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Have you been struggling with how much independence to give your child and when? It really is the hardest thing to do — letting go as our children grow up. It starts with first words and steps, but soon they’re sleeping over at friend’s houses, riding their bike around the neighborhood, and wanting to walk to school alone. This makes my helicopter mom heart stop just a little bit. Luckily for me, we’ve never been close enough to any school for it to even be an option I’ve had to seriously entertain.
When I was 7 years old, I walked to school with my little brother, but without my mom. Or so I thought. I found out years later that while my mom did let us walk that route alone (it was only 3 blocks in the suburbs), she was actually following us — just far enough back so that we didn’t see her. She gave us the gift of independence.
According to Dr. Sears, maybe my mom was on to something. “Strike a balance between pushing and protecting. Both are necessary,” Dr. Sears wrote on AskDrSears.com. “If you don’t encourage your child to try, his skills don’t improve, and you’ve lost a valuable confidence builder. If you don’t protect your child from unrealistic expectations, his sense of competence is threatened.”
But when I can I let my child walk to school alone? Do I even want to?
At what age can my child walk to school alone?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should wait until their children are around 10 years old to allow them to walk to school (or anywhere else) unaccompanied.
Melissa Tigu, mom of an 11-year-old boy, is planning to wait a little longer. “I walked to school when I was little with my brothers and sisters. Maybe it’s different when you’re the mom and not that kid but I don’t feel like the world is safe enough for my son,” she told Mom.com.
Some children walk to school as young as 6, if the route is simple, but it would be safer to walk in a group of friends at that age. By the time most children are 10 or 11, they should be capable of walking to school on their own.
How to know if your kid is ready to walk to school without you
There are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to let your child walk to school alone:
- Is your child mature enough to walk alone?
- How far is home from the school?
- Are there sidewalks available?
- Do they know how to cross the street safely?
- Do they understand how to navigate the neighborhood safely?
- Is your neighborhood safe?
- Do you live in the suburbs? The city? In a rural area?
What does the law say is the appropriate age for a child to walk to school unaccompanied? The Every Student Succeeds Act contains a section (858) that protects the rights of kids to go out alone, meaning parents have the right to allow their children to bike, walk, or ride the bus to school by themselves. Usually, areas with high crime rates have their own specific regulations, while quieter neighborhoods defer to federal law.
Benefits of letting your child walk to school alone
- Walking to school is good exercise for your child.
- Walking helps lower BMI and prevents childhood obesity.
- Limits your carbon footprint.
- You will save money on gas and car maintenance.
- Bonding time with their friends and a chance to make new friends.
- Walking to school alone or with a group of friends helps foster a sense of independence in your child.
Possible dangers of walking to school alone
Hit-and-run accidents
Teach your child basic car safety, including how to obey street signs, traffic signals, how to cross the street, not to dart into traffic, or get into cars with strangers.
Abduction
Teach your child not to ever get into cars with strangers. Identify safe houses along the route to school that they could go to for help in case of emergency. Encourage your child to walk with a friend, if possible.
Getting lost
Choose the safest route. Walk the route with your child several times before their first time walking alone. Make sure that they are familiar with the area and know the route.
