We asked, you answered: Have you taught your children to run errands on their own?

Editor's note: This story discusses the practice of giving children the freedom to go out on their own. In some places, parents who allow young children to run errands or go places without adult supervision may violate local laws. Parents interested in this topic should be sure to familiarize themselves with the law and rules in their community.

This month we asked NPR readers to share personal examples of how they taught their children to run errands on their own. Why did they decide to do it? What were the challenges? Was the community supportive?

Nearly 100 people emailed us their responses. The callout was linked to NPR correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff's story from April 20, "A 4-year-old can run errands alone ... and not just on reality TV." Doucleff talks to child development experts about the risks and benefits of allowing very young kids to be very independent — the concept of a buzzy Japanese TV show called Old Enough! now streaming on Netflix.

One clear theme: It's not that easy to give kids the freedom to do simple tasks.