My 7 yr old with his siblings are at the Redeemed church in my neighbor Hood while I'm trying to rest at home.
Naso e be.

There's always a button phone and house key in his pocket as soon as they leave the house .

Will you go and help the parents on the errands?

You should start sending them errands at 7, maybe not far but let them start feeling sense of independence and maturity

The streets are not smiling for adults let alone kids....not good but depends on Tue distance

if u are of that age would u like such errands

TemplarLandry:
A 7-year-old boy is too young to be sent on errands in my opinion. You should let him clock 9 and above before sending him to buy things.

NO

Depends on family background

Reinamaria:
You mean you're already teaching your son to disobey your wife -his mother?

Anyway, it depends on the area you're living in.

teaching his son as he is not the head of the house? 🤣 Let your CEO call you and you tell him you're running an errand for your supervisor and can't come.

The boys, even from 7 years
The girls i may not even send till 18

Kobojunkie:
If you have access to Netflix, I suggest you binge-watch the two seasons of the show called Old Enough, a Japanese show that features children much younger than your kids being sent out on errands.

If you are scared for their safety, then I would suggest you instead follow them from a couple of steps away to guard the kids from afar when they are out on such errands. I don't think you should stop them.

you are comparing a Japanese show to Nigeria reality 🤣

At 7, wey boys dey treck to school , wey boys don sabi all the football viewing center for area, wey boys dey save money go game house.

A 7 year is old enough to start running errands. Na God dey guide person.

Kingosytex:
How can a child of 7 years be sent to the streets to do what exactly?
That is child abuse... Whatever happened to the safety of the child?
Why expose the kid to all forms of hazards?
The kid might be kidnapped or hit by a vehicle.
Shey the mama no feel pains during child birth? Shey being pregnant for 9 months na joke to her?

There's no issue with a 7 year old performing some minor chores in the house but going to the streets is way out of it.

tell yourself the truth who took you to primary school when you were 7. Didn't you go by yourself

Landowner101:
At 7, wey boys dey treck to school , wey boys don sabi all the football viewing center for area, wey boys dey save money go game house.

A 7 year is old enough to start running errands. Na God dey guide person.

lol just posted it now now 🤣

Try am abroad, you go explain tire

illicit:
Times have changed tho

When I was 7, I was going to my barber and tailor alone

I run personal errands for my dad too

On our street

the thing when your parents are not new in the area and know people who know you and take you out.

Times may have changed because when we were 8&9 no be game center PS1 parlor we dey go. Or those coin table soccer

Kobojunkie:
If you have access to Netflix, I suggest you binge-watch the two seasons of the show called Old Enough, a Japanese show that features children much younger than your kids being sent out on errands.

If you are scared for their safety, then I would suggest you instead follow them from a couple of steps away to guard the kids from afar when they are out on such errands. I don't think you should stop them.

You show Japanese society where kidnapping and even crime in general is so low that the police do not have enough to do?

This isn't Japan. Kidnapping and ritual killings are common place here.

In the Scandinavian countries, mothers leave their babies in cots outside when they enter saloons to do their hair.

These are safe countries. I know you meant well. Nigeria is still too dangerous. When a kid is 8 or 9, sending him on errands should be okay.

LadyPortable:
Try am abroad, you go explain tire

which abroad the Asian, African or mid east one, 😂

As I parent, I would strongly advise against that. Why would you even send your 7 years old child an errand outside your house?

Please be guided! Do not leave the safety of your children in the hands of your wife. Wives can be very annoying the way they think.

It's not safe because of the situation of the world we live in, especially the insecurity and crime so rampant within the neighbourhood in Nigeria.

Majority of women won't reason this hence always see nothing wrong sending minors out there in the street to run errands.

For me you dare not try it with my kid who's that age

7years old kids are not the same, some 7 years old Naija street kids can sell you, the alimajeris kids, 7 years old that can trick you into traps .

Some pako 7 years old will outsmart 13 years old Ajebutter kids

What type of 7 years old kids are you talking about?

Pako or Ajebutter?

7 years old kids driven to school everyday in LuXury SUV or the 7 years old that treks to school everyday under hot sun ?

The current situation of Nigeria and the world at large made it very unsafe to send a 7 year old child on an errand. In our days, at 7 we were already crossing many streets that could be as far as 5km to go play football matches, do street hawking and that made us so strong and street smart now. Thesame cannot be said of this generation of children. You will see a 16/17/18 years old students of high school who wait for their parents to follow them to and fro their JAMB UTME centres. Majority of nowadays children which some of us call *Estate children* don't even know the streets around them, they cannot do anything serious on their own without the help of their parents. The highest they can do is tik tok and snap chats in the comfort of their home.

Its part of training your child if u are living in a crowdy or local area

No please!

I have started sending mine but all within my neighbourhood. I am amazed at the social skills and interaction they have built. These were people that hardly greets people when walking with them on the streets. I used sending them errands to teach them "money and the change" system, which they have grasped well. They are 8 and 9. There is nothing i wont tell them to buy without them getting the right amount of change. You can send them within your vicinity but not across the streets. They do go across the streets but with my house girl. I give my 9 year old my card to buy things within the neighbourhood or collect cash from a POS nearby. It is just a way of getting her used to certain things.

In as much as our environment is toxic, polluted and dangerous, I wouldn't want them to miss a major part of their development, which is social skills and awareness of one's immediate environment. OP, also try and walk around with them in your neighbourhood so that people would know that they are yours in case of emergency or if they miss road, others will recognise them and alert you.

gohf:
the thing when your parents are not new in the area and know people who know you and take you out.

Times may have changed because when we were 8&9 no be game center PS1 parlor we dey go. Or those coin table soccer

Exactly

lawrenzoo:
Good day, Nairaland families. I would appreciate it if mature and responsible families in the house could enlighten me on this. My son is only 7 years and 4 months old, and I allow him and his 5 year old sister to do minor chores such as making their beds when they wake up, sweeping their rooms to some extent, taking their plates to the kitchen after eating, and brushing their teeth at night. However, there is one thing I frown upon in the house, "Sending a young guy of his age on street errands," but I discovered that my wife finds it so easy to do so.

Most times my wife would want to get simple stuff like detergent and so, she calls him which i do stop from happening most times since i am of a personal opinion that it is rather too unsafe for him and he should not be sent on an errand alone until he is at least 10years old and above.

Please i want to know if I am simply the one overreacting and too overprotective OR a child of that age should not be sent on an errand?

Your wife is violating Part I of the Child Rights Act and you have to caution her. Provide the basic protection for your son and it starts now no matter the street do not allow your 7year old son do that.

wen we don start to dey go msg frm 4yrs plus?

OP are u ajebo?

If he know road.

Nver too young to start learning

OP never said he has stopped the boy from going on the errand, he's only concerned that the boy and his sister are too young to be sent on errands outside the home which I support 100%. Not even with the way the country is right now.

Reinamaria:
You mean you're already teaching your son to disobey your wife -his mother?

Anyway, it depends on the area you're living in.