> - There is an in-depth article about implementing the "old enough to run errands" in America. Again, the author did not just throw their kid out on the street

> - There is an in-depth article about implementing the "old enough to run errands" in America. Again, the author did not just throw their kid out on the street. They invested a lot of time skill-building. I often think about the chores and trips I took with my dad growing up, and how he slowly and cleverly worked me up to doing things. For instance when we would stop at a gas station, unless I had to go to the bathroom I had to stay in the car as it was dangerous, I might get hit by a car etc. But I could help by gathering any trash and handing it to him. Then as I got older, I could help by getting out and washing the side mirrors, then the door windows and finally the windshield once I could reach. The genesis really was that it was boring to sit in the car and I wanted to do something, and he capitalized on that. Same thing when we would take the recycling to the drop off point. First I had to stay in the car (you'll note a consistent theme here: I couldn't just stay at home at my leisure while chores were going on) and watch, then I could help with the light things like the cans, then the newspapers, then the glass. ....I'm still salty that I had to mow all 2 acres with a push mower for years and years, and he only bought a tractor with a giant mower deck after us kids moved out, though. The cheeky old bastard.