Crossing the Street

[Cloverlove]

When did you let your child cross the street alone?

We live on a rural hwy with little traffic. We are friends with the 3 families that live across the street and we all have kids the same age. Now that the weather is nice they all love to play and be outside together. I have been walking him across the street on the way over and picking him up. Our driveway is quite long and I am usually getting dinner ready at this point. He is 5.5 and quite mature, yet I am not sure how I feel about letting him cross the street by himself. I trust his judgement, but I thought I'd put it to the wise mdc before making this big step!

Thanks!

[mom at home]

I think it really depends on how comfortable you are with it and I think you will just know when that time is. My 7.5 yr old starting crossing by herself in recent months. I am totally fine with it now but wouldn't have been much earlier. She reminded me of a deer in the headlights -she would just freeze. My 5.5 yr old is definitely not ready, but I know kids that age who are. We live in a college neighborhood that has a fair bit of traffic and college kids who are clueless about kids, so different story than your situation.

[Alexander]

Do it with him ever-now-and-then to see how he's getting on.

a