Curious Question....

mummy2girls wrote: If you lived in a cul-da-sac would you let your 4 year old roam it without you near her/him?

For the past couple days at work this little 4 year old roams the culdasac i work in. I am outside with the girl i care for almost every day if the weather permits, and there are also many other kids running around but they are around the ages of 9 and 10 years. But this little 4 year old is always outside alone. And there is no way the parents can see her. where thier house is located and where she roams is way out of thier site. I just find this very odd...

MommyToAshley replied: It doesn't matter where I lived, I would not let my 4 year old roam anywhere alone.

I don't like to judge other people or criticize their parenting styles, but some people should just not be parents.

MomToMany replied: DEFINITELY NOT!!! That's plain neglect to me; anyone could come snatch up that little girl, even on a cul-de-sac.

I don't let my 4 yr. old play outside alone here, and we have 60 acres of land! There's just too much he could get into, or get hurt on.

ITA, M2A!! Some people shouldn't be parents!

ediep replied: no way!!!!!!

jem0622 replied: Cul-de-sac or not, that is not good. No way would I allow that.

momof2girls replied: No way I live in a cul de sac and I still go out with my 8yr old
that is crazy

alice&arik replied: Are they stupid or something? With all the kiddnappings and abductions these days, why not just post a sign?

kimberley replied: no way! i won't let my almost-8yo and my 6yo play on the front lawn if i am not outside! they are only allowed in the back because it is completely fenced in and they have to stay where i can see them through a window.

My2Beauties replied: No siree bob! My DSD is 8 and she can only go out to the front yard as long as the door is open and I can can clearly see her! I don' t leave the livingroom when she is outside just in case something happens and I live on a dead end street too with family members next door and across the street...still...anything can happen and this world is a crazy place!

A&A'smommy replied: uhh yeah that parent needs to pay attentin!

paradisemommy replied: no way..we had an incident here a few months back where a 3 year old was run over and killed by the mailman. apparently it was in a culdesac and the mailman never saw her/him (don't remember which)..my first thought was "WHERE IN THE HECK WERE THE PARENTS?"..

in total agreement - parenthood is not for everyone...

aspenblue1 replied: NO WAY!

lsjulee replied: No way, not here too.

Anyway if there is any unaccompanied 4yo roaming about in our neighbourhood, there sure will be some passer-bys or strolling mummies stopping by to ask the kid the wherabouts of his/her parents. If they don't, I will. No matter how safe our neighbourhood will be, we will be concerned. Or simply noser. And definately at the parents.

Mom2Boyz replied: NO WAY!!! I see kids running around here all the time, and it just makes me wonder where their parents are, and why on earth they would let their young children just roam around as they please. I don't understand some people.

porksdad replied: I have to say I would not with our child, But at the same time wish I would and feel it is sad that we think that way and a sadness for our kids that they dont get to discover and experience freedom in learning their own limits...

When I was four and a half I travelled to school by myself on public transport-as did many of my friends and no one considered it strange--albeit we are talking 34 years ago eek!!! I would walk up the road to a neighbours house aged four and invite myself to tea, she and my parents had an agreement and they were always informed when I `turned up' but I did not know this and enjoyed the freedom to wander...

Probably `abductions' molestations and the like have not increased so very much since my childhood days but awareness of them has, so we protect our children and maybe we limit their development.

I agree I would not let my child play alone unattended aged four or probably 5 or 8--but i remember playing with my brothers and friends at that age, setting off on bike rides around our town with a packed lunch and being gone the whole day, when i was 6 or 7 and feel maybe my daughter will miss out on something special because of my fears...adn because of the breakdown in communities where we all knew our neighbours and everyone looked out for each other

Point being I dont condemn a parent who has the courage to give freedom to her child I just pray that she will not ever have cause to regret her choice I do condemn however those parents who give freedom through lack of interest or neglect