Do you let your kids play outside alone?
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Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7195
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Topic: Do you let your kids play outside alone?
Posted By: SMoody
Subject: Do you let your kids play outside alone?
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 2:34pm
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Just curious to know who allows their kids to play outside alone and if yes from what age?
Do you check up on them now or then? Or do you only let them play outside while you are physically outside yourself? Sorry me being bored and suppose to study but trying to find and excuse not too. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 2:43pm
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We have a high fenced yard and lockable gates with the lock up high.. which we lock and close each time we are home. (you can't get in and out, and you can't unlock them from the outside.. he he, mike has come home many times and had to run around knowcking on windows cos he can't get in the gates.
Ayja is a 'runner' so i would never trust her with the gates open even if she was inside.. i like to know that if she snuck past while i was getting something from the laundry.. that she would have no where to go. I do let them play outside sometimes by themselves, but usualy when i am in the kitchen which looks out over the yard and the gates. I will get out chalk or their bikes or whatever. But i always check, and usually it's just while i finish something then i'll go sit ont he step or go play too. Prob only ever 5 - 10 mins at the very most.. and constantly checking. (i am probably a worry wart..) ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 2:44pm
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i think it helps that there are two of them and they go out to play together, and Paris is very noisy and narks on ayja if she is doing something she shouldn't, or diverts her away from it.. good little mummy she is. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 2:47pm
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I let Andrew play outside, the back yard only, (only when the weather is good so not often) he knows the rules that he plays on the grass only. I always go out and check on him every 5-10 minutes just to make sure he hasn't fallen over. When DH is working outside then Andrew is allowed to play on the driveway and on the path outside our house. If we have the gates closed then Andrew would have free range of the whole place as we are fully fenced. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 3:49pm
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We have a fully fenced backyard and Zaara loves to go outside and play but I follow her around. Or atleast keep an eye on her from where I am. As soon as I cant see her I go after her. The reason is that our back fence door has a latch but no padlock. As soon as I get one I will let her play alone for a while but still keep an eye.
Like Ayja Zaara is a runner......I never leave the front door open since the front of our house is not fenced!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: AlyAyde
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 3:57pm
Yep, mine just have the door open and come and go as they please. Jayde was probably a little over 12 months when she started doing it
------------- Jayde 25/12/04 Alyssa 08/04/03 http://Alyayde.bebo.com |
SMoody wrote:Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 3:58pm
Same, as we have a fully fenced section. ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 4:13pm
We also have a fully fenced section (thanks to our neighbour who kindly made a gate for us while I was in hospital with Krystiana). The girls can play out there by themselves, it's a little bit new for me cause I'm usually in our lounge which is upstairs - but with the windows open I can hear them (like Janine's Paris, Hannah never stops talking and like Janine's Ayja, Briona can clearly let the neighbourhood know if Hannah is being pushy  ). Every now and again they go quiet so I'll go out and check on them then, usually to find them eating "ten thousand" grapes!!! 
I actually can't go outside easily with a broken foot (uneven surface or wet ground) so the girls have been looking after themselves out there nearly all of the last 6 weeks. -------------  |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 4:16pm
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we have a fully fenced section so if we are still here when old enough we would let her play in yard. BUT hardly any kids around here play outside their own properties - 2 next door play in yard, the other 2 on other side play in yard or go past our place and back and that is it.
We want to move to land so she can play outside more than here in the suburbs. Kids dont get enough air anymore... |
Posted By: megrac
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 4:54pm
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yep my kids play outside on their own oldest 6 years and youngest 22 months and they have done for ages we have a fenced backyard and i ckeck on them especally when thay go quite always meansc thay are up to no good.
i also look afther kids at my home (4 under 5years) and the rule book says that i have to be out side when the kids are so during the day when my eldest is at school i am always outside watching the kids. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 5:12pm
Okay I am really really paranoid so I only let her out while I am out. It is fully fenced area but the latch can be easy to open and then it is out to the road. I even run after her when she goes to the one side while I hand up laundry and I cant see her. 
