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Advice about letting 5-year-old out to play

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    #32
    speedscot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭speedscot


    Wantobe wrote: »
    I disagree with the other posters.

    You've just moved to the area, you don't know the neighbours or their children, your house is just by a walkway where people from outside the estate regularly walk past- I wouldnt let my child play outside under those circumstances, unsupervised either.

    I have a five year old too, and, like you, have just moved to a new area. She plays in the back garden and is not allowed out the front unless I am with her. Although she is really a great little girl sometimes she can be heedless with traffic- it's happened once or twice ever that I've been putting something into the car and although I've told her to stay on the pavement she's just gone to walk out onto the road without looking ( head in the clouds dreaming). Because I'm there I can grab her. What if I wasn't there?

    She has plenty of socialising with other children in the childminders when I am at work and with her sibling. I also take them to the park, go out with them on the road in front of the house with their bikes and other kids come and play in our garden ( they ask first!) but no way would I let her go off on her own.

    Thanks for your post. I admit to being relieved to see a view that comes closer to mine. I'm so grateful to the other members and their advice, all of which I take fully on board, but I still did not feel the slightest bit easier inside about the idea of letting my kid out there to play.

    BostonB also makes points that hit home with me and give me more to think about. I think my kid's quite good with traffic but the truth is we've always lived rurally and so it's never been well tested. However, I know if the ice cream van comes she will just run and not think about there being any cars about. She has done this when we have taken her out for a lolly. Wouldn't come back when we called either.

    I think I probably have to stick with my gut for now and not let her out unless I can be out the front too. Gradually build up a picture of how safe or not it might be. And why the Irish kids don't get out to play. I'd love to know that.


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    #33
    kizzyr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,410 ✭✭✭kizzyr


    The young kids in my estate are always (weather allowing of course) outside playing in our cul de sac. The parents take it in turns to watch over them and so there is always adult supervision (2 parents always outside) in case something happens e.g. kid falls down and cuts their knees, one hits another etc. It means that the other parents can get on with their day knowing that their kids are having fun but being watched over too. Because they take it in turn it means that no one is landed with it all of the time and the adults get to make new friends too.
    Do you think something like this might work for you OP? Your child gets to mix and make new friends, you might too, and you also have assurance that she is going to be safe.


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    #34
    KittyeeTrix
    Registered Users Posts: 7,239 ✭✭✭KittyeeTrix


    I don't live in one of the housing estates but I have 4 children aged 7, 10, 12 and 15.......

    I would never consider letting a child of 5 play out unsupervised. When I visit my friend in a built up housing estate my 7 year old who is a quiet cautious child due to being dyspraxic is only allowed out into the green area with his 10 year old sister while I stand watching from my friends window. I did live in a housing estate when my two oldest boys were younger and they were only allowed outside unsupervised at about the age of 7-8 and we lived in a quiet cul de sac

    The number of children who have run out into the path of my car as i drive into my friends house is astonishing. That's kids for ya, the ball bounces into the road and they most times bound after it without thinking.

    My sister who lives in a housing estate in Galway city does not allow her 5 year old out unsupervised. She will sit in the garden and keep a watchful eye on him in as he plays in a pre-defined area.....


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