I let my 8-year-old son roam the neighborhood freely. Other parents nearby are starting to let their kids do the same.

The author's son rides his bike around the neighborhood without parental supervision.

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• When my son was 5 years old, I left him home alone for the first time.
• At 8, I now let him roam the neighborhood freely on bikes with his friends.
• As more families in the neighborhood allow their kids to roam, we are creating a better community.

I was nervous the first time we let our son stay home alone. He was 5 years old, and we were gone for less than an hour...