My ds1 walked home from school by himself for the first time today

[Flibbertygibbet]

and he didn't get run over, mugged, murdered, or abducted!

He's 8.5, it's about 0.6 mile, with several roads to cross, but no major ones.

He was very proud of himself.

[charliecat]

Blooming eck, my dd is 8 and she couldnt cross a zebra crossing safely
Bet he was well chuffed though, were you nervous??

[Flibbertygibbet]

I was too busy to be nervous - didn't give it a second's thought tbh. But dh said he was worrying about it.

[nutcracker]

Not something i'd let my 8 yr old do either tbh but each to their own.

Do his friends of the same age also walk home alone ?

[Piffle]

Bless him, ds started to walk to and from school on his own (well there were lots of other kids from the village going too and their parents) when he was, when I was pregnant with dd nad had really horrific hyperemesis
I was so worried but so proud :) There was a lollipop lady on the only main road so felt he was safe. And he was!
Well done to your ds!

[Piffle]

when he was 8 I meant to say :)

[cod]

my ds 7.5 walks hoem alone some days when he does sport

its 600m

cross two infested swamps.............
sorry no its a new state so hardly far

[cod]

its caross two roads thoguh adn up a gulley ( as they say in birmingham) oi nut rememerb the gulley by great barr? burrows used to lurk there

[Flibbertygibbet]

At our school lots of children walk home alone from yr3 (age 7), but most of them live only 5 mins from school. DS hasn't wanted to until now.

None of his friends live in our direction, but that means there's no temptation to "mess around" on the way home, so I think it's an advantage in this case.

[nutcracker]

Yeah remember it well Cod. Can still hear him shouting "You Boy" (or girl) and deafening the whole playground

[joanna4]

I know you say no other friends live in this direction but and i am sure you have thought this out be sure he is in a populated area no shortcuts down little backroads.Mine was going to secondary school before he went off on his own you are far braver than me.

[pebblemum]

Im only just allowing my DS1 (9yrs in May)to walk all the way home on his own again. He started doing it in October as long as he wasnt staying late but then at the beginning of the year he was assaulted during school by a fellow pupil and the police were involved. This resulted in the possibility of more violence this time from the boy's dad so my poor son had to picked up every day from the classroom. He hated it and felt he was being punished but gradly as the threat has subsided I have been giving him more freedom. I started meeting him half way but for the past few days he has come home on his own. I cant relax though until i see him come round the corner. He is enjoying it as almost everyone in his class walk home on their own and I think it made him feel babyish knowing mum was waiting for him.

It was a hard decision for me to make after the problems he has had but he is so happy knowing i trust him, although it wasnt him i didnt trust but kids dont see it like that. I still walk him to school though although I expect that will stop soon As much as I hate the school run I will miss it when it stops

[joanna4]

My dd is now wanting to walk to school and come home alone a bit difficult when i work and she is pupil at the same school lol.Still it keeps me from saying yes for a bit longer as she is only 9.

[Cristina7]

Well done to your DS. And to you too - for letting go.

[Blossomhill]

Flibberty - you are very brave. I would be worried sick.
My ds who is 8 is no where near ready to be allowed on his own. I honestly don't think I will let him do this until he is at least 10/11.

[anniebear]

My sister let her dd walk halfway home when she was about half way through her last year in Junior School, to prepare her for secondary school

She would meet her at the main road, it is a horrible busy one. Don't think I would ever let mine cross it!!