Keys for children?

Ms_Chocaholic

notanewuser wrote: »

I was 8 or 9. On the days that dad couldn't pick us up I'd walk my sister (then 6) home. It was the best part of a mile, uphill. Dad would usually be back within half an hour of us getting back.

Mind you, it was normal for kids to walk everywhere back then and play outside. We didn't have !!!!!s and child snatchers on every street corner back then.

Oh yes you did, just that they weren't talked about in the media like they are now

SternMusik

I was 7 or 8 years old when I got my own house key. This was in a large city (but not in this country). However I was very sensible and independent, and happily stayed at home alone. There would always have been a trusted adult next door or opposite whom I could call on. I never lost my house keys once (and haven't to this day).

My impression is that children in this country are being wrapped in cotton wool and watched over way too much. I get to see the consequences with 18 year-olds arriving at university who are clearly lacking essential life skills.

ash28

Mine were all at the high school.....I had different coloured keys cut for them in the end because if one went missing it was always someone elses.

Grandson lives with us and has just gone into year 8 and doesn't have a key....in the rare event of us not being in when he gets home, we leave a door open.....one of the benefits of living where we live, or failing that he could knock on our nearest neighbours.......

moomoomama27

Mine are 15, 10 and 8. None of them have their own key, there is no need as I'm always in at the times they come home from school. My mum lives 5 mins away and she has a spare key of mine in an emergency!

aliasojo

SternMusik wrote: »

My impression is that children in this country are being wrapped in cotton wool and watched over way too much.

I'm not wrapping my daughter up in cotton wool....the cotton wool is for my house. If she loses a key, Lord knows who could get in my house.:D

pinknfluffy0

After chatting to their dad about it we have given them keys, they have them attached to their school bags for now.

peachyprice

aliasojo wrote: »

I'm not wrapping my daughter up in cotton wool....the cotton wool is for my house. If she loses a key, Lord knows who could get in my house.:D

How would anyone know which house the keys belonged to
(unless of course she lost them on the doorstep)

Lunar_Eclipse

Mine had keys at 10 & 11. One was when she started secondary school and travelled independently, the other played out all the time but also came in & out all day so we decided to give her a key.

The only person who has lost a house key in the 10 years we've lived in this house is my husband!

Mojisola

peachyprice wrote: »

How would anyone know which house the keys belonged to
(unless of course she lost them on the doorstep)

If a key goes missing, you wouldn't know if it had been lost or taken.

aliasojo

peachyprice wrote: »

How would anyone know which house the keys belonged to
(unless of course she lost them on the doorstep)

Mojisola wrote: »

If a key goes missing, you wouldn't know if it had been lost or taken.

That's the thing, she could easily put the key down for a minute, (someone else could pick it up knowing it was hers) and she probably wouldn't even realise it had gone.

I'm thinking more specifically about our old house in a small area where everyone knows everyone.

That said, I could easily see her sitting on the doorstep, unpacking her bag to look for something and leaving the key sat there once she got up to leave. Or leaving the key in the lock, I could see her doing that too. :rotfl:

My daughter does have other skills and positives though......honest.