self-confidence. And I try to be realistic about the real danger versus my kids having a helicopter mom. In a different neighborhood on a different property, I'd do things a bit differently - it depends.
My mother-in-law, on the other hand, believes predators are lurking behind every bush between here and California.
In a private home, safe neighborhood, securely fenced backyard, no dangers ---possibly younger but so much has changed since when my kids were that age.
I get so frustrated when I take my kids to the park and there is a group of kids there - unsupervised - acting up. It ruins the experience for my kids. No matter how good you think your kids are, they are still kids. They need supervision. If you think you can trust them alone... give them a surprise visit and see how they act w/o you there. You might be surprised.
Your question was more about your own backyard though, right? So maybe this doesn't apply. It's just a huge pet peeve of mine.
I'll end my rant here. :)
Prior to the children turning 5 or 6, they weren't allowed outside without me, daddy or a teenaged/adult sibling. For instance, the 7 or 8 year old was not expected to "watch" the 4 or 5 year old when playing outside.
However, if I had an only child, or an easily accessible yard, in my current neighborhood, I'd most likely have voted to never let a child out alone.
Interesting post.
Mrs.B
That said, when we play in the yard he is all over the place, running anywhere and everywhere, and never stays with me. We have a medium sized dog, and she's pretty good defense, but not a herding dog of any sort (wouldn't that be nice!) I know he's always in the yard b/c its all fenced in and it's no where near the road or any other people except a 90 year old neighbor. We are right on a mountainside against 60 acres of nature preserve... So I can't always see him. I yell out for him every few minutes and make him come back within sight, but I wouldn't say I'm a mother hen. That's who he's usually chasing, lol! The chickens.