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Thanks for your responses

Message edited 6/25/2014 4:19:56 PM.

playing in the front yard

I wouldn't do it. Especially with the recent stories of creeps luring children, and that one that walked up to a child in their yard and tried to snatch him. My DD is 7 and likes to ride bikes out front, but I'm right there with her.

Re: playing in the front yard

Our DC play in the front yard. We have more front yard than back yard due to the way our house is situated, so DC like having the extra space to play in the front. They don't play in the road, though. That, I wouldn't be comfortable with, but the yard I have no problems with.

playing in the front yard

I would but then again I don't worry about too many things.

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I don't let my 6 year old unless I am out there. I worry about cars, strangers and even non strangers. I live in a cul d'sac and still don't.

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No way.

My son is 5. That's less than a year away.

At that age, kids are still very impulsive.

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As long as you are comfortable with it and you know your son well enough to make the right choices then it's fine. My DS1 is almost 5 and he knows all the rules. DS2 is 2 years old and knows the rules as well and stays with his brother. I do stay out with them and supervise bc they are younger, but not as much with my older DS. We live in a cul-de-sac too so don't get too many cars come by too often.
I also work PT from home so there are times I run in to answer an email and take a bit longer getting stuff done then go out (usually with older son only when DS2 is napping).

Re: playing in the front yard

My kids are not aloud in the front unless one of us are out. We live on a semi- main road but we are far from the street and on a slight hill. Prior to living here we were on a cul-d-sac and it was the same rule. A lot of people thought our block was a regular block and people would fly down.

Ultimately it is what you are comfortable with.

Re: playing in the front yard

For some reason, most of the kids in my neighborhood play in the front yards instead of the back. Its just always been that way ever since I can remember. So there are usually a few people out at any given time. That being said, I am not comfortable with DS being out there without me or if I can't see him from inside the house. DH is a very cautious person and is always warning me of how fast something can happen. He still plays out front, but either myself, DH or a neighbor always has eyes on him.

playing in the front yard

i am outside if my kids are outside. i have a 6 and 11 year old. usually i end up watching my neighbor's kid too since he comes to play with mine. but i wouldn't leave them outside if i wasn't there.

Re: playing in the front yard

I think the playing in the front yard is ok if you can see them. We occasionally let them do it, but I would not be comfortable having him ride his bike in the street without us. There are to many crazy drivers.

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playing in the front yard

no, my kids do not play in the front yard. I live on a busy street with no sidewalks but at their ages, even if I lived in a court, they would not be out there alone.

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In the end, you do what you are comfy with. I personally do not allow this. I have a 6 and 9 year old boy who play more in our front yard because they like to play bb or hockey or soccer and my backyard is not good for that. I am always out there with them. I just started letting my 9 year old go in the street ot retrieve a ball and even that I am super nervous about and I am out there with him. I may run in for 3 secs to get a jacket or grab a ringing phone but when I do I leave my door open and run in. I am very nervous and always want my kids in sight.

playing in the front yard

I've let my son play outside with his friends or rollerblade in the street by himself since he was 7. All the kids on our block play outside and run all over the place. I'll poke my head out once in a while to make sure everyone is ok but that's about it. The kids are all pretty responsible about watching out for cars for the most part.

Heck at his age....my friends and I were riding our bikes in the woods, walking into town to buy our moms cigs and going to the park by ourselves. My DH would ride his bike to his little league games by himself at 8 and that was in Rockaway or Brooklyn (I forget which).

Although I was just kidding DS this morning that i was going to still walk him to the bus stop when he is in HS because I have to "protect" my baby.

Yes, things can happen fast....DS, DH & I were playing tag on our front lawn and DS fell on the walkway right in front of my, literally right in front of me and smashed his head on the brick. 5 stitches later, he has a scar and I have a few years off my life. Things can happen, even with you 10 inches away.

Message edited 11/30/2015 10:27:30 AM.

Re: playing in the front yard

i can't do it. my son is only 4.5 but he's only allowed on the lawn if i'm there and i can see him. i let him in the backyard by himself. you never know with the craziest driving around.

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I have a 9 yr old and a 10 yr old and I only recently started to allow this, but I only allow it if they are together. No one goes out alone.

Re: playing in the front yard

My boys are always in front. They are 8&5. They along with our neighbors who are 7&4 are constantly running back and forth between our yard and our neighbors yard. I think it depends how responsible your kids are and how busy your street is. Our house is on a very small/quiet street. They know not to go in the street and I can see them from my window.

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I wouldn't. One of us has to be out with him.

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We have a corner house and people are always whizzing by or barely stopping at the stop sign so for me, no. DH or i are always w them if they choose to play out front. But in thinking about it i dont think i would leave them alone even if we werent on a corner. Too many creeps. Its sad that our kids live in such a different world than what we all grew up in. My parents used to let us go out on our own and never think twice.