When should kids cross the street?

[alphieb]

My son is almost seven, he crosses the street two houses down on a non busy side street to visit a friend. I can see him from my kitchen window. He looks both ways and just recently started doing this. Some jerk called the cops and I had an officer at my door saying "someone could snatch him up" So should I not allow him to even go outside, because "someone could snatch him up"?????? I am so upset. Maybe I'm wrong for letting him do that, what do you think? Input please.

 

[imprtnrd]

Give me a f#$#@ break! 2 houses down? That person that called the cops need to get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I see no problem unless its a high crime nieghborhood!!!!!!!!!!! Damn:roll:

 

[Caine]

Give me a f#$#@ break! 2 houses down? That person that called the cops need to get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I see no problem unless its a high crime nieghborhood!!!!!!!!!!! Damn:roll:

Agreed.

Maybe its because Im not a kid anymore, but I have noticed that kids don't play outside as much as they used to.

I wonder why that is?

 

[alphieb]

Give me a f#$#@ break! 2 houses down? That person that called the cops need to get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I see no problem unless its a high crime nieghborhood!!!!!!!!!!! Damn:roll:

Thank you.......This is anything but a high crime neighborhood. It is a small community. Everybody is always in my F^%%$ business. He never leaves the yard without asking me. He is NEVER out after dark. It was probably some busy body that has never had kids.

 

[alphieb]

Agreed.

Maybe its because Im not a kid anymore, but I have noticed that kids don't play outside as much as they used to.

I wonder why that is?

That is just ridiculous, hell I walked to school when I was his age.

 

[cnredd]

The person responding was wrong, and I'll explain why...

Too many times people don't go the route of information and decide to act in an aggressive manner instead of passive...

A player has a problem with his coach...Instead of telling his coach, he tells the media...

As with the current spy issue, it is still unknown if the person who leaked information went the proper route of congresspersons or certain Departments before going to the New York Times...

In this case, before the person called the cops, s/he should've gone to the source itself for more information before taking a drastic measure...YOU...

If you were given the chance to explain the situation in full, then that person could make the decision whether or not action needed to be taken...Instead, s/he skipped that aspect and decided to "make a Federal case" out of it...

If you and that person had previous "words", a third party on the block could also be easily notified(block captain...mutual friend)...

To call the cops for this before knowing the whole story isn't justifyable...

As for the actual age for a child to cross the street by him/herself, that is purely a parental decision...You could find smart 6 year olds and dumb 9 year olds...That decision is for discretion of the parent...

 

[alphieb]

The person responding was wrong, and I'll explain why...

Too many times people don't go the route of information and decide to act in an aggressive manner instead of passive...

A player has a problem with his coach...Instead of telling his coach, he tells the media...

As with the current spy issue, it is still unknown if the person who leaked information went the proper route of congresspersons or certain Departments before going to the New York Times...

In this case, before the person called the cops, s/he should've gone to the source itself for more information before taking a drastic measure...YOU...

If you were given the chance to explain the situation in full, then that person could make the decision whether or not action needed to be taken...Instead, s/he skipped that aspect and decided to "make a Federal case" out of it...

If you and that person had previous "words", a third party on the block could also be easily notified(block captain...mutual friend)...

To call the cops for this before knowing the whole story isn't justifyable...

As for the actual age for a child to cross the street by him/herself, that is purely a parental decision...You could find smart 6 year olds and dumb 9 year olds...That decision is for discretion of the parent...

Thank you so much cnredd......My son and I went through this ALL summer. I would walk him to the corner (two houses down) and watch him cross the street. He is a straight A student, I finally gained confidence in him to cross on his own. I live in a small "nosey" community.....(my husband just left me at a club by myself).....What does that have to do with the price of tea in China????? Anyway, he is an Attorney here in town. Therefore, everyone noses around in our business. Who knows maybe he helped get someone convicted.

