The extra supervision is both a city and a suburb phenomenon. Parents are worried about crime, and theyre worried about kids getting caught in traffic in a city thats not used to pedestrians. On the other hand, there are still plenty of kids whose parents give them a lot of independence, by choice or by necessity. The After School Alliance finds that more than 14 million kids aged 5 to 17 are responsible for taking care of themselves after school. Only 6.5 million kids participate in organized programs. Many children who have working parents have to take the subway or bus to get to school. Many do this by themselves because they have no other way to get to the schools, says Dr. Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at the New York University Child Study Center.
For those parents who wonder how and when they should start allowing their kids more freedom, theres no clear-cut answer. Child experts discourage a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. Whats right for Skenazys nine-year-old could be inappropriate for another one. It all depends on developmental issues, maturity, and the psychological and emotional makeup of that child. Several factors must be taken into account, says Gallagher. The ability to follow parent guidelines, the childs level of comfort in handling such situations, and a childs general judgment should be weighed.
Gallagher agrees with Skenazy that many nine-year-olds are ready for independence like taking public transportation alone. At certain times of the day, on certain routes, the subways are generally safe for these children, especially if they have grown up in the city and have been taught how to be safe, how to obtain help if they are concerned for their safety, and how to avoid unsafe situations by being watchful and on their toes.
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