How old do my kids need to be before they can walk to school unescorted?

If they're anything like their dad, they'll be picking up an "escort" long before they ever reach school. =P

25.

I walked a long way to school when I was young. When I was around 7, one day I was late for school and I was the only child walking on the street at that time. An older couple stopped and asked me if I wanted a ride to school. Knowing that I shouldn't talk to strangers I shook my head and kept walking. They followed along a little bit and insisted that I shouldn't be walking on the street by myself and that I should let them drive me to school. I thought they seemed nice so I got into the car with them. I could be dead right now if they hadn't really been "nice". The fact that I did that still haunts me to this day with the "what ifs".

Unfortuately/fortunately(?) I'm an overprotective parent and I would feel paranoid to let my 8 year old walk to school by herself. I hear what you're saying, kids these days are way too coddled but it beats being dead or stalked by a pedophile.

I agree that the rules in effect in some school districts are ridiculous. I have a friend who had to be home every afternoon to meet his 13-year-old brother getting off the bus, even though the bus dropped him off at their driveway. Without an adult present, the bus driver wasn't allowed to leave. I often walked to and from school "alone" in both elementary and middle school (There were lots of other kids walking, some with parents). However, five years old is much too young for a child to be walking unattended.

Do you want your child in the missing childrens poster? I suggest you use the other half of your brain and walk her to school or home school her.She is to young and i would not trust even a 10 yr old this days.In the old day's you could walk alone,but now it gotten more raw and dirty of a world.

The last thing you want is your child never going to school or ever coming back.Who cares if is 3 blocks what matters is that it can happen close to home.Some of the news have said,that even around the corner.

My daughter takes the bus,but I walk and stand with her at bus stop.

If this is serious, then yes, 5 is too young. I reported the 5 year old that walked to school by herself just last year - and here her older brother had ditched her and so it wasn't even remotely her parents intention for her to walk to school alone. Walking the street alone at the same time every day is asking for it. The risk WAY outweighs the benefit - an scheduled, established every day routine of unsupervised access can be a pedophile's dream come true. If you are 3 blocks from school, there are plenty of parents walking past your house. Send her in their care if there is a need for that.

If you have half a mind and the time to home school, you should have half a mind to figure out that you could walk with your 5 year old to the school.

Hell, when I was 5, I walked almost a mile by myself. By age 8 I had a little brother to escort and by age 13, I was carrying a rifle to school because I had to practice at the YMCA range after school. All pre-Columbine of course.

Could you imagine a school full of armed 13 year old kids in this day and age?

RScott

I used to walk to school alone in 1980-1982, and I was only molested twice, but that wasn't to and from school, that was out in the neighborhood playing with friends.

You are a really good speller :) But should someone interested in skulls and the occult 1) be a parent; and 2) be trusted to homeschool? *shudder*

Let my five year old walk 3 blocks to school alone?

No. I would watch them if it's a straight shot or walk with them, I enjoy walking.

I wouldn't be sending them alone though, especially in my neighborhood. We have a lot of registered sex offenders =S

Here, its 12, by law...but that's sooooo bogus...sheet at 5 I was waking, dressing, and walking myself to school, if I went, LOL.

PS: isn't 1/2 a mind a requirement for home schooling?

i think 5yrs old is way to young to be walking to school alone. and 3blocks is a lot of area for something bad to happen in. i wasn't aloud walking to school alone until 3rd grade and i could see the school from my house. and even then either my mom or step dad watched my sister and i until we got to school safely. i don't think they're trying to tell you how to raise your kids, they're just trying to protect them. be thankful they go to a school that cares!