Moms Talk: Let's Go Out To Play!

Welcome back to Moms Talk, a feature that is part of a new initiative on our Patch sites to reach out to moms and families.

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community are all welcome to weigh in and use the discussion forum as a resource. Each week, we'll pose a question and solicit feedback on a wide array of issues, but you should feel free to suggest questions you'd like to see discussed as well.

This week, our discussion turns to letting your kids play outside by themselves.  I'm going to chalk this parenting knowledge gap up to the fact that I grew up on Buffalo's equivalent of River Road, so playing out in the front yard was never really an option for me.  So now, fast forward a few decades (gasp), and here I am living in a great neighborhood on a great little cul-de-sac with only five houses.  The vast majority of the car traffic in our circle is from our neighbors or frequent visitors who are very conscientious about the fact that there are often small children playing out there.  My kids and the other kids on the circle are also very well trained to keep an eye out for potential oncoming vehicles.  They holler "CAR!" and run to the nearest patch of grass until its all clear.

Now that the weather is taking a turn for the better, the kids are constantly asking to play outside.  While I know that, at five and two, they are too young to leave out there on their own right while I make dinner, I'm starting to daydream and wonder ...when will they old enough to play outside without my direct supervision?  Like any parent, there are five million things for me to do the moment we pull into the driveway.  If the kids want to play outside, that's great.  But I can't leave them out there while I fold laundry, cook dinner, clean the kitchen, pay the bills, you get the picture. 

So my question is:  When can you let your kids play in the front yard/"street" without being a vigilant hawk?  Can I garden with my back and attention turned from them while they scooter around the circle?  Must I sit and literally watch them the whole time they are out there or can I organize the garage with them within earshot but outside of eyeshot?

And looking towards the future, when would you let your kids play out in front of your house when you're inside?  When would you let your kids ride their bikes around the block and out of your sight?

 (I acknowledge the rules are different for folks lucky enough with an enclosed backyard.  I don't have one of those, but am happy to hear about what people think about letting kids play in the backyard on their own as well.)