[blparent] What's the right age?

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Hi.  I have a question about when to lengthen the apron strings a little.

Sarah's friends were playing outside this afternoon.  There were two girls of about ten, then one Sarah's age, and a younger kid who's maybe two or so.  I told Sarah she could go play ball with them.  I went into the house to work for a little while because I knew Sarah was fine.  But when I went outside to check, they weren't in the yard anymore.  They probably went into the house to watch a movie or something.

So, when do you let them have a little room?  At four, is Sarah old enough to be playing at someone else's house when I'm not there?  I don't want to be one of those helicopter moms who hovers too much.  I know the mother of the girls who live there.  But I thought they would stay in the yard.  Should I let it be, or go get her?

Sarah's dad thinks it's fine and I'm just acting a little paranoid.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist