When my son was 9, we were living in San Diego (Pacific Beach) and he wanted to bike to the local Rite Aid alone - through 1.5 miles of heavy traffic and streets lined with crazies and of course, child molesters. I let him do it once (and secretly followed him) but had to rush back home so he could phone me at the designated time. The next time, I let him go alone and I was all in a tizzy until he got back. Today, at nearly 21, he is the most independent person I know - more so than most people MY age. I have one daughter like this, too, but another who is more timid. I handle them both differently. Plus, I think we often handle boys and girls differently. Let's face it - we don't hear about boys being abducted nearly as often as girls.