What's your take on the mom who let her 9-year-old son go it alone on the subway? (OK, I finally read this Newsweek story at midnight). Click her for the link.Are kids this age responsible enough? Street savvy? Does it just depend? The kid was allowed to ride solo from a department store to his family's Manhattan home, and crime isn't nearly as big a problem as it used to be in NYC.
Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.
I saw this a few weeks ago
I saw this a few weeks ago on the Today show and talked with a girlfriend about it. The Mom states she wanted to let her child be more independent. I say there are safer, controlled ways to do this.
The counselor on she show asked if the child, made their bed, got up for school on their own, made their breakfast? The answer was no. Doesn't sound to independent to me. I like the fact the Mother stands up for her choice. Not that I agree with what she did.
She also stated on the show that the world is not as dangerous as the media make it to be. We should let our children play outside and ride their bikes without us watching. The odds are good they will be fine. I don't know about you, but I am not willing to play odds that my children will be ok riding their bikes without me outside. That is just me, oh and a lot of my friends watch their children too.
KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.
I am personally shocked at
I am personally shocked at how many parents let their 8 year olds stay home all day after school and all day in the summer by themselves. I know they don't want to pay for daycare, but 8 seems so young to me. What is inside is just as scary as what is outside. I can't imagine what an 8 year old might find on the TV or the computer if left home all alone.
Brooke Romney is an unbalanced mom of three young boys who constantly has too much to do, and too little time. She writes the Mom Beat column for The Gilbert Republic.
I agree with the counselor's
I agree with the counselor's take. Some children mature faster than others, and it doesn't sound like this child is ready for a lot of independence.
If I lived in a kid-friendly neighborhood, and knew my neighbors, and I'd seen responsible bike-riding, I'd be likely to let my tweener ride with a buddy. Of course, there would be rules about how far s/he could go, and we'd review the usual what-ifs.