At what age?

[ummmm]

At what age would you let your child go to school on their own?

My son's 10 and really wants me to let him go on his own. It would mean getting 2 buses. The bus stop is just up the road from my house. He would get one there (they come every 5 mins) and change at the bus station. The bus then stops just outside the school.

I know he's capable but I think he's too young. I said I might start letting him get the second bus on his own.

What do you think?

[crisgal]

ooh, poor you! I'm glad I don't have to make this decision!

Personally, I think he's too young for two buses. If it was just the one and you could see him on it at your end then maybe.
Will he be on his own or with a group of friends?
I think the second bus thing sounds like a good compromise. x

[ummmm]

He'll be on his own. Each bus journey is only a max of 10 minutes.

My OH thinks he'll be okay as we were doing it at his age. He's my youngest :-(

[mumof3angels]

Such a difficult decision. My eldest is nearly 12 and I let her start walking to and from school a year ago. Thing is we only live half a mile from the school and she also caught up with her friends as they walked-and I found that quite a tough decision to make. Now she goes round to her friends, the shops etc on her own and I think letting her be a bit more independent paid off. She's never later than the time set for her to come home and if she thinks she is going to be she'll ring me.
The 2nd bus sounds like a good idea for a trial run and see how he gets on with that for a while, with regards to letting him do the whole journey. It's true we did used to do it and have a bit more freedom. It's just that first time letting them go on their own. Be brave.... :-) mumx

[ummmm]

Looking a it logically it's pretty safe. He has no roads to cross and there are kids from his school on the bus just not his friends.

I do let him go into town on his own to meet his cousins and sometimes they get other buses and go and visit family members. So I do know he's capable it just feels like the letting go thing with going to school on his own. He has a mobile also.

I'll think I'll do the second bus thing to start with and see how he gets on.

He still wants me to pick him up from school though...!!!!

[onlyme26]

This is a toughy, my nephew has just started walking to school on his own, he is 11 but the school is a 5 minute walk from my sisters house, plus he has a mobile to text her when he is there, but it depends how far and how street wise your child is, i mean i must admit i worry about my nephew as he is very street wise, but he doesnt have to get a bus, plus your kids can only be street wise if you let them out!

i have a girl she is only 7 but i dont think i could ever let her out my sight, but im a worrier,

i personally would say leave it another year or so, i mean he is only 10, he may think he is old enough, but he is still so young,

good luck x

[onlyme26]

sorry i meant my nephew IS NOT street wise! lol you have to remind him to look both ways before he crosses still!

[ummmm]

They are really street wise. Luckily I've always had family close by so he's been playing out since he was quite young. They are all older than him so he is a lot more clued up than his friends.

My older son started to walk to school on his own when he started upper school so he would have just turned 11. He's a July baby. My younger son will be 11 in October.

[annie0000]

Hi, whilst I was happily getting the bus into town (Edinburgh) when i was that age and walked to school myself including crossing the road from about 7, I know that my kids are not that street wise and my elder son (he will be 9 in July) would happily go off with whatever stranger asked him. My younger son (will be 8 in August) howled last year when he couldn't find us in a shopping centre, even though he could quite easily walk home from there and has been there hundreds of times. They do however walk the 200 yards to school alone - I can see them from the door! So in my case, I can't see them being ready to get two buses to school on their own at 10.

However, you know your child and what they are capable of. The 2nd bus sounds like a good compromise - why does he want you to pick him up, is it becasue he would have a road to cross, maybe thinking about what makes him more unsure about that journey would help you to understand where he sees the risks.

That;s interesting, because my two are the same, they are happy to walk to school but want to be picked up. I am ok with this, as I finish work just in time to pick them up, so if anything happened to me on the journey home to delay me, I know that they school would keep them safe, however, if they went home and I wasn't there, they are just in the street and I am not sure that they would think to go back to school and wait.

[ummmm]

I don't know why he wants me to pick him up. It's probably because I sometimes buy him something while we're waiting for the bus.

Or it could be that he wants to go on his own for that little bit of independence but doesn't want complete independence yet.

[Bettyboo22]

I started getting the bus to school when I was 10 its just up to parents judgement really.