How old is old enough to walk to school?

Not sure what the right age is for walking alone but I agree with IHO, 6 is too young. There are too many sick people out there. It is always a good idea to talk to your kids about strangers. As a routine before we go to Disney/crowded locations we talk about what you do if you get lost or if someone tries to take you.
 
I was pretty much a latch key kid by the time I was 9.  Parents both worked and I walked to school by myself all the time. 

I would be much more worried about safety and all the crazy parents rushing out of the school to get to work than any kidnappers though. 

I would say 9 or 10.

 
We live directly behind our kids Elementary School. 8 is the earliest MINIMUM age we'd let ours walk home and only with a group of other kids from our street.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
I would be much more worried about safety and all the crazy parents rushing out of the school
Click to expand...

Yes! Most of them are already multitasking, texting and driving.. afternoon, when I pick up the kids, on an average we see at least one kid narrowly escaping death by a texting SUV owner. Very dangerous :/

 
I'm leaning towards middle school.  If for no other reason, just have the size to maybe survive a distracted driver.  We live literally 400 meters door to door to the elementary.  One side street to cross, with a crossing guard.  I'm not worried about the boogeyman or a pervert, I'm worried about everybody that is too busy.  I'd worry about the cars that can't wait for the car in front to turn so they turn a one lane road into a two lane swerve.  I worry about the army of SUVs dropping their kids off and parking all the way to the corner making visibility from the sidewalk to the street zero.  The cars can't see the kids at the curb and the kids at the curb can't see past the parked SUVs to see the car coming.

Bad mojo.
 
survival of the fittest - if you are to stupid to not cross the street in a timely manner you have it coming.

i was on culver the other day and was probably about the fourth car back at the light, there was this asian lady crossing the street with a walker, it was clear she was not going to make it, not even close, sure enough, the lights turn green and she is about 3/4 of the way to the median and the southbound traffic starts to go, she looked puzzled and confused, she finally made it to the middle of the intersection and i presume waited out the green light.
 
Well, the time has come and it happens to be 6th grade for my girls. And, even less for my younger one.  But only to walk home with all three of my kids together.  Fortunately, their friends and a nearby neighbors' kids walks back so I'm hoping they can all walk back together as much as possible.  It's only like a 10 minute walk and they don't need to cross any major roads, only 4 or 5 of those minor ones that lead in and out of home communities.  But crazy drivers still come in and out of those roads.

So, I shouldn't arm my kids with ninja stars just in case, right?  :p

 
I am in the similar boat.  however, with coyote in irvine, i probably wont let them walk alone or with a group until ??? age.  :(
 
Anyone considering body cam for kids walking? A smartphone with tracking app and a panic button would be a must when mine starts walking.
 
zubs said:
implant microchip into skin...but how do you power it?
Click to expand...

from Mr Stark.  Tony Stark

396330_484084708290502_1874055817_n.jpg
 
WillJoy said:
Anyone considering body cam for kids walking? A smartphone with tracking app and a panic button would be a must when mine starts walking.
Click to expand...

Maybe "Life 360"? I just read a post about it today on Family Watchdog's FB page and am interested for my older child who will be having some new responsibilities this year:

"I don't care if you think your child is "too young" for a cell phone...if your child is going to school, or playing outside out of your sight....get them a cell phone and turn on the "location" services...better yet, use an app like "life 360"....put in in a backpack they are wearing or a coat pocket or something ....we (Police) can use the signal to help locate your child if they are missing....this is my professional and personal opinion ..."
- Chris Cognac, CA police officer
Check out Life360 today!
www.Life360.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYnBaFXfBOI
 
SoCal said:
WillJoy said:
Anyone considering body cam for kids walking? A smartphone with tracking app and a panic button would be a must when mine starts walking.
Click to expand...

Maybe "Life 360"? I just read a post about it today on Family Watchdog's FB page and am interested for my older child who will be having some new responsibilities this year:

"I don't care if you think your child is "too young" for a cell phone...if your child is going to school, or playing outside out of your sight....get them a cell phone and turn on the "location" services...better yet, use an app like "life 360"....put in in a backpack they are wearing or a coat pocket or something ....we (Police) can use the signal to help locate your child if they are missing....this is my professional and personal opinion ..."
- Chris Cognac, CA police officer
Check out Life360 today!
www.Life360.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYnBaFXfBOI
Click to expand...

we use life360, it's ok, apple's iOS already has a built in tracking app.  Good to have, but I think in a real panic situation, you don't have the time to get your phone out, unlock it, look for that life360 app that is probably not on the first page, launch it, find that panic button, press it, and wait 10 seconds for the count down before alerting family members.  Still it does come in handy, like today I was having a pizza delivered and wife didn't get the text about a 6pm delivery and I was able to see on life360 that she's less than 5 minutes away from home and able to tell the pizza boy to just wait a little bit and she'll be home. 

Pizza aside, the crime alert also makes you more paranoid than normal, like why is there a child predator living in a house right next to an Irvine middle school?
 
Statistically, isn't a kid much more likely to get injured in a car accident (as a pedestrian, bicyclist, passenger, or god forbid, driver)?
 
HMart said:
Statistically, isn't a kid much more likely to get injured in a car accident (as a pedestrian, bicyclist, passenger, or god forbid, driver)?
Click to expand...

Sadly they are also more likely to be injured or killed by family or friend than a stranger.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top