Question:
Dorothy, I can relate to the "read and walk" thing. I did it so much as a child I actually was hit by car doing so. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hold old were your children before you allowed them to cross the street >*alone*? This would not be crossing right in front of your house. This would be >crossing at an area up the street and around the corner, houses away from your >own where it would be impossible to see them. This would be a neighborhood, on >the main strip where cars come and go frequently. Some of them travel over the >25 mph speed limit, too (more like 30-35 mph). I have heard that a child is >usually nine to eleven years of age before they can judge the distance vs speed >of a car coming their way, but does this mean at an intersection or on any >street, incl. neighborhoods? Do you agree with that? (I read that in a couple >of Parenting-type magazines.) >Susan > Different time and different kind of town and two different kids. > DS – crossed the streets alone at 5 or 6. Now this did not mean > all streets, but he could cross two or three streets near our street > and go to the corner grocery store or the park nearbye. But, he > was a very cautious child. He also walked on his own to school > with other kids in the neighborhood who were a little older. > DD- didn’t cross the same streets alone until she was 8 or 9 > because she was the reckless one and didn’t pay attention > when she was walking places. > I don’t know if there is really an age at which it’s safe. Imo, it > depends on the maturity and skills and ability of the individual > child. Some kids might not be safe at 12, others like mine are > safe earlier. I think I was unsafe when I was 12 because I used > to read and walk at the same time. (I still was allowed to go > though) > Dorothy > There is no sound, no cry in all the world > that can be heard unless someone listens .. > source unknown
Response:
Susan, I would have to agree. About 10 or 11, depending on how mature he/she is. Do you cross there with them now, to let them know when it is ok? Maby you could go with them for a while and let them know how close is too close for a car to be before crossing. Would the child be alone, or with other children? madmomma
Response:
>Hold old were your children before you allowed them to cross the street >*alone*? This would not be crossing right in front of your house. This would be >crossing at an area up the street and around the corner, houses away from your >own where it would be impossible to see them. This would be a neighborhood, on >the main strip where cars come and go frequently. Some of them travel over the >25 mph speed limit, too (more like 30-35 mph). I have heard that a child is >usually nine to eleven years of age before they can judge the distance vs speed >of a car coming their way, but does this mean at an intersection or on any >street, incl. neighborhoods? Do you agree with that? (I read that in a couple >of Parenting-type magazines.) >Susan
Different time and different kind of town and two different kids. DS – crossed the streets alone at 5 or 6. Now this did not mean all streets, but he could cross two or three streets near our street and go to the corner grocery store or the park nearbye. But, he was a very cautious child. He also walked on his own to school with other kids in the neighborhood who were a little older. DD- didn’t cross the same streets alone until she was 8 or 9 because she was the reckless one and didn’t pay attention when she was walking places. I don’t know if there is really an age at which it’s safe. Imo, it depends on the maturity and skills and ability of the individual child. Some kids might not be safe at 12, others like mine are safe earlier. I think I was unsafe when I was 12 because I used to read and walk at the same time. (I still was allowed to go though) Dorothy There is no sound, no cry in all the world that can be heard unless someone listens .. source unknown
Response:
Hold old were your children before you allowed them to cross the street *alone*? This would not be crossing right in front of your house. This would be crossing at an area up the street and around the corner, houses away from your own where it would be impossible to see them. This would be a neighborhood, on the main strip where cars come and go frequently. Some of them travel over the 25 mph speed limit, too (more like 30-35 mph). I have heard that a child is usually nine to eleven years of age before they can judge the distance vs speed of a car coming their way, but does this mean at an intersection or on any street, incl. neighborhoods? Do you agree with that? (I read that in a couple of Parenting-type magazines.) Susan
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