Do you let your kids....

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If these houses in your area are far enough away and you already have the parents phone number I'd call or text and ask first before sending your kids over unless the parents tell you you don't need to do that.

Growing up the rule was home by dinner time regardless (unless sleepover) but if the parent of the friend offered dinner I'd call my mom and ask first if that was okay, that happened every now and then.

It was more the norm to ask first if we could go over to so and so's house and to make sure it was okay with their parents. Sometimes that was a call (when landlines were the only thing) and sometimes that was just showing up but one of my friends I hung out with a lot lived the next street over and the other not too too far away in terms of a bike ride. We didn't just show up too too often though but it did happen. When we got AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) we could ask/figure out stuff there if we were actively talking but we still would ask our parents first.

 

[DeeBee3]

I guess I live in an unfriendly neighborhood! That is neat that so many of you have places where the kids can walk around and visit each other. Maybe it's because the kids in my neighborhood are close to my kids (4 and 8). I could never let my 4 year old wander even with her older sister. The other people on the street are all adults or kids who are in high school.

We also live near busy streets so people drive quite fast.

Maybe I'm more of a helicopter parent than I thought! With the dogs running around without leashes and the fast cars, it's not the safest to let my kids even cross the street, let alone go door to door without me. The parents here always communicate first before letting the kids play and the adults are out with them.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I could never let my 4 year old wander even with her older sister.

When I was 8 yeah I could visit my friends but at 4? lol no. You wouldn't be unfriendly there. I don't even remember friends from when I was 4 but it was def. more of a situation of play dates. I was in in-home daycares though so I'm sure I played with kids there.

My sister was 3 years older than me but there wasn't any reason for me to join up with my sister and her friends, at least not til I was a tad older and my sister was older. I didn't even meet my best friends until 2nd grade.

 

[DeeBee3]

When I was 8 yeah I could visit my friends but at 4? lol no. You wouldn't be unfriendly there. I don't even remember friends from when I was 4 but it was def. more of a situation of play dates. I was in in-home daycares though so I'm sure I played with kids there.

My sister was 3 years older than me but there wasn't any reason for me to join up with my sister and her friends, at least not til I was a tad older and my sister was older. I didn't even meet my best friends until 2nd grade.

Figured people must be talking about older kids!