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Is 9 too young to play unsupervised?

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When I was in primary school I remember playing in the park with friends or cousins without an adult accompanying us. The park wasn't very far from home and there would always be a group of us. I also remember just walking around from friend to friend's house. It was a different time it seems, I remember my mother telling us stories about them growing up in District Six and the freedoms they had a as children. It was a hell of a lot more than I had as a child but the world is a darker, more dangerous place now.

We'd be remiss as parents to allow our kids out of our sight. Abductions are a very real thing that happens and our children's safety should be paramount in our minds.

South Carolina mother, Debra Harrell was arrested for “unlawful conduct toward a child” in June for allowing her 9-year-old daughter to play alone in the park while she finished her shift at work.

CBS News interviewed neighbours in the area who thought that arresting her was a bit over the topl: "Her child is not the only one at that park without a parent. There are children all over this neighbourhood. They hold the feed-a-child program. There's that splash pad too," said neighbour Angelina Scott. "The park is very popular with the neighbourhood kids because there's cool water on a splash pad, a playground and basketball courts, and a volunteer comes by with a free breakfast and lunch. Plenty of friends and some parents and caretakers also are around to keep an eye on things", said others.

So it seems that Miss Harrell thought this as a safe place to leave her daughter.

We asked our Facebook fans at what age would they leave their kids to play in the park unsupervised and this is what they had to say:

The words public place, child and no adult present should not be in the same sentence - Karen Burningham Richards 

I would not allow it at all, not safe even with supervision - Angela Debra Roper

Never... Sadly - Jacqueline Massyn 

In South Africa.... NEVER EVER!!!! - Susan Stubbs Burnie 

Never. Wouldn't take that risk its far too dangerous - Jacqueline Du Preez

Never my kids are 19 and 17 and have never been to the park alone - Leonie Hunt

16. Not a day before then - Nombuso Dlamini 

My eldest is 9 & she doesn't play where I can't see her - Angela Coetzer

With crime, rape and human trafficking, sadly, never - Chantelle Van der Berg 

10 - If the park is opposite your house and you watch them with a binoculars... otherwise NEVER!!!! - Quanitaa Salasa

In this day NEVER OUR country is not safe no age is safe anymore. My older doter is 19 years old but she does not go anyway without an adult supervision - Tshepo Khunou 

12yrs when heading towards there teenage stage - Levona Morris 

So that's a resounding no from the parents of South Africa!

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Would you let your children play in the park unsupervised?


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