Walking to School - Occoquan,VA

My kids have walked to school by themselves . Most of the time they walk home from school by themselves.
They don't usually walk to school simply because they aren't ready to go in time to get to school on time if they walk. We live 1/2 mile from the school.
My kids are 2nd and 4th grade.

And in reality it was NOT safer back when we were kids. The change is the 24 hr news cycle. When we were kids taken or something happened they didn't have amber alerts , they didn't get broadcast on the national news. It stayed in the local/ state area. According to the FBI, violent crime rates have dropped in the last 20 years.

My parents allowed me to walk home alone when I was 7. The FIRST week I was allowed, I got run over by a bike, and more terrifying...a man tried to coax me into his truck. I was literally THREE houses away from my own when the man came up. (My mom ran out, because she heard me screaming. I was that close.) I did know what to do, and there were a lot of people outside. However, if there hadn't been people around...I don't even want to think about it. A few months later we saw on the news, that the police were looking for a man in a white truck with a fake cop uniform (the same description of the man who tried to get me.) He abducted an 8 year old girl the town over. The cops showed up the next day, to hopefully get more of a description from me. They never found the man or the girl, that I know of. I KNOW that's pretty rare, but it still happened. It took YEARS for me to not be afraid of being alone anywhere. We lived in a VERY nice neighborhood, by the way. In fact, they still live there. Year after year, it has the lowest crime rates in the state.

No, I would not let my 7 year old walk alone. Ever. My parents regret to this day, that I had to go through that. I don't want to live with that regret, or worse. I can teach him independence in other ways. There are literally dozens and dozens of other ways to teach independence, freedom, and responsibility. While I can, I'd like to protect him in that way. Soon enough, I won't be able to...why take the chance, you know?

My sister and I walked to school together when we were in kindergarten and she in first grade. We met up with a few other kids too and it was only about a mile or less. We almost got abducted by a weirdo in a car. So, just from my experience, I am waiting till my boys are much older.

I would let them walk alone. As long as there are other children out there, it should be fine.

since 2nd grade our kids have walked by themselves to/ from school. but we live only 1/2 block away. I stood on the corner and watched them. If we lived any farther I would probally walk them until 3rd grade. But we live in a very tiny town. Our school makes all the kids walking wait until the bus and all parents picking up thier kids have left. So the traffic has died down.

You can see them so they should be ok. Then the owners move in I would be sure to ask thier permission.

I started to let my middle son walk "alone" at the end of 1st grade, when he was 7. We live one block from school in a neighborhood with crossing guards and lots of other walkers. I cross him at the intersection near our house, then watch him walk to the end of that block, where the crossing guard is. He then turns left (doesn't cross, the sidewalk is also on the left) and from there it's about 100 yards to the school driveway. The only house he passes out of my sight is on the corner where he turns and after that, it's just grass and sidewalk. On the way home, he does the same route, walking down the sidewalk from the school driveway to the crossing guard out of my sight and then I can see him walking down the block to the intersection where I'm waiting. His younger brother is in K and I always walk with him, so this arrangement happens frequently on the way to school in nicer weather because my K child can take the bus (absurd but he loves it) but not as often on the way home, because I'm walking with the little one anyway. But I do let the older one walk ahead of me alone and he waits at the intersection for us to catch up and cross.

I don't really have any feelings about what other parents do/don't do at this age. For us, it's a reasonable way to give him a little freedom and responsibility in a way that's safe.

mine did, from about 2nd grade on. we were in a similar situation to you. we couldn't actually see the school but the kids had access to it through a path that let them stay off the main roads. i walked with my older for a while, but once he was comfortable and we had a nice herd from our circle of the neighborhood we let 'em go.
once my younger started going too it was a mashup. sometimes they'd walk together, sometimes with the other kids (the younger never walked alone, though!), sometimes i'd walk with 'em just for fun, and sometimes i'd drive them. they would occasionally ride the bus too, but the novelty of that wore off quickly.
i liked that it built a sense of independence in them, and a reasonable belief that the world is a safe and good place to be as long you're taking sensible precautions.
khairete
S.

I don't see letting the kids walk alone together as a big deal. That said, you're their mom (not me) and if it doesn't work for you for whatever reason, then they should be walking with you or another adult.

Each family gets to decide what works for them.

In all reality I do not think it was safer when I was a kid walking to school almost 2 miles away with the neighborhood kids. I think the media was not what it is today where a child in Utah goes missing and the whole world knows about it before lunch the next day.