Anyway, Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even if my husband left me at the club at least I have my friends on the internet......Sorry, I'm drunk.

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by alphieb:
My son is almost seven, he crosses the street two houses down on a non busy side street to visit a friend. I can see him from my kitchen window. He looks both ways and just recently started doing this. Some jerk called the cops and I had an officer at my door saying "someone could snatch him up" So should I not allow him to even go outside, because "someone could snatch him up"?????? I am so upset. Maybe I'm wrong for letting him do that, what do you think? Input please.

My mother had my sister escorted home from school all the way through high school. With me, I was walking home alone from the first grade on. I asked my mother about this and she said, "With you, all I had to do was make sure the door was un-locked and there was food on the table."

 

[Stace]

It's all a matter of personal opinion.....when I was your son's age, I was allowed to ride my bike anywhere in our subdivision on my own. Since we had friends on every street in the subdivision, my parents never worried, since I'd most likely find my way to one of their homes....and if I didn't, and for some reason I wouldn't have come home when I was supposed to, they wouldn't have had much ground to cover to try and find me (we lived in a pretty small subdivision).

If YOU are comfortable with allowing your son to cross the street on his own, and HE is comfortable doing so, that should be all that matters.

 

[alphieb]

It's all a matter of personal opinion.....when I was your son's age, I was allowed to ride my bike anywhere in our subdivision on my own. Since we had friends on every street in the subdivision, my parents never worried, since I'd most likely find my way to one of their homes....and if I didn't, and for some reason I wouldn't have come home when I was supposed to, they wouldn't have had much ground to cover to try and find me (we lived in a pretty small subdivision).

If YOU are comfortable with allowing your son to cross the street on his own, and HE is comfortable doing so, that should be all that matters.

I think it depends on the maturity of the child. I used to ride my bike all over the neighborhood too. He is not allowed to leave the block. I know every single neighbor on this block.

I think it is ridiculous that kids just can't go out and play and be kids anymore. This is why kids are overweight now. They are forced to stay in doors by their over protective parents. Therefore, they just eat and play game cube and don't see the light of day. That is unhealthy. A cop came to my door and said something about my son being two houses down and crossing a non busy street. He told me he saw him look both ways, but he said someone could kidnap him. What is this world coming to? I can't even let my son go outside........

By the way, thank you for your input.

 

[Stace]

I think it depends on the maturity of the child. I used to ride my bike all over the neighborhood too. He is not allowed to leave the block. I know every single neighbor on this block.

The child's maturity is indeed a large factor in the equation. And your neighbors aren't the ones to be judging that - YOU are. Obviously, you feel he is mature enough to cross the street on your block, so no one else should have a problem with it.

I think it is ridiculous that kids just can't go out and play and be kids anymore. This is why kids are overweight now. They are forced to stay in doors by their over protective parents. Therefore, they just eat and play game cube and don't see the light of day. That is unhealthy.

So, so true. This is why I want to be able to buy property that will allow us to have a large, fenced in back yard. That way, until they are mature enough to go to their friend's house on their own, they have a safe place to play outside.

A cop came to my door and said something about my son being two houses down and crossing a non busy street. He told me he saw him look both ways, but he said someone could kidnap him. What is this world coming to? I can't even let my son go outside........

A fear of kidnapping isn't unhealthy, but some people just need to lighten up. If you're watching your son through the window, then the worst case scenario would be someone able to snatch him quickly, but you'd most likely make it outside fast enough to get a license plate number.

Verizon Wireless has this great little cell phone for kids. They can only make outgoing calls to up to four numbers that their parents program into the phone, plus there's a dedicated button for calling 911. I think more wireless providers would be wise to jump on that bandwagon, because I think every child that's old enough to go outside alone should have one...especially if there is a GPS embedded in the phone, so 911 operators can track the child's location if they call.

By the way, thank you for your input.

No problem! Threads like this are beneficial to me as well, since I'll be a parent myself someday and will have to make these sorts of decisions.