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At least in the UK, it would be very abnormal to either let your 6 year old child cycle to school, or to let them walk unaccompanied. Let alone both. Only when

At least in the UK, it would be very abnormal to either let your 6 year old child cycle to school, or to let them walk unaccompanied. Let alone both. Only when children reach about 11 would it be normal to allow them to travel unaccompanied.

Blikkentrekker 6y ago
*laughs in My First Errand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMZp8KsZ5k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMZp8KsZ5k It's fairly normal in Japan to let five year olds travel alone by train, apparently. I have to say I noticed before that the Anglo-Saxon often considers the minor to be seemingly mentally deficient and incapable of making the most basic choices and having the most basic responsibilities. It's too much of a culture of “Children are incapable; adults always know better, and must make every decision for them.”.
- erik_seaberg 6y ago
  It’s not “children can’t navigate” so much as “children can’t fend off abduction by sexual abusers.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_danger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_danger
  - Blikkentrekker 6y ago
    Ah yes, that. That is most definitely also a problem here. I was very much warned by my parent not to go with strangers in a manner I later realized was completely counter effective as it implied that there was an easy way to tell which strangers were dangerous and which weren't. I since learned that my parent would be wiser to warn me for relatives and teachers and strangers, if he were truly so concerned for my safety rather than assuaging his moral panics. It is still however nonsensical and the chance of ill happening is considerably smaller than letting a relative babysit me. In fact, one could argue that children are safer when they be left alone, than when they be properly babysat, because the babysitter is one of the ones who would be most likely to hurt them.
barrkel 6y ago
When I was a kid in Ireland in the 80s, we'd walk to the village school unaccompanied. A five or ten minute walk at most, kids from the age of 6 at least, though the fact that all the kids are going means the roads weren't exactly empty of kids going to the same school.
- ljf 6y ago
  UK 80s kid here - I walked to school with the 2 girls across the road from me. From Junior 1 (7 turning 8yo) we'd walk to and from school alone, 20 min walk each way.

Blikkentrekker 6y ago

*laughs in My First Errand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMZp8KsZ5k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMZp8KsZ5k It's fairly normal in Japan to let five year olds travel alone by train, apparently. I have to say I noticed before that the Anglo-Saxon often considers the minor to be seemingly mentally deficient and incapable of making the most basic choices and having the most basic responsibilities. It's too much of a culture of “Children are incapable; adults always know better, and must make every decision for them.”.

erik_seaberg 6y ago
It’s not “children can’t navigate” so much as “children can’t fend off abduction by sexual abusers.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_danger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_danger
- Blikkentrekker 6y ago
  Ah yes, that. That is most definitely also a problem here. I was very much warned by my parent not to go with strangers in a manner I later realized was completely counter effective as it implied that there was an easy way to tell which strangers were dangerous and which weren't. I since learned that my parent would be wiser to warn me for relatives and teachers and strangers, if he were truly so concerned for my safety rather than assuaging his moral panics. It is still however nonsensical and the chance of ill happening is considerably smaller than letting a relative babysit me. In fact, one could argue that children are safer when they be left alone, than when they be properly babysat, because the babysitter is one of the ones who would be most likely to hurt them.

barrkel 6y ago

When I was a kid in Ireland in the 80s, we'd walk to the village school unaccompanied. A five or ten minute walk at most, kids from the age of 6 at least, though the fact that all the kids are going means the roads weren't exactly empty of kids going to the same school.

ljf 6y ago
UK 80s kid here - I walked to school with the 2 girls across the road from me. From Junior 1 (7 turning 8yo) we'd walk to and from school alone, 20 min walk each way.