This isn't about maturity - my sister walked 2kms to and from school every day by herself from 4 years old, when I was 4 I did it with her, by the time I was 9 I was taking my 5 and 7 year old brothers with me, and doing chores and cooking before and after school.
BUT there was the time when a really friendly lady gave my brother a bag of lollies, and he ate half of them before I could remind him not to eat anything from strangers.
And there was the time when the big kid (he couldn't have been more than 12, but everything is big when you're 5yo and about 3 foot high!) threw a nappy at us, said all sorts of obscenities, threatened us, and chased us into someone's yard.
And there's the time when a man with a big dog was following us and he really, really frightened us.
And the time when someone pulled up in a big black van right beside us, and we RAN.
And the time someone (accidentally) ran into my sister on his bicycle and she got hurt.
And the time when it didn't occur to us that there was anything wrong with selling our fundraising chocolates to anyone who passed us along the way (sure, WE weren't to eat chocolate from strangers, but what's wrong with selling it to them?) and so we went with people to (but not into) their houses/cars to get money.
And the time it didn't occur to us that there was anything wrong with us having a play in the playground on the way home (but mum thought something was wrong, and came looking for us about an hour later ... we didn't realise we'd been playing so long!)
And lots of other things ...
All things which turned out ok - the lollies were probably fine, the creepy guy probably wasn't actually following us, the person who stopped their van right next to us was probably picking something up from that house or checking their Melways or whatever, etc etc etc. But you know what - some of those things could have gone wrong. We DID have people invite us into their homes, we DID have people offer us a lift home. We DID get frightened a few times, we DID get hurt a few times (usually from each other...). We DID have a complete blast, and I think walking to and from school and having a key to the house etc helped us become more independent, but on balance, I wouldn't be letting my kids walk 2kms unaccompanied from 4yo these days, and I wouldn't let my 5yo go on a plane unaccompanied. A little bit older, sure. Not sure how much older, but older.
I understand that there's a difference between planes and walking (it's a lot harder to get someone into your big black van or get bitten by a big dog on an aeroplane...) but I think the risk/independence/maturity thing is comparable.
I'm not sure whether the world is a less safe place these days, or whether we're just more aware of what's going on because information is so much more readily distributed ...
And that situation with that boy getting onto a flight unaccompanied and without a ticket doesn't help my concerns ... I'm sure it was a one off, but I don't want my kid involved in a one off ... there's only watchful the stewardesses can be, and things can go wrong.
On whole, while I understand that you want your daughter to be able to see her dad, and money is a big issue with those longer distance flights, there's just too much risk in my opinion, too many ifs, and I wouldn't be comfortable with it personally.
Limeslice, what are your thoughts now? And others thoughts welcome too.
My DD has asked to go visit her cousin in the Christmas holidays.. I won't be taking holidays this time as I am taking all the next ones, and others want this time, and I will more than likely be working F/t to cover for them.. I have no issues with that.. But it has got me thinking about sending her on a 2 hr flight unaccompanied for a week with her cousin. She will be 6 in November.
Has anyone got recent experience with sending children unaccompanied? If I send her, it will be with Qantas or Virgin.
DD went with Qantas - 4 hours-ish to Perth and back - by herself, and the world did not implode. She was absolutely fine. Had a great time and there was a group of other kids (school holidays) also traveling alone. They had a dedicated staff member to look after them and she was just dandy.
She is flying again in November, she will be 6.
The "what ifs" scenarios still sit in the back of my Mother Brain, but really, the chances of the plane falling out of the sky? Minimal. And I refuse to life my life in fear, so Mother Brain is put in a box.
DD is a very competent flyer - she has traveled on aeroplanes sooo many times, with us, so I was not concerned as she loves flying in general anyway. I do think it depends on the child, though, so if you girl is scared or anything like that, then I would er on the side of her comfort.
DD went with Qantas - 4 hours-ish to Perth and back - by herself, and the world did not implode. She was absolutely fine. Had a great time and there was a group of other kids (school holidays) also traveling alone. They had a dedicated staff member to look after them and she was just dandy.
She is flying again in November, she will be 6.
The "what ifs" scenarios still sit in the back of my Mother Brain, but really, the chances of the plane falling out of the sky? Minimal. And I refuse to life my life in fear, so Mother Brain is put in a box.
DD is a very competent flyer - she has traveled on aeroplanes sooo many times, with us, so I was not concerned as she loves flying in general anyway. I do think it depends on the child, though, so if you girl is scared or anything like that, then I would er on the side of her comfort.
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