Leaving child home alone

[Dot_Cotton]

I have a 10 year old and haven’t left her alone in the house. I’m sometimes tempted if I can’t be bothered trying to bribe her to walk the dog with me but I just don’t feel I can yet. But in this scenario, if the child was ill/isolating and it was just a quick school run then you should be fine if you feel it will be

 

[TinyDancer2602]

I have a ten year old. I was leaving her home alone to take my other kids to school while she was isolating. I would be gone for 20 mins at drop off and pick up. I’m not sure if she is mature enough to be left for a longer period. I think it depends on the child.

 

[Kim Mild]

It does seem more acceptable for children to walk to/ from school themselves from about age 9-ish , ready for going into year 5/ starting middle school than it is to leave a child of that age alone in the house.

Most of the children that age where I live walk to school without supervision. Perhaps nor all of them are left alone on the house.

Although, it is slightly frowned upon to drive children of that age to school when they live in walking distance but I suppose that's another discussion.

 

[Snippysnips]

That's a great idea. I had to go straight to work from the school run but my employers were incredibly relaxed, they would have been happy for me to start later

A lot weren't happy about it when it started but to be fair I can see the point in the schools doing this, our town has 1 Catholic high school in it so it takes in the entire area an some areas of the town are a good 15 to 20 min drive to the school, it isn't fair for those that need to drop off their kid an have to drive around for a while cause they can't get parked safely to let them out while others who are literally a 3 minute walk around the corner are taking up those spaces, most schools are right at main roads, my school was surrounded by main roads an 0 parking, an not many work places will allow you to be late so parents who could do the school walk would tell others they would take the kids an it's a win win, people can get to work on time an kids have a adult or two walking them with their friends to get there on time

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

I think it largely depends on the child. My elder neice would have been fine to leave for an hour or so when she was 10, the younger one, definitely not. The younger one would definitely end up hanging upside down out of a window with a foot trapped.

My nephew is 10 and I think he'd be fine left for 15 minutes but not an hour because he would be tempted to put the oven on to make himself something and would forget about it, with food burning.

My parents left me and my brother alone for an evening when he was 13 and I was 11 but that was in the early 90s and things were different then

 

[willow.b]

I leave my 10 year old for 10-15 min to go to the corner shop (if he doesn't want to come) and leave him with a phone so he can call. Definitely wouldn't leave him for longer any time soon.

 

[Welshgal]

My parents started leaving me for an hour or so when I was 7. They always made sure to go over some basic things (don’t open the door, no use of the stove etc) and made sure I had their number next to the phone as well as checked up on me once it had been an hour.

Generally I’d say 10 is a good age and since you won’t be gone for very long this seems ideal “to practice”. However you know your child best, so just got with your gut and it will be fine. Kid’s these days often don’t get enough credit for what they can do, imo.

 

[Jellybean093]

When my daughter was 10 (year 5), she was walking herself to school - it was through the church where all the kids would walk. I didn’t really start leaving g her alone until she was late 10/nearly 11 and not for long. She’s 12.5 now, and would leave her alone for a couple of hours, but will tell her to keep her phone on her/not answer the door and not cook, but she wouldn’t leave her bedroom anyway
I think 10 is a good age for a bit of independence and it’s not for a long time either

 

[BettyCrockerr]

Some kids are extremely streetwise from a young age.

Which is wrong. Why would a young child of 9/10/11 be streetwise? Why would a child of that age be in a position where they would already be “streetwise” if not because they were being left alone and had no choice?

 

[Snippysnips]

Although, it is slightly frowned upon to drive children of that age to school when they live in walking distance but I suppose that's another discussion.

They actually starting banning people from driving their kid to/from school if it was under a certain distance, most schools here are in the middle of housing estates or have little to no parking an cars were becoming a complete hazard being left parked wherever they could get to drop off/pick up their kid, so now regardless of age if it's under a mile(ish) I believe then they cannot be seen with a car at the school so that the room is left for those outside that, so now I'll see large walking groups of kids where one or two adults are watching them as not every parent can walk the kid in the morning if they need to get to work so parents rota an take kids in groups

 

[BettyCrockerr]

I wouldn't do it but my kids at 11 were pretty street wise. But I agree its a shitty thing to do. I had no choice to leave mine when I went back to work but they were 14 and 12.

An 11 year old is not streetwise.

 

[lastdis]

If you have to ask if it’s ok, then no.
ifyou thought it would’ve ok you wouldn’t need to ask anyone .

 

[BettyCrockerr]

nearly 11, walks to and from school - goes to park/little shop with friends. I have tracker on her phone though which helps a bit with the worry. Can leave in the house with the dog no problem if I have to work and the school is closed (Victoria day) etc.

You leave a child alone with a dog??

 

[candyland_]

I started leaving mine at about 10. Only to nip to the shop and I have never left my 12 year old for longer than an hour but she loves it when I go out.. I only pop to an appointment or for food though. My nephew is the same.

 

[Snippysnips]

How do they enforce it?

I've heard of schools having a 'walking bus' , is that like one of those?

To park at the school now the car must display a badge in the window that the school sends out as they know which kids need it with where they stay an if you don't have the badge then you get ticketed since the school has people making sure only those with the badge are there parking

I am assuming a "walking bus" is like a organised thing where parents will take the kids yeah? It's not really official here, it's more the parents just agree with other parents to have them take the kid, most kids all stay close to each others homes so they go to the houses an then walk to school, some parents will even just allow the older ones to walk alone an tell them to stay within the groups or close to the groups that's walking, it's like a trail of kids before an after school here so the older ones sort of just mix in an the really young ones are the ones that parents have agreed with others to take them

 

[Homebird44]

My oldest is 15 and I’ve just this week left her for the evening to babysit my youngest. She stays home for a few hours if I have to work and she’s ill but no longer than 2/3 hours at a time. Not to be a pearl clutcher but there’s no way I would be leaving anyone under maybe 12/13 alone unless it was like a 5 minute walk to the car and back?? Maybe I’m just too much of a worrier.

I think it depends on the child and the home life they are used to. My youngest is far more sensible then my eldest and I had no issues leaving her when I went to work or an evening out. My mum left me to look after my sisters every night when she went to work, I was 15 they were all younger. No mobile phones then, she wasn't home till midnight. A bit of independence is good for them.

 

[Rocknrolla]

Twitter has blown up with some funny comments

 

[clare78]

i started leaving my girls for a short time , letting them go to the shop 5 mins away and walking to school with friends around that age . also depends on how responsible the child is too .

 

[Homebird44]

I went back to work full time when my youngest started secondary school. She was 12 and my eldest was 14. They were left all day and were fine. I worked local and if I needed to pop at lunchtime then I could.

 

[BettyCrockerr]

My parents would never have been out of the police station. They used to leave us in hotels and pop out for a drink when we went on holiday.

Sorry but this is terrible.