I dont think I will be allowing her to play outside on her own for quite a while still. There is a big dog next door as well and she can put her hands through there... And yes I can think of several bad scenarios here. But even if the dog wasnt there I dont think I would. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 7:36pm
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You could get a padlock for the catch? ------------- |
Posted By: shaz
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 7:38pm
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Yep all the time. Hehe. They are 9 and 11. I can't even remember when I started letting them out so it will be all new with Alyssa or maybe I'll just send one of the older girls out to watch her. I'm so brave now I even let them go to the park on their own. People down the road let there little kids play on the street sometime even with their bikes they look pretty young maybe 4 or 5 I would never have let my kids outside the gate at that age and this street is like a race track it really worries me. |
Posted By: MyMinis
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 7:49pm
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we have a deck out fornt adn a bbq area deck out back.
i let haleigh on our deck up front on her own but i can see her still and hear her and she generally stays close to the glass sliding door (its huge) i think more cause she can see her reflection and loves talking to ehrself. i dotn let her out the back on her own though because she likes to eat the leaves to the tree and the bark plus hteres lots of pungas so not sure what will be crawling around in them. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
http://tweetytweety85.bebo.com - bebo |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 8:06pm
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Wont work with a padlock. Even if there was one I wont leave her alone. Too paranoid. If she falls and hits her head she will be quiet and can be seriously injured and what happens if I only go out 10 minutes later?
Told you guys I am an overprotective mommy. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 8:12pm
same here as well. Jake wants to play outside ALL the time, so I have bought him waterproof over pants to go with gumboots when it is wet underfoot, but ok outside to play. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 8:14pm
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Oh, and we use a bungy rope thing on the fence to keep it shut as mr houdini has figured out the 2 latches on there, lol! (and if he's too quiet, it is because he is eating dirt from daddy's garden) ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 03 May 2007 at 7:53am
I never let Bay played outside by himself when he was younger BUT that was because we lived on a farm so not fenced!! and i didnt trust him to leave the goat (MR ATTITUDE GOAT!!! ) and the other animals alone!!! but now that we have moved and our house is fully fenced i let him play outside alone....although i never shut the gates!! but i wouldnt leave them open if i thought he would take off!! hes pretty good and knows not to go beyond the gate!! and he often comes in to tell tales on the cats because "they were naughty and went outside the gate!" lol
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 03 May 2007 at 8:17am
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No- we dont have a fenced section yet, its under construction & has lots of hazards ie; 2m drop off the side of the retaining wall etc.
Once it is finished i will definitely let him play out there alone (if he will play alone lol) ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 03 May 2007 at 9:32am
Our Latch is at the Top of the fence so it will be a while before she can reach it!! but I am more worried that some one from outside will come in to our property. Other than that I let her loose. She also likes to touch and try some grass and weeds (Dont know why??) So I try and stop her when ever I can...... ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bumble
Date Posted: 03 May 2007 at 11:48am
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We let Ethan have the run of the property. It's fully fenced. Has big gates at the front that I shut when he is playing (dont padlock) Even if they are open, there is a "line" that he is not allowed to cross without an adult. We are on a fairly busy road, but if he is out the front, so am I. I usually sit on the patio or do some weeding. We also have gates that break the section up. They are on either side of the house. This means that Ethan can go out the back and play on this trampoline, swings, sandpit etc without me worrying.. I'll always leave doors/windows open so I can hear what is going on. But he seems to enjoy himself more when I am out there with him!!! ------------- formerly known as "Bee" Ethan ~ March 2003 Big 6 year old school boy! Micah ~ Aug 2008 ~ Smiley pants who loves telephones! |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 03 May 2007 at 2:26pm
Hey, Roksana, watch Zaara with the grass or weed, lol! At this age i wouldn't worry, it's in ten or so years I would worry! lol!  ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |