It's the school holidays and the kids get bored. My youngest is 7 and often pesters to be allowed round to call for his friend up the road. I won't let him go by himself as I just don't think that he is sensible enough, nor capable of being able to cope in a dangerous/unfamiliar situation. I like to know he is safe as he is precious to me.

The other day a boy from further up the road, on the other side came to call for him. He is 5 years old. I was quite horrified and asked if his parents knew he was out by himself. It appears that he is allowed almost wherever he wants. I feel that at 5 years old he should have a parent or much older sibling with him to ensure his safety. I see numerous young children wandering about by themselves, crossing busy roads and talking to anyone and everyone.

Am I being over protective in caring for my son? I let him play on the pavement outside the gate on his scooter with his friend but won't let him across the road by himself. He know's he has to pop back in every 5 or 10 minutes to let me know he is still ok.

What would you say was an acceptable age for letting children out by themselves? Personally, I would rather have them under my feet, driving me crazy than risk something happening to them.

Opinions please!

It's a big step for a mum, but road safety is the big one.

Well that and not shinning down Wharncliffe Craggs like we did when we were about 9. Still here to tell the tale though, which is probably the whole point :)

I don't think you're being over protective at all. I was never let out alone until I was about 11, or 12 and that was when I went to Crystal Peaks with a friend for the first time on our own. My parents weren't insinuating that I wasn't responsible by not letting me roam free like you see so many poor mites doing, they just didn't want me to come to any harm. You hear so many stories of kids being snatched whilst playing on their road etc, and I respected the fact that my Parents didn't want me to be the next.

I was never bothered about not roaming the streets or "calling" for people. I always found that to be quite a rude thing to do anyway, for people to tun up unexpectedly and expect you to drop what you're doing and wander the streets with them. I prefer planning and making arrangments. I've got quite a large garden too, so when I'd invited friends for dinner, we had a big area to play in, when I was little, which a lot of kids didn't have, so I guess I was lucky.

I think waiting until 11 or 12 has allowed me to fully understand that there are dangers out there, without experiencing them first hand and being scarred for life. But I do think its different for kids who live on estates etc, as "calling" is a common occurance, where as I was quite shielded from that and was not tempted by it in the slightest.

But at the end of the day, you've got to use your own discretion. Talk to the parent's of his friends, they will probably be having the same kind of dilema going on and may be able to help.

I was allowed to go round to my friends house when i was about 7, i think it's about the right age to start letting kids have some freedom. I think going to someones house around the corner is fine, but the major issue is road safety, especially as children that young can't see was well as adults what is coming on the roads, so they have to be extra careful.

It's not just about road safety awareness though, it's about safety in general, there's a lot of nutters out there just waiting for inexperienced un street-wise youngsters to show up.... Sorry to be so blunt and probably scaring you FF but you know I speak the truth.

Basically it's up to you as a parent to decide whether your kids have got the where-withall to play it safe while out and about on their own, that's why I think people who complain about kids with mobile phones need to shut up and get with teh picture, cos a mobile is often a kid's only means of getting in touch with home in times of need.

You have to teach your kids to be very careful around strangers, as it's best if kids are more wary than they are trusting. We all know how important it is not to talk to strangers or accept sweets from them, but i'd really worry more about the roads. Make sure they know how dangerous they are.

I also think there is a world of difference between playing on your front and going around to a friends, than the poor kids you see left along in parks and stuff.

'The number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads in 2003 was 4,100 '

'Kidnaps and murders by strangers are no more common than 20 years ago, according to Home Office figures which show there are, on average, six such deaths a year.'

Just to put things into perspective for you.

I was allowed out on my own from about 7, and I never came to any harm.

I understand why you're worried though. I suppose the world's changed a lot in the last 15 years.

My daughters 8 - she's still tied to the garden I'm afraid. Not me but the other half. I let her go out but the other half says Nope.

Still it means I get to go to the park etc etc when its nice with a justified excuse and not stuck mowing the lawn etc :)

So its not all bad. God only knows when she goes to senior school in a couple of years time :)

I was allowed out to call for friends at about 5 I think. But then my parents don't live in the city, a quiet village street away from the main road is fairly safe.

I'm sure the media would like us to think that "there are a lot of nutters out their" who around snatching children all the time. But I think it's actually incredibly rare.

I've never met a 5 year old (then or since) who thought that calling round unexpectedly was rude. Nor one who is allowed to call their friends or has the capacity to plan something in advance.

I don't think we wandered the streets though. We would stay at a parents house and play, or maybe play on the street outside the house or the field out the back. I'm sure my parents kept a pretty close eye on me really, I just didn't know about it.
I was probably 12 or 13 before I ever felt the need to go into town without my parents, although by then I'd probably roam upto 4 or 5 miles away on my bike with friends.

Its not the age of the child, sadly its the numerous freaks that are loose on our streets.

My kids are aged 9 and 4, they are always within range in the back garden, nice sturdy 6 foot gate keeps them secure.

However its a sad thing that we must imprison our children just to protect them.