When do you let your kid walk to school by themself

little_momma- Many years ago, when my daughter was in 2nd grade, she walked to school two blocks away. A car stopped and a man tried to get her into the car. She screamed and ran to a house for help. The person that helped her saw the whole incident. It was easy to catch and convict that man because HE WAS DRIVING A HEARSE! Shows the stupidity of that man. My daughter never walked to school again. Please don't let yours walk to school!

honestly I think she is still too young to walk by herself. Granted she is 7 I just do not trust other people, even though it is only 4 blocks, it is still 4 blocks, Across the street? Different, One block and can see or watch her walk up the block and into the school lot with others? Different. If you can not see her get into the school, she is too young. It sucks but it is something I would just say NO to. now if she has some friends that she can walk with I may consider it to be okay, but not by herself and it could not be just one other friend, there needs to be a bigger group....walking together...I think it is safer in numbers when it comes to that. Predators are not into numbers, they prey on the single walkers...no matter what age really. That would be my advice..

There are a lot of variables to consider. What kind of a city or town do you live in? If you were living in, say, New York City I would say no way! If you are living in a small community where everyone pretty much knows one another than that is a different story. My oldest daughter started walking to school in grade 2, I think. I remember because my younger daughter got to walk home from school the last couple of weeks of Senior Kindergarten in preparation for her to walk to school WITH HER SISTER in grade 1. We live in a town of 27,000 people and the school is about 3 blocks from our home. The only street she has to cross is our own residential street. The other thing to consider is her maturity level. My oldest started at an earlier age because she was more mature. She was walking home from the bus by herself from grade 1, then walked to school (no bus at that age because we were too close to the school) the by herself the following year. She has always been more mature than her younger sister and I'm not just saying that because of the 3 year age difference. I mean comparing each other to when they were at the same age. And one more factor that could help you. Will she be walking with friends? Like I said, my younger daughter walked with her older sister. I believe my older daughter also had a friend walking with them. There is safety in numbers. Also, make sure your child is street smart. No one can tell you when is a good time. The neighbour's won't let their two daughters (one year apart) walk home from the bus stop until the older one is 12. I asked the mother about that and her reasoning was because the two sisters don't get along so she didn't trust them to walk home together (3 blocks). So everyone is different. You have to find what is best for you.

I don't think a kid should be able to walk to school by themselves until they are old enough to definitely understand and exercise how to be safe about it (don't talk to strangers, if a stranger approaches you run as quickly as you can home or to the nearest house and ask for help, stay out of the street, be cautious of your surroundings, etc.). I think a parent should at least wait until 5th or 6th grade, maybe a year or two earlier only if they have a friend to two to walk with. Until then, I think a child should have to walk or ride with a parent, or ride the bus or carpool with friends. Just my personal opinion. That's how I would do it with my kids when they are old enough.

My daughter is 13 and I still have reservations of her walking to school. She walks with friends so I am ok with it. But when I was faced with having to make the decision, I wasn't too comfortable with it. I think 1st grade is far too young to walk alone to school in my opinion, but I am pretty over protective, so I don't now what the general consensus is out there. You just have to go with what you feel comfortable with and I don't think your too comfortable with it. So, I wouldn't do it.

The town where I grew up was a rural town. If my kids where living in a town like that, then I might consider letting them walk to school. I would walk to school with a bunch of friends. Of course, even now the town has changed quite a bit. It used to be that you would know everybody in town. You still do to a point, but a lot more people are coming just because the city is too crowded. So, if there are other kids to walk with then maybe in a few years you would feel more comfortable.

My son will be in 1st grade next year and he will only be six years of age, and so on that note, no I wouldn't let him walk to the bus stop or school on his own. Even though his school is only 5-7 minute walk, I think he is still too young to walk to school on his own. He will have to cross a main road/highway to get to the other side then walk past the metro (where a lot of people come and go) and then around the corner to school - not sure if he would be mature enough to handle that on his own even though at times he thinks he can. There is just too many people about where we live.

It depends upon the place you live. If you are in any one of the metros, your advise to her is right.