At what age do you start letting go? I'm not ready for this!

I have to wonder if I'm being overprotective of Mini Red and this could ultimately be my demise with her as she gets older.

With school starting I'm a little uncomfortable with the bus stop. Last year the bus stop was just out front of our building and I would let her go on her own. This year it’s a few blocks away. So in the morning I drive her to the stop. Monday, I picked her up from her stop and Tuesday, I let her walk but met up with her as she walked home. She was not happy with me and wanted to walk on her own. By Wednesday I was dropping her off and letting her come home on her own.

Today, I hung out so she didn't have to stand in the rain. She got out of the car about five minutes before the bus was due. Out of the seven kids at the stop Mini Red was the only one with an umbrella. WTF?!?! I could tell she started to realize she was the only one with an umbrella and if she put that umbrella down then I was gonna be shooting out of the car to remedy that thought. Am I being over protective? How could those parents let their kids stand in the rain with no protection?

The bus arrived and all the parents, that were there, dispersed. I turned on the radio to hear about the kids who were hit by a van while standing at their bus stop. WTF?!?!

This is not helping Mini Red's case for independence. But then again it didn't help when she got out of the car and didn't look both ways when crossing. Thank goodness it was another parent. Mini Red realized what she did, or rather didn't do, and I know when she saw that car she heard my voice in her head telling her to look both ways and check out her surroundings.

She is the youngest one on her stop so she can't compare herself to the others. I'm sure this year will be full of her wanting her independence. But for me… she is all I have and I can't risk it, especially, if she can't show me how responsible she can be.

This is a BIG year for us both.