Giving children more freedom

[PrincessFiona]

At what age do you think it is appropriate that children can bike from one neighborhood to the next, etc.

My son's friends (10 1/2) are allowed to bike quite far and I have limited him to just within a small area of our neighborhood. Yesterday he argued with me that I am too overprotective and that he should be able to bike to their houses just like they bike to our house. They live about 15 + minutes away though on bike....he would have to cross one small street, but the rest is all through neighborhoods.

Should I rethink my biking policy?

kris

[Michele]

I don't have children....so I don't know the parental panic that goes along with it....but as a child of a very overprotective mother (I wasn't allowed to bike off of our direct street in view of the house)....it was annoying and I felt very sheltered and of course you get picked on for it. It sounds like it's a safe area for him to bike alone...when the friends bike, are they alone or ist here two of them that ride together? He's 10 right? I was babysitting at 10...and Andrew seems like a responsible child...I say maybe let him do it and have him call as soon as he gets there....

I grew up in a fairly rural setting, and was allowed to bike up to the neighbors about a mile away at 12. Then again that was in the early 80s and they didnt' even have helmets back then.

We have just started letting our 5 year old outside alone in the front yard, so what do I know :!

[Rapunzel]

It depends on the area and the child. 10 is reasonable if you have a neighborhood where everyone knows each other pretty much (ie lots of eyes watching whats happening around your kid and people can call you if need be) AND you have a relatively mature child that has good "danger-radar". Even if the two above requirements were met I would still only let a 10 year old bike off for quite a ways IF he were in a group of friends and they all knew they had to stick together - period. The safety in numbers approach. I'd still be a worry-wort about it but I think having all of the above would be appropriate safety measures for that age group (that, and having a clear standard geographical boundary which cannot be crossed - and a set time by which said child should be home). Sounds like a lot when written down, but I think most of it is really just common sense avoidance of dangerous situations.

Jennifer

I grew up in a fairly rural setting, and was allowed to bike up to the neighbors about a mile away...

I did too...maybe more extreme rural! Except that I was riding my bike about two miles on dirt roads at eight!! Then my friend and I would ride another two miles on dirt roads to the edge of the local town and look into town...because we weren't allowed to ride on the blacktop!!! Also in the 80's- with the same safety regards for riding in the back of the truck, on the tailgate, with our feet hanging off the end!!
Our oldest started the toddling years on a VERY busy street in Kansas City, so we are fortunate that he is still leary of roads(even though we currently live on a cul-de-sac with little to no traffic until late afternoon) he won't even ride two houses away to either side of ours!

At 10- I would give it a test run, only you set the point for him to ride to and back. Then, when he wants to ride with his friend, have him meet the friend say- mid way, then report back to you when he gets to friends house. I always had to check in when I got anywhere near a phone and a friends house.
$.02

At 10- I would give it a test run, only you set the point for him to ride to and back. Then, when he wants to ride with his friend, have him meet the friend say- mid way, then report back to you when he gets to friends house. I always had to check in when I got anywhere near a phone and a friends house.

I think that sounds like a good approach.