I walked from my house with 3 other kids that lived on my block. We had rules and were to walk home together too.

I would in no way let my grand kids walk to school today if I was not as close as you are. If you can see them from the door to the school I might let them. It would depend on the quality of the neighborhood, if there were abundant trees blocking part of the view, if there were cars racing along the street, etc...there are many variables and you have to feel that your kids are safe.

We live in a cul de sac, our house backs up to the school and our next door neighbor has a path through to the school. Same rules about living within 1 mile of the school - no transportation is offered. That said, the school has strict rules. Only 4th and 5th graders are allowed to bike to school or walk alone or in a group (without a parent). I think those rules are quite reasonable.

Hi, M.:
Do not let your children walk alone to school.
Just my input.
Good luck.
D.

My daughter is 11, and just in the last couple months has she walked up to the bus stop without me (the end of our block, like 3 houses). She also gets off the bus and walks home by herself where she stays for about 30 min until the babysitter gets there.

I still have her text me when she is on the bus (and when she gets inside after school).

8 and 7 seem kind of young to me. But there are 2 of them, and I think sometimes there is safety in numbers (one might keep the other on the sidewalk or whatever).

Now, I might let them walk AHEAD of me, while I walked behind with the younger kids. But they would have to be within 'communication' distance - ie they could hear me, if I need their attention for something.

I'm not as worried about abduction, per say, as I am worried that a car is going to get too close to the curb or she is going to get sick or a bicyclist is going to come up from behind or something.

I would not let them walk alone. We have 2 schools nearby. Both out of sight of the house, but straight shots. Actually kids in our neighborhood aren't supposed to walk because they would have to cross a very busy 50mph road.

I do see young kids for other schools walking. I couldn't do it. Not that my kid wouldn't be able. I would be a nervous wreck. The only exception would be if there was always a group of kids walking.

What I would do before letting them walk alone is ask another parent or parents to start a duty where one of you walks the kids one week and then another parent another week. i know it is hard trying to get out to walk every day with two small kids who may or may not cooperate...best of luck!

I'd say that's a big no!!! 30 years ago....yes....2012....no!

I remember walking to school alone when I was 5-6 years old. It was safer back then but by the time I was 9 years old there was a case where a guy was 'bothering' kids and it really scared me but I still walked. I had two brothers walking with me most of the time by that time, both younger. I think if you can see the school from the house then maybe you could watch from the house and not go all the way with them. If still worried I would go all the way but 7 and 8 years old is old enough if your neighborhood watches out for each other and you can see if they actually get to the school. I had two different times where a guy tired to literally throw me in the car and I was 19 years old so 'years' aren't the issue as much as it can happen and you just have to teach the kids safety and be on your guard all the time.

I do not let my almost 7 yr old and his 8 yr old neighbor walk alone but If you can see the school from your house I would let them

I always drove the children to school-even when they went to high school-two blocks away! Not worth the risk, however, as of July 2011, there were no registered sex offenders in your town!

My children do not walk to school however my daughter who is 8 does walk by herself from the bus stop to the front door. It is literally right outside of our apartment. I do walk them to the bus stop in the morning and stay with until both buses pick each child up. There is a child who is in 3rd grade who does walk alone to my daughter's school. The walk is a little over a mile.

When I was a child we lived within walking distance of the elementary school I attended and from the time I was 6/7 until I was out of that school I either walked with my older sister(one year my senior)or alone.

If we lived closer I would walk with my children however being that they attend different schools and they both start at the same time I don't foresee this ever being an option.

My kids are 7 and 9 and I still walk them. I would let the 9 walk by himself, but not the 7 yr old, so I just walk both. I personally think that it's just awesome family time to chit chat about school and stuff!!!!!

I started walking to school (1 mile) when I was in kindergarten. That was 34 years ago, so a lot has changed and now that I have a child in Kindergarten, I think 'NO WAY'!
But I often think of when to allow my children to walk to school, and I found this interview on NPR really interesting, and it might be of interest to you , too: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/19/138510244/independence-for-...
Good luck!

I see lots of kids from my kids' school, that walk home or ride their bike home after school.
Kids of all ages.
And they need to cross the street too. A BUSY street, on the way home, because it is after school traffic.
Kids are short, they can't be seen well, from a car. And kids don't always cross the street wisely. They cannot accurately, discern traffic.

These kids walk home, because they must.
Meaning, they have no parent to pick them up. Or no parent home.
These are kids that usually live, near the school somehow. But it is a big neighborhood.

Kids that walk home, do it because that is their situation.
For whatever reason.