In comparison to UK, do you feel your children have more freedom/better life?

[kindersurprise]

I am interested in the freedom that children have in different countries.

We live in Germany and think nothing of letting our 6yo walk alone to school from August as it is "the done thing" here. We also let our children play outside alone, in the cul de sac. (3.5yo and almost 6yo)

After asking advice yesterday about preparing DD for her walk to school (thinking about how much to tell her re stranger danger) I was a bit surprised to read that some parents in UK would not let their 8-9 yo DCs walk alone to school.

I can remember walking alone to school when I was about 5yo, so obviously there has been a huge change in perception of dangers in the past 30 years.

How much freedom do you allow your children where you live? And do you think that it has affected their development in any way?

[PrincessSnowLife]

Yes, definitely. He's 4 and we recognise that we let him do things/interact with people/go places that we most definitely wouldn't if we still lived in the UK.

To be fair though, if we lived in a town, or even a village, we would probably be more anxious and more protective, mainly because some drivers are so utterly barmy here. We're not worried about strangers in the same way though. This is probably due to that old culture difference thing of children being adored/talked to/kissed and cuddled by strangers in a way which would be unsusual these days in many parts of the UK. Bit of a generalisation, I know, but it does make us more relaxed about him being independent in social situations (and socially confident as a result, tbh).

[Anna8888]

No, I don't think that children here in Paris have much more freedom than in London.

Children are generally allowed to walk to school alone when they enter collège (secondary school) at 11, but they seem to be accompanied/ferried to most other places.

Personally, I think this is more out of habit than out of any real danger. The buses here are excellent and well-policed and children can take them on their own.

[Sibble]

Here in NZ definately. I'm probably more cautious coming from London and think there are nutters everywhere but friends children walk or cycle to school from a young age (we're rural so he can't as there are no pavements) but I leave him in the library age 8 while I go shopping and let him browse in his shops while I'm in mine - there is no way I'd do that back in London.