Parents might need a fresh risk assessment

Dear Amy: My granddaughter is six.

Her parents want her to grow up to be independent.

This manifests itself in many liberties and responsibilities, some of which I think she is too young for.

I have never said anything to the parents about this aspect of their childrearing, but recently I witnessed two cases where I felt their approach is much too lax.

In one case, they allowed her to come down a slippery marble spiral staircase with inadequate handrails — alone.

She ended up falling, but thankfully was not seriously hurt.

The other incident was in a restaurant when she needed to use the bathroom. Instead of accompanying her, they told her, “You know where it is, go ahead.”

The bathroom was a single room with a women’s stall right next to a men’s stall. An outer door enclosed the room with both stalls inside.

I said nothing but went with my granddaughter and stood outside her stall.

(When I was six, I was molested at a park, so I know how quickly and easily molesters can act.)

Should I speak to the parents about my concern that they should accompany her to public bathrooms until she’s older?