Do your kids play in the street unsupervised?

[AnaheimGirl]

No to the poll question, but yes to the question in the title of the thread.

My kids' street play is always supervised.

and we live on a cul-de-sac, so there is very little traffic.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Yup, the kids play in the street. Where most folks have sidewalks, we've got a creek.

As kids, we lived on a cul-de-sac and would walk on stilts or bounce on a pogo stick all the way around it. The boys used the grassy part to play baseball, and footballs were always flying over someone's head causing them to leave the yard and chase it.

But we live (and as a kid, I lived) in very residential areas, far, far away from busy streets. And nobody played in the street until they were big enough to watch for cars.

 

[MomofKatie]

DD and all her friends play in the street here. We live at the circle end of a cul-de-sac, so the kids are pretty safe. Also, they only play in the circle if parents are out supervising them (honestly, the grown-ups usually congregate in the street, too). They are all trained to go to their driveways when they see a car.

When DD is allowed to play without my supervision, she is allowed in the back yard and surrounding greenspace. She carries a walkie-talkie and checks in periodically. She and her little friends go "exploring" with their snacks and backpacks- they play in the trees, look at the tadpoles in the creek, pretend to camp out, all those fun things that can't be done with old Mom watching them from the porch. I started allowing her to do this recently, when we got the walkie-talkies.

 

[pkasbohm]

No!!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

No!!!

You really need to learn to get to the point!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

No!!!

I agree with Tigger&Belle. A little verbose for my taste. Please attempt to be pithier in the future.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I agree with Tigger&Belle. A little verbose for my taste. Please attempt to be pithier in the future.

OMG, I think it's the first time we've ever agreed! We must all pray for you! Or for me! Not sure who we should pray for. Or why.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

OMG, I think it's the first time we've ever agreed!

Excuse me. I must now stomp off in a huff.

ETA: maybe YOU could pray for disms, then I'll be able to get some sleep!

 

[Snoopymom]

Yes, like a lot of others..quiet 6 house cul-de-sac, no sidewalks, all the kids play together, we all know eachother, everyone looks out for eachother and the kids, I love it, one reason we'll never move.

 

[Stacey2grls]

Absolutely not! My DD's are almost 6 and 8 and I would never, and I mean never let them play in the street, with me or my husband present. Even though my street is not particularly busy, you just never know. Some drunk or crazy person could speed by and god forbid hit your child. There could be a predator around, you just never know. I'm one of those people that actually every couple of minutes checks on my kids while their playing in the yard! Even though my area is considered safe, you can never be too careful with your kids.

 

[DVC Sadie]

We lived on a cul de sac and I still didn't let my son play in the street. Not only did everyone yell CAR which was fine but yelled Slow Down constantly even if a car was going under 10 miles an hour. Drove us crazy! Not the kids but the parents screaming.

 

[jodifla]

Everybody in our neighborhood plays out on the streets...We don't have sidewalks.

Our particular street is a side street, so no one takes it except the neighbors. The kids down the street had an eleborate chalk bike trail going from the middle of the street into one of the driveways.

Gee, guess everyone in my neighborhood is a bad parent. Shouldn't someone be calling CPS??

 

[Minnie824]

Mine don't and won't, however all my neighbors kids do. We're on a cul de sac as well, but it is very annoying. You can't back out of your driveway. The kids don't move. 3 yr olds unsupervised in the road looking at you like you're bothering them to move, when driving a car by them. We had an 18 month old sitting in our driveway last year...parent was 2 houses down, then he crawled thru the street to get to her. I don't get what parents are thinking these days. My oldest is 4, but is not allowed to go outside by herself, as everyone 2 yrs and up is around here.

 

[highland3]

Luckily we live in a small town. Our kids play in our front yard or sidewalk, or ride their bikes (carefully) on the street. We do check on them occasionally, but not constant supervision.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I know modern home communities are short on space but IMO letting your kid ever play in the street is not only totally irrepsonsible, it's also rude to your neighbors who have to drive through your child's playspace.

I agree, it really gripes my grits to see children playing in the street.....not riding their bikes or walking beside the road...but PLAYING and darting back and forth in the street. Grrrrrrrr....irresponsible parents.

 

[Free4Life11]

As a kid we always played in the streets. We played just about everywhere else too. We were in a residential area. Nobody was killed or hurt.

 

[MAKmom]

I think the age of the children & where you live make a big difference to how you may answer this.

My DD are 9 & 11 the speed limit in our private community is 15 mph with speed bumps. Kids & Adults Bike, roller blade & jog. Mothers walk babys & pet owner walk dogs. Our roads do not have lines down the middle.

 

[ducklite]

I think it depends on how old the kids are an where you live.

My son is 20, so if he wants to "play in the street" these days I've got REAL reasons to worry LOL!

When we lived in NJ we were on a cul de sac. We moved to that house when he was ten, and he and all the other kids from the neighborhood played in the street. IMHO some were too young to be playing outside unsupervised.

Here in FL I'm again on a cul-de-sac, and there are very few kids in the neighborhood, but the two boys who are in the 11-13 range play with their RC cars in the street sometimes. Doesn't bother me.

Anne

 

[U2_rocks]

Kids play unsupervised in the street where I live, but mine are still too young for me to allow it - they play in the street when I am there nearby to shout "CAR!!". The kids are expected to get out of the road pronto when a car is spotted (years of practice when younger and supervised has made it second nature) - they don't dart across the street in the path of oncoming cars etc. And they really are only in the street when on bikes and other toys that need a paved surface. Otherwise they may gather on the grassy open space between the houses. We don't have sidewalks - we have grass verges instead, which aren't as good for certain play equipment.

 

[twinklebug]

My son plays in the street (bikes, scooters etc) however we have no traffic to speak of.

Mind you my DH had a friend of his killed as he he was lying down on his skateboard and crossed in front of a driveway just when a car was backing out (he was on the sidewalk).

There are very unsafe areas for kids to play in, but even safe areas can become deadly. Its up to us as parents to ensure our kids know safety precausions and what is just plain stupid.