Letting go

Today I let my 7 yr old walk the puppy around the block ... .without me. In an age where kids are snatched from their own backyards, this was a big step for both of us.

He has always been an independent little boy. When he was a toddler, he hated to be in the carriage but he refused to hold my hand. So I used a harness. He LOVED it. He got to roam on his own, and I knew he was safe at all times. He helps himself to snacks. He makes cheese sandwiches for my husband and I just because he decides he is hungry. He changes the batteries in his toys, and if we don't have the right size, he knows whats sizes are in his other toys that he can switch out. Sometimes I am amazed that he is only 7.

But how much freedom do you give a 7 yr old? At what age will I allow him to walk to school alone? It's no further to go to school than it is to go around the block. I know I'm not ready for that. I don't think he is either, thankfully. My son is and always has been outgoing and sociable, and therefore he knows all the neighbors and they know him. Does that make the neighborhood safer for him? Maybe. But on the flip side, despite our numerous conversations, my son would be the first to help a stranger.

It's a dilema I'm sure plagues all moms. When is it time to let loose the reigns and allow our children more independence? Am I too lenient? Too strict? I'm not sure if I did the right thing allowing him to walk around the block at 7, but I do know I am proud of him... and he is proud of himself for going on his own.