The same thing happened to me--I was in 1st grade and ran home, it was over a mile. Just released into the wild to find our way home on a terrible day--and we all made it home. We were given more independence then, and had more freedoms--but with that came responsibility: to get home before dark, find a garden hose for water, not get hit by cars as we rode bikes everywhere (without helmets), etc. We made decisions at an early age and learned, and became more responsible.

It was a very good time.