Hard Decisions

It was hard to be a parent at our house yesterday. I had the kids outside after dinner playing for a while before bed. At about 7:30 pm, the neighbors (going into 4th, 3rd, and K) asked my daughter (going into 1st grade) to go the park. Now the park is about 1/2 a block from my house--but it is around the corner andwe cannot see it from our house.

I would say my Emily is responsible, honest, and well-behaved--and after the 4th grader, she is probably the most mature of the group of kids that were going....but she is SIX. We have allowed her to play outside when we are not always out, and she knows to stay around the house or the neighbors. So, I told her she could only go if an adult was going. I was heading in to put Joe to bed. An adult was not going...but the oldest girl was bringing a cell phone. At this point I headed in to discuss it with my husband, and we both agreed--it's a no go.

At this point the tears started....it's not fair....I want to go.....

My husband and I both explained over and over, we knew it wasn't fair--but we wanted her to be safe. She wasn't being punished. We talked about strangers and someone getting hurt, and how having a cell phone doesn't help anything if you don't know what to do in a dangerous situation. I hope we didn't put the fear of God in her, but maybe a little fear.

She's over it, but I'm not. I know we did the right thing and made the right decision, but what age CAN she go to the park alone? It turns out 3 other kids, who are starting 2nd grade, all went to the park with the neighbors. I feel safe in my neighborhood, but you just NEVER KNOW.