Do You Let Your Kids Walk Home from School?

At what age would you allow your child to walk home from school? Interestingly enough my husband and I had this conversation prior to the tragedy in New York several days ago. We only live a few blocks away from school so it seems feasible to let our daughter walk to school alone at some point. However, my husband said he doesn’t think he would ever be comfortable with our kids walking alone to and from school, simply because he has never done it himself. But I have and I’m not sure I would be comfortable with it myself.

I was in the sixth grade when I started walking home from school as a part-time latch key kid, I wasn’t doing it every day but it was often enough. Throughout 7^th and 8^th grade I either walked or rode my bike to and from school on a regular basis. We were cursed with being just a block too close to the school to ride the bus.

A few days ago a 9-year old Brooklyn boy’s dismembered remains were found following an intense search after the boy went missing on his way home from day camp. It’s unclear if this was the first time he walked home from camp, but his parents did have to write a note for school letting them know he would not be riding the bus.

It’s a sad story leaving me with the feeling of “what-if?”

What if his parents refused to let him walk home? Would Leiby Kletzky be alive today? Did his attacker know he was going to walk home?

In a previous post people left comments stating I was “over-protective”. But are you really being over-protective refusing to let your 9-year old walk home from camp or school alone, it seems to me, that in today’s society, if you have the option  it’s better to refuse to sign that permission slip.  If it can save your child from experiencing the same fate as Leiby Kletzky, than its 100% worth it!

Interestingly enough I asked my parents when they would allow a child to walk home from school in today’s society, they said it would not be allowed until the child was in high school.  I’m going to have to agree with them, in today’s society it seems much easier, if life allows it, to just pick up our kids from school and avoid what could potentially occur on their walk home.

When did you or would you let your child walk home from school? Have they ever encountered any problems walking home alone?

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20079057-504083.html