My 7 year old walks home from school and I get a ton of grieve~ Other mothers insight please?

Question

My little girl is 7 and in the 2nd grade. She is smart making principal's honor roll every year and polite and just well put together.

I also have a 3 year old son that is in preschool at a different school across town.

So I have to go pick up my 3 year old from school everyday of course and my daughter gets out of school a few minutes after him. So instead of waiting for me she just walks home. We live about two blocks away from her school and I get home a few minutes before her.

There are a lot of kids that also walk home in the neighborhood since we live so close to the school. She knows better then to talk to strangers and go with people that she doesn't know. She also knows that she needs to come straight home. She likes to walk also because it gives her a sense of independence.

I am taking care of the two of my kids alone no help from family, friends or the father who is long gone.

The other day my mom was talking to my daughter on the phone and she was telling her how she walked home from school with her friends.

My mom gave me so much grieve.

I tryed to get my kids in the same school but I can't.

Should I make her wait at school for me or should I let her continue walking?

My mom said that I was being very irresponsible as a mother.

Answer 1

Is there another mom that you can ask to walk her home?  Maybe someone else picking up their child as well?  We lived in a neighborhood where most of the kids walked to/from school.  Every year- usually in the fall and spring there was some creeps out there driving really slow and there had even been a few incidents of the person trying to get a kid in their car.  It's good she knows the stranger rules, but does she know what to do if someone grabs her?  Or if someone runs after her?  I mean, this stuff happens.  Just watch the news.  I know you're in a bind, but you need to be really careful here.  

Answer 2

I would have her wait at the school.There's been to many kids disappear on the news.Most don't come back alive.Who knows what else had been done to them.I am a grand mother to a 7 year old smart little girl in second grade.Unless there is some older kids to walk with your daughter I would not let her walk alone.I probably wouldn't let her even with the older kids.It would only take a minute for someone to take her and then you wouldn't have that precious little girl anymore.Once it happens you can't turn back time.I know it's hard for you but it would be harder it if something happens to your daughter.You would have to live with that the rest of your life.

Answer 3

It's your choice....  

But I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with her walking home at 7 years old.

I have a 6 yo boy, and he won't be able to walk home for years!

If there is a mom that walks her child home, ask her to walk with your daughter too!

Answer 4

I think your mom is just worried, you can teach your daughter all the safety tips in the world, but it won't help her if someone grabs her and puts her in their car.  But the odds of that happening are little.  I do NOT think you are irresponsible at all, I think you are doing the best you can as a single mom, you can not be in 2 places at once.   When my son was in 2nd grade, he would walk to school everyday with his friends, and it made him feel like a "big boy".

Answer 5

Your mom is right!  It is dangerous and reckless of you to assume that she will be safe.  Do you put your children in car seat because an accident could happen?  Or do you assume she will heal when the car gets hit?  All you need to do is watch the news.  Bad things do happen to children and your daughter needs to be protected by you.  She is your responsibility!  Could you forgive yourself if something did happen to her?  I personally know two children that have been hit by cars, they were much older.

Answer 6

You get home a few minutes before her, so certainly you can swing over to the school and pick her up.  However, I don't know how long she is waiting outside for you and at our school, they can only wait for like 5-10 minutes before they are told to go to the office.

My daughter is in 2nd grade, smart, polite and well put together, and although we live a bit farther from school, I would never let her walk home alone period.

Answer 7

You know your daughter better than anyone else and if you think she is mature and responsible enough to walk home from school then you are probably right.  If your daughter was scared or unsure of it, she would be let you know.  I think you should trust your instinct and just let your mom be, unless she wants to be the one responsible to pick her up everday.

Answer 8

Its really a safety issue..ther are a lot of pervert out there that if they see a little girl walking even with other kids they will look at that as an oppertunity to grab one. I just wouldnt want anything to happen to my little girl or sisters. I know she likes it but I wouldnt have it. Have her wait inside the school for you and just look out the window for you.

Answer 9

What I know the kids do around my house is they have a buddy system.  where two or 3 kids always walk home together.  Never alone.  And since they all live in the neighborhood it works out great.  My sisters daughter goes to her Buddy's' house until she can pick her up a little later.  I think something like that would be the best.

Kids can walk home, they also just need to be more informed.  

Answer 10

It's hard to say what is right b/c things are so much different these days than when we were kids. I walked home from kindergarten with all of the neighbor kids! I have a 2nd grader and wouldn't let her walk home alone at this point despite her maturity. It's not her I worry about, it's all the other lunatics that could do something horrible.  

Answer 11

As long as she is always walking with soemone else, that its a safe neighborhood, andf she knows waht to do if she is approched, and you are home before her.  then maybe its ok

but I could never do that!

Answer 12

The problem doesn't lie in her not being mature enough to do this, the problem is the other sickos in this world that could drive up and pull her in their car.   Kidnappers are everywhere.  As a teacher and mother I would say that 7 is way too young for even just two blocks.  You are the best person to make this call though.  If your neighborhood is very safe and the school is at the edge or in the middle of your neighborhood it is a little safer.  I personally don't think I would let any child under 10 or 12 walk home from school.  30 years ago it would have been fine but in today's society I would hesitate.  

Answer 13

i personally think people should mind their business and let you raise your kids you want to raise them.  but since your asking, i wouldnt let her walk home alone, it would have to be with a group- like you were saying. it is close, but there are so many abductions these days- i dont think it would hurt her to stay at school for a few minutes. at least you know shes safe there.

Answer 14

2 blocks is not far.  Depends on where you live I guess.  I know things can happen anywhere, but where I live you never hear of anything bad happening.  I walked home from school in first grade and I can tell you it was way more than 2 blocks.  My son is 5 and not allowed to play out front of our house alone, but when I am out in the yard I let him go the length of our block on the sidewalk.  We live 7 blocks from his school and I think he will be walking when he is in 3rd grade.  His school does not allow them  to stay after.  Also, the exercise is good for kids.  I think a 7 year old can handle two blocks, you can see further than that if you wanted to watch her from home.

Answer 15

Tell her to get off ya! Good grief!

Its amazing how some parents want to give you all the advise in the world as if they know everything. My nine year old had been walking home from school for two years. Its a block and a half away and i can darn near see the roof of the school from my back yard. She walks with friends, not alone. My mother gave me h**l for it and I remind her "mom, when I was her age I walked a mile on a dirt road to the bus stop every morning and a mile back! A block and some change isn't going to kill the girl!"

Every child is different. If you think she can handle it they by all means let her. Just remember to have her walk with friends.

Answer 16

It's not so much if your daughter is a good kid or not.  It's all those other psychos out there that can just pick up little kids and you never see them again if you live that close to the school and you get home just minutes before her then I would just go pick her up at school she wouldn't be waiting that long and she would have someone who knows where she is all the time.  If it was up to me I wouldn't let her walk even if she can handle it.  I would just be worried that she would be abducted and from there who knows what else.  

Answer 17

That's great that she is an honor roll student and very responsible and knows not to talk to strangers, But...That will not protect her. She is only seven, I know she is walking with a group of kids, I have heard it is safer but not 100% safe. I have heard on the news numerous times from all over that children witnessed a Friend being abducted right in front of the other kids. Think about it...Kids are going to freak if someone jumps out of the car and grabs their friend, The abductor knows that child wont protect his friend. It is really scary and I will not let my 10year old walk home. Your taking a risk on hoping nothing will ever happen to your daughter. save the worries and pick her up yourself.

Answer 18

it's not that far,and if you think your daughter can handle it then that decision is up to you, my mom gives me grief because i let my 6year old walk to the bus stop, that's at the end of the street.