Shannon the missing 9 year old girl

[funnygirl]

Would you let your son or daughter, who is 9 years old,
walk home alone from school??

Mr Funny who is a school caretaker, has often lost count of the children at his primary school, top age 11, that have not been collected by parents and has to baby sit then until the parents arrive.

Why did not Shannon's school do the same thing.

As far as I can make out, Shannon regularly walks home,
at 9 years for christ sake!!

When my boys were that age, I had child minders picking them up until they went to secondary school.

Is this lazy parenting!!!

[clever trev]

Can only agree with all you say . These parents if you can call them that, are crazy

[meglet]

This was discussed the other day and varying points put foward. http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question52 4683.html

I walked home at that age. In fact I was in the infants.I don't have kids so I can't say what my attitude would be for them.

[wiggal]

Same funnygirl, my house was only 2 minutes from the local school, but until I went to secondary school I went to a childminders every evening until my mum picked me up on the way home from work.

We live opposite a primary school, and the amount of kids who arrive on there own is huge!

[funnygirl]

Tell me about it!

I leave for work at around 7.30 and already, they are sitting in playground waiting!!!!

[daffy654]

I have a 10 year old son who I drop off every school day and also pick up.If I can't do it for whatever reason his dad or big sister(18 years old) will fetch him. The school are under instruction to never allow him to leave without one of us 3 being there but they pay no attention at all and just allow him to wander out at home time.He does know to go back in to school and tell a teacher if nobody is there to collect him but that has never happened.He starts high school in September and from then I will be letting him go alone.

[clever trev]

Well Meglet , what would your common sense tell you to do , pick them up , or let them walk home alone??

[amonty1144]

I think it is too early to say what has happened here but it doesn't look good.
I feel truly sorry for the mum.
Not all parents can make adequate childcare arrangements for their kids, whether because they can't afford it or because they think they will be ok.
Up until my son is 12, he will go to childcare, if he goes to the school I want him too, he will be in school and then dropped off at home at 5.30.
Not everyone has these choices.
Kids should be taken too and from school until secondary school.

[raysparx1]

Hi funnygirl I find it so sad now that children have to be taken to and collected from school, how things have changed since I went, we lived right in the centre of London, Primary school was about a mile away and we always went to and from school on our own, then when we went to secondary school it was a 3 mile walk each way, never had a problem, now so many oddballs about the kiddies will never know what freedom is, they should be able to do the journey alone, but the way it is now, all I can say is, I am so glad my sons are now men.

[meglet]

I guess it would depend on where I lived and how far away the school was and the child itself.

I was a sensible child and could be trusted.

[sleepyj]

at 9 i dont think its that bad her walking home on her own ...i let my son some times walk home with friends from age of 9 ...but he use to go out to play in the street when he was 6 or 7 ish ...i do live in a village but if i was in a town i would of not let him out ...when he was 8 he went missing for 5 hours with a friend they walked to another village had police helicopter out everything .he we found him at 9 at night ...it was awful .but so happy he was found safe and well

[clever trev]

Well i don't know weather i'm a bit over the top or loopy, but i'm still watching my to daughters, at 26 and 29. Ray hope them men of yours are not raceing around on Bl**dy scooters.

[funnygirl]

But most of these places are in the country, where it is dark and you have to cut through woods etc.

That cannot be right??

[aims1202]

I actually disagree with most on here and think that 9 yrs is about the right age for walking home from school, i would say only with friends though and it does depend on the child. I was 9 when i started walking home and i was on my own and on my own at home for a couple of hours. As a parent you will always worry whatever their age and older children and teens do go missing too, but it is still very rare. Its not more likely now than it was when we were young, we just hear about it more. I believe in giving children some independence, teach them how to be safe, it is so important for later on in life. I think the freedom i had as a kid has enabled me to do so much more as an adult.
This is a sad story and i feel for her family.

[EngTeach]

My friend picks up a girl who is 14 from her middle school. The family lives too close to qualify for scholl bus service, but no one else walks the same direction. They live about 11 blocks from the school. They also worry about people watching and knowing she is home by herself for about 3 hours. It does seem excessive and overprotective, but what really is the option? To Be Sorry???

[China Doll]

I'm glad your sons are men too Sparky, when are you going to let me at them... I got in there way before Jules!

I've lived in a relatively unsavoury part of London for most of my life. I walked backwards and forwards from school at the age of 9, I wanted to. It was my little bit of independence.

I thought this kid went missing at half seven in the evening anyway. It's terribly easy to be judgemental in cases like this but frankly there but for the grace of God and all that...

[sleepyj]

my kids never have to walk in woods to get home ....

[raysparx1]

China, Please help yourself, take one get one free at the moment. :-)

[China Doll]

Excellent stuff, I love options! Tell them i said 'cooooeeeeee!'

[clever trev]

My last post on this subject is , any parent that lets a 9 year old walk alone , day or night anywhere is not fit to be a parent, and i don't think that i'm being harsh, its very wrong.