[foxhill]

We live directly across the road (a quiet residential street) from a small park that has the usual swings, climbing frame etc. My five year old son started a conversation with me the other day about it:

DS5: "Dad, I have to talk to you about something" (alarm bells, he says this usually when he's in trouble but not yet caught)

ME: "Yeah mate?"

DS5: "Now that I'm five and a half and have been going to school, I think I'm old enough to go to the park across the road by myself..."

Me: "Hmmm...I don't know..."

DS5: "...and you can see me from the loungeroom window and I'll be very careful and look left and right before crossing the road and will only stay at the park for 15 minutes"

Me: "No mate, I don't think so, we can go together a bit later".

~~~

He was a little disappointed that he couldn't go by himself but was still happy that I took him. My question is, what age do you think is suitable for this? He has some confidence issues and I'm thinking it might be a good way for him to feel he has control over something like this, but I'm concerned he's too young - despite me easily being able to watch from the window.

Thoughts on this anybody?

[ziggy72]

I would let him go, watching him cross the road from the window and then watching intermittently during the time he is allowed to go. I would not be concerned about worse case secanario's but would insist that he doesn't talk to strangers. I would probably also say that if other people come to the park he should come home and then you will join. I really think it is over kill to supervise him crossing a road that has a car once every 30 mins. He doesn't need to judge speed and distance, it is simple, if there is a car, wait, and then cross when the road is empty.