[Gayle]

It's a really tough one!

My two are quite young but they play out quite a lot in the back garden and up the street with a couple of lads who are about the same age. One of them is only 8 but has a lot of freedom and hs parent frequently comes around to find him at our house only to be told that he's not with us. Even when he is in our house the chances that he'll have told his parents where he is is very slim.

As a mother I want to keep them on a tight rein but I equally want them to learn independence!