It seems like every time I am posting I am giving away something! Isn't it fun? I do hope to also be able to blabber about stuff, and hopefully you guys don't skip it to get to the "good stuff"!
I have to say that I am looking forward to my daughter heading to grade one this year. Not only is our kindergarten out here only 2 hours long which means you have to stay close to home to be able to pick up, but it is kinda just smack in the middle of the day. This year, shes in full days, which she is excited about but so am I! Shes been driving me crazy lately. I didn't realize that 6 year old develop their attitude this early! Shes been a bit mouthy/rude. I don't think she intends it to be this way, but its the way it comes out. I have to remind her to not say things like that, but sometimes its really hard. Not to mention shes recently applied for her back seat drivers licence. Yes, you got that right, shes my little back seat driver!
I can be driving around, and she says "mom, that lane over there is going faster, move over". Or "mom, I thought you said you were turning here, hurry up and do it". I have told her that the light was red, and I was not allowed to turn yet, or that the other lane was ending soon, or even that the next exit was mine, but she likes to tell me when to go if the light is green, when I should turn.... sometimes its funny, other times it drives me crazy! lol. My husband figures that when shes 16 (the legal age to drive out here) shes already going to know how to drive. He drove the other day and she tells him to get into the other lane, and then he says "i know what I am doing" lol. At least its not only to me.
Shes getting such independent. She is starting to grow her wings and try and "fly the coop" a bit more. She wants to play out front of the house, but I still will only let her play in the backyard (unsupervised). She wants to be able to walk to the park alone (5 min walk if that) but I don't think I am ready for that. She feels more confident, and I just want to keep her close! lol. I am trying to give her more responsibility to allow her to feel more "grown up" but not too much!
So lets get to the secret psychic. I am going to make this easy. What is the age you would let your child play outside in the front yard unsupervised? (not a busy street) That's it.. just answer the question and your entered to win! Winner is announced WEDNESDAY!
Please remember, that whoever does win, that you need to keep the secret psychci secret (say that 5 times fast!) for 4 more weeks. After that feel free to pass out her information if you were impressed with her reading!
Good luck!
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17 comments:
Hey there Cheri!
My son just turned 7 on
August 5th.
I still do not let him play unsupervised in our front yard mostly because we live outside the city limits and cars tend to FLY down our street. It's not him I don't trust, its the drivers that have the lead foot!!
He has been playing in the backyard unsupervised since about age 5, however, our back yard is fenced in with a privacy fence and my back yard backs up to an empty field.
I have huge bay windows in my kitchen and when he is in the backyard playing I keep the blinds open. I have a great view of his swingset and the trampoline, so its easy for me to "check" on him from inside our house.
I wouldnt let him walk alone to a park or anything still though. I've been called "over protective" but I'd rather be safe than sorry!
On a side note..I know what you mean about them becoming "mouthy". It seems like every age has a different stage/phase.
I think I'd have to say 8 years old at least. Possibly a tad younger if the were with a sibling to keep each other in check.
Hi Cheri!
Ok although i do not have any children yet, i understand what you mean about not letting them play outside. There are tons of crazy people out there and i don't think my children will be playing out front alone. Things happen within seconds. If they want to play out front maybe you can sit out front also and read a book while they play or maybe take the laptop out front with you.
Hope this helps! :)
I guess it would depend a certain amount on how reliable my child was. If I knew that I could say she was allowed to play on the front yard only and that she'd do it, then I'd probably be fairly happy from 9-10 years onwards.
On the other hand, if I knew she was the kind of kid who'd mean well but would get totally engrossed or distracted, it'd be a different matter. If she was the type of kid who wanders off without even meaning to because she's absent mindedly following a pretty butterfly, then her age would have to be in double digits before I'd think of it.
Fortunately my daughter's only 2, so plenty of time for me before I have to decide how much unsupervised freedom to give her! I really don't like children playing out in the front yard, so I won't be in any hurry to let her out there. I just wish I had a bigger back yard (ours is a tiny 30ft) so that she could have more things to play with out there.
I'm not looking forward to the 'mouthy' stage though. I'm finding the toddler tantrums hard enough work! ;o)
I can't imagine! I think I'd let my child if he was 10 years, maybe.... with the way the world has been lately I know I'll be a little more cautious about letting my child go anywhere alone you know?
I think i let my daughter play unsupervised when she was 7 out front. She just turned 8. It depends on the area. I won't let her go alone to the park though.
Hi Cheri,
I started letting my kids play in the front yard unsupervised at about 8 years old. Of course I was checking out the window every five minutes!!
I would say 8 with very strict rules and a little "spying" to make sure she is following the rules.
I will not let patrick and Emma that are 6 and 5 play outside in the front yard without a adult with them...now my older boys 12 and 13 I would say 10 years or older to be able to be outside with an adult but I would still be keeping an eye out from the house...
I would say 8 years old. It would depend on the child and the neighborhood. I would probably keep the car keys hidden if I were you. It sounds like your kid might decide to take a joy ride one day. Since mom and dad obviously don't drive as well as she thinks she could. LOL
Never!
Or, err....I guess 10. The double digits just sounds better and more mature (I hope).
I'd say 8 years old and it's only because we live in a fairly quiet community with not a lot of cars driving by. If it were up to my husband, he'll say 14 or maybe even later! He's a worrywart. :)
My mom would watch us in the front yard up until we were 7 or 8.... so I would have to say the same. By then you know to look for cars and not talk to strangers, and etc.
:o)
OMG Cheri, I think you have my daughter, LOL. My 5 yr. old daughter does the same thing as your daughter in the car. Drives me crazy, but of course she thinks she's 5 going on 18. My Miss Independent starts kindergarten tomorrow, but it's all day here, woohoo!! Just kidding, it's kind of bittersweet. Anyway, we live in a great neighborhood, but anyone who intends to do bad usually comes from the outside so I would have to say my daughter will have to be 9-10 yrs. old before she can go out front unsupervised.
I think it really depends on the maturity of the child.... I would aim for 8+ but again it would depend on the child.
My daughter is also five, I would have a tough time allowing her to play outside without me. Maybe when she's eight/nine I might consider it, since she's my first born, it's always new to me going through each stage of her growing up.
7 or 8
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