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Comment by usaphp | Hacker News Reader

It is kind of dangerous for a 3 year old to go, 3 year olds like to run especially when they are with siblings, and they can easily end up running on a road, and then someone who hit them on a car will have to live their whole life with that tragedy...

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It really depends on the 3 year-old. Some kids are more cautious and attentive than others; and families with multiple children often have a decent "chain of responsibility" where a 3 year-old will look to a 7 year-old for leadership and guidance. Many kids recognize when they're being granted extra leeway, and they're accordingly extra careful. And some kids are utterly out of control and won't mind the simplest instructions. I wouldn't let my 3yo out on a journey with any 7yo, no matter how responsible they seem. Responsible parents will accurately evaluate their kids' readiness and maturity, and should give opportunities to practice independence where it's safe.

It also depends a lot on the local environment, time of day, day of year. And it doesn't sound like the kids even needed to cross a street. This parent didn't let their child run free: they stood out on the street and watched the kids on the "dangerous" part of their journey.

The biggest risk these days is that a busybody will call CPS, break up your family and traumatize your kids in foster care. Stop the fear-mongering.

I think that most adults underestimate the intelligence of kids due to their own narcissistic ego injury. Kid's are incredibly capable and smart if you give them the opportunity to grow.

My dad started teaching me C/C++ and basic electronics when I was 7-8, and I got my ham radio license when I was 9.

The idea that you need to be 12 to understand that you should run away from creepy strangers is hilarious and scary as fuck. These helicopter parents are dangerously kneecapping their kids right from the start :\

My three year old will happily run around the block, far past the point that you can see him, obliging you to give chase, but he is very careful not to run into the street, if he wants to cross a street he stops and holds out his hand. We also taught him to stop and look for cars before crossing a driveway, which he usually does. I would feel completely confident letting him walk down the block with his sister, in fact I do frequently, since I don't like to walk fast.

That said, I definitely have met some three year olds that would run directly into oncoming traffic without restraint, so I think this depends a lot on the specific kid.

Exactly, all kids are different, even when they are raised the same. When my son was 3 he also was very cautious and never ran on the road, however my daughter at the same age will run everywhere thinking that it’s a game, without putting much thought into weather it’s safe or not.

My 3 year old never ran into the road, and as a six year old she would keep a tight leash on her little brother if he ever tried to do that. I’d for sure let them walk down a residential street by themselves.

Sure, in a calm environment. But when kids start having fun together - they lose control of the boundaries and can inadvertently run on the road without even noticing it.

You just described nearly everyone I went to university with.

I tend to agree with you, but the response from CPS should be "do your children have to cross any roads?", "what would the 9 year old do if the 3 year old went into the road?". If CPS (and we only have this woman's word for this) said "They might get kidnapped", well, that's very disappointing. It means that the real safety message (children are unpredictable, children need help to learn how to cross roads especially if they're supervising other children) has been lost entirely.

It entirely depends on the child.

Maybe, but according to the article until they are 12 it's not legal.

In some countries, you need to drive you kid to school until they are 14.

According the article it does not say it’s illegal, it says you have to make reasonable provisions for their supervision and safety if they’re unattended. That strongly implies that it is ok under certain circumstances to let children under 12 do things alone, else it would just say that it’s illegal to leave children under 12 unattended, period.

I think a lot of people would argue that watching the kids until they’re practically in the door of the bakery constitutes a reasonable provision of safety and supervision.

> you need to drive you kid to school until they are 14

As in you aren't even allowed to walk with them to school, you have to drive them in a car? Why's that?

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