Q. We live just under a mile from my daughter’s elementary school, and last year we drove her to school every day. This year she will be in third grade, and she wants to walk to school with some friends. Do you think that in this day and age this is safe?

“For one thing, it depends on who are these friends, and where do they live,” panelist Erin Stalsitz said. “I’d like to say, ‘Yes, it’s safe,’ but it also depends on the location where the children will be walking, and if there are crossing guards. There are lots of factors to consider.”

Stalsitz also questioned how prepared the child and her friends are to walk alone. “Children need to know how to be safe.” As an example, panelist Mike Daniels asked, “If a man approaches the kids and tells them he’s lost his puppy, what would they do?” He suggested that the mother talk to the fiends’ parents. “Perhaps they could form a co-op where at least one parent walks with the children every day. After a couple of weeks, maybe they could walk by themselves.” For that to happen, there should be some stipulations, panelist Pam Wallace said. “You use this route only, and you walk with at least two other friends. You cannot walk to school by yourself.” Then, of course, Wallace said, you must give the daughter the lessons about not taking candy from strangers, or jumping into cars, and so on.

A follow-up suggestion by Daniels was that at least one of the children carry a butterfly phone that can only be used to make calls and that is able to call only designated telephone numbers that are preloaded into the device. These could include numbers of various parents’ cell phones, police and ambulances. Stalsitz said she would be worried if she didn’t know if the students arrived at school. She said a parent could hand out a phone every morning with instructions for a designated student to call his or her parent or another parent when they arrive.

Another issue affecting safety, according to Daniels, is the question of how mature the daughter is. “How much does she pay attention? How much does she listen? Does she finish her chores? How aware is she of her surroundings? Does she know what to do in an emergency?”

Answers to these questions will help the parents determine if their child is ready to take on the responsibility of walking unchaperoned to school, Daniels explained. Perhaps the students could get together and plan how they are going to get to school, and what they need to do, Stalsitz suggested. “They could draw a map, and make up their own rules.” The other panel members thought that was a great idea.

This week’s team of parenting experts are: Pam Wallace, Program Coordinator, Project Child, a program of Valley Youth House; Erin Stalsitz, casework supervisor, Lehigh County Children and Youth, and Chad Stefanyak, School Counselor.

Have a question? Email: projectchild@projectchildlv.org. The Family Project is a collaboration of Lehigh Valley Press Focus and Valley Youth House Project Child.