Letting your kids run up and down the street where you live

We live in a fairly quiet subdivision and I let my 10 year old ride her bike around on the street. She also goes to the park with her friends and I don't mind that as long as someone else is with her and they stay together. The neighborhood that we are in has several kids and they usually stay close together. It isn't safe to let our kids out of our sight anymore,but you also have to let them have a little freedom at some point. I feel that your kids are still a little young to be doing things by themselves.

Some states can have you in some serious trouble if you let anyone under the age of 13 play outside without a parent or guardian. The best way to find out the laws in your state or neighborhood is to call the local police station and ask them what is the age limit for a child to play outside without an adult. I believe here where I live is 11. I didn't know all this until my neighbor was telling me that she was in the living room and had all her doors and windows open and she was letting her 10 year old play outside, just in front in their yard and she is guessing another neighbor called the police because they came knocking on her door and really jumped all over her telling her if it happens again they would be taking her son and she will be fighting for him back and then told her that their are law limits about young kids being left alone outside even if the parent is right inside. We are suppose to be watching them at all times. She told me they told an 11 year old even has to be watched and that if it is an older child then that, they had to be mature. So I guess it all depends. Me, I never let my kids play outside, they are young, I have a 4 year old and a 15 month old son. My 4 year old, when she wants to go outside, I just go outside and sit on my steps and watch her for about 45 minutes to an hour and then we come back in together. I think even an 8 year old shouldn't be left alone and should be watched. A 13 year old if alone with no friends, should be watched. Here at my daughters school a 13 year old was riding her bike and some man stopped her and grabbed her arm, but she got away thank god! So you just have to be careful, because anything can happen at any age. I would start teaching safety to your daughter right now. Teach her how to scream when a stranger comes up to her and how to kick and fight. Because it's better safe then not. I would go over outside safety every day she wants to go outside. So, on that note, I would probably never let my kids outside by theirself, until at least 15 and then they better be with a group of friends. Call me paraniod, but I am just a nervous wreck worrying that something could happen.

I don't think running around the street is good at any age. If you have a garden big enough for your kids to play in, why would they want to run round the street? My 7 year old is allowed to play in the garden or go accross the road to his friends house where he plays in their garden. I don't understand why anyone would ever let their children run around the street by themselves because once they are old enough to be left by themselves, I would still like to know where they are and that they are somewhere and not just hanging around.

I don't let my kids in the street either!! My son is 2 and my daughter is 6. I think they are way too young (and 8 is too young too) to be running around without supervision. My daughter doesn't pay attention to her surroundings very well, so she wouldn't notice if a car was racing down the street so she could move out of the way. I cherich my kids and don't want anything bad to happen to them, and I know there are alot of terrible things that can happen in todays world. I want to protect my kids as much as possible =) She has friends that she rides the bus to school with and they run over to our house to ask if she can play...without their parents, these are kindergardeners!! Way too young to be crossing the street by themselves!! I don't like it at all and think it is really sad when parents don't watch their kids.

i remember when i was little my parents used to let me round around the nieghborhood with all the other kids, i live in the city so it was actually an apartment block so there was no traffic or nothing just kids but as far as my two little ones are concerend and as crazy as the world is today i don't trust no one if they want to play outside i will be out there with them watching them even if the curfew where i live for anyone under the age 0f 18 is 10.p.m., it's just not safe, i see to much stuff on the news people you think you can trust usually are the ones that harm your children which is insane

Back in the day when I was a kid we used to play on the street or the fields etc. It was safe then. I grew up on a hill where everyone knew each other. Today my daughter and I wouldn't dream of letting my grandkids run the streets. My grandkids are 4,8 & 10. We live on a busy street just around the corner from downtown. So there is a lot of traffic. I'm not really sure what a good age is to let them play outside the yard alone. I think maybe it would depend on the child and the area we live in. If for instance someone lives in a mobile home park, it would be ok, as long as you know where the child will be. Say Sally wants to go to Judy's house, and it's 3 doors down. Let her go and have her call home when she gets there, and talk to Judy's mom, and make sure they will either be in their yard or the home. I would say start out small, and of course drill the stranger concept into the child.

It's like that here in my street as well. The kids from the next street come to ours to run around and thay are all feral children. They scream, yell swear words and they even have thir dogs out running the street all day. Now I do the right thing. My son is 13yo and he has never done this nor will I let him. I prefer to know he is safe and the other kids seem to tell him he is not allowed to do anything. I amsl have 2 gods that do not leave the proerty without me attached to the other end of the leashes. It is sad that parents just don't care. You have to get a liscence to driv but any moron can have children and pets.

I live in a very small town, well villiage, many kids run around here riding bikes. When I was a little girl I too ran the streets at a very young age. But times are different now, my son is now 9 and I let him walk to school, which is two streets down the hill from our house, and he's alowed to walk around the block. But he's not allowed to go no where near the center of town. And he knows that if I ever catch him down there then he won't be allowed to visit his friend for a very long long long time. It's been 3 months now that he's been allowed to run the street and he's not abused it one bit. Always shows up by the time I said.

I find it very scary.. I almost withnessed an accident involving a 3 years old kid... he was nearly knocked down by a reversing car.. his dad was really quick to carry him back to safety. ... or he could have been crushed...