Page 6 | To leave my 7 yr old home alone for 30mins ?

confusedwithschool · 2024-07-24T12:12:54+00:00

My 7 yr old DD has the dreaded chicken pox ( she’s on day 5) but still absolutely covered. Half of his class are out cos of this Tomorrow is my DS’s year 6 graduation and there is no one I can call to babysit ( that’s even if they would want to ) I can’t take her there as I would be exposing other kids but at the same time how can I miss my sons grad? im torn . I plan to be on video call with her while there and the school is just down the road , a 2 min walk not sure what I can do ?

ReadingSoManyThreads · 24/07/2024 21:25

Sunshineclouds11 · 24/07/2024 21:23

I find that quite sad tbh

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What is it you find "quite sad"?

Daisybuttercup12345 · 24/07/2024 21:24

ItssssAMeMariooo92 · 24/07/2024 13:17

Can you take her and keep her in the car?

I have a 7 year old and there's no way I would leave him alone

In the car. By herself on a hot day?

Sunshineclouds11 · 24/07/2024 21:23

ReadingSoManyThreads · 24/07/2024 21:22

"it is a very huge milestone for my child and for we as parents."

That's great, but it really isn't that big a deal for a lot of people, hence the criticism of the over-the-top misuse of the term "graduation" 🙄

I find that quite sad tbh

ReadingSoManyThreads · 24/07/2024 21:22

"it is a very huge milestone for my child and for we as parents."

That's great, but it really isn't that big a deal for a lot of people, hence the criticism of the over-the-top misuse of the term "graduation" 🙄

Cadela · 24/07/2024 19:26

Wordsmithery · 24/07/2024 17:36

Seriously, is primary school graduation actually a thing? Cap and gown? Shouldn't all that be saved for real achievements like uni? Anyway, I digress. You clearly can't leave your seven year old as she's far too young. So, sadly, you'll have to miss the event, unless you can coopt a family member, friend, DP, or neighbour to babysit.

It is a thing, leaving primary school is a big event for the children and it’s right it should be celebrated.

Also if you got off your high horse long enough to actually read the thread you’d see op had it sorted.

Wordsmithery · 24/07/2024 17:36

Seriously, is primary school graduation actually a thing? Cap and gown? Shouldn't all that be saved for real achievements like uni? Anyway, I digress. You clearly can't leave your seven year old as she's far too young. So, sadly, you'll have to miss the event, unless you can coopt a family member, friend, DP, or neighbour to babysit.

MereDintofPandiculation · 24/07/2024 17:17

LuckysDadsHat · 24/07/2024 13:24

There is a big difference in age and maturity from 7 to 11 though. I have a 7 year old and no way would I leave her alone.

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I was responding to the PP who said she might consider leaving her DC for a short period once they were 11.

JLT24 · 24/07/2024 17:14

ItssssAMeMariooo92 · 24/07/2024 13:17

Can you take her and keep her in the car?

I have a 7 year old and there's no way I would leave him alone

Do not do this. In this heat it could be extremely dangerous to leave someone in the car. Also anyone approach the car and ask to her step out etc. Absolutely ridiculous suggestion.

Just don’t go the the graduation. If something bad was to happen to your 7 year old because you left them alone you’d feel a lot worse than you feel missing a graduation!

Calamitousness · 24/07/2024 17:09

@SleepingStandingUp yes of course at 13 he is left occasionally for a short time and goes out with friends etc. I was referring to when he was younger. Obviously I wasn’t clear. From aged 12 nspcc states that children of suitable cognitive maturity can be occasionally left although legal responsibilities for their safety remains with the parents.

Original poster

confusedwithschool · 24/07/2024 16:45

Otherstories2002 · 24/07/2024 16:31

This. I’m actually disgusted in the school for this.

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I said up there half the class is out so they are aware cos it’s a breakout in the school. and the scars are all crusty, so no new ones . She just feels miserable and tired so didn’t want to take her out of her comfort zone at all.

OP posts:

Otherstories2002 · 24/07/2024 16:31

bergamotorange · 24/07/2024 14:19

Did you tell them it is Chicken Pox??

Really surprised the school is doing this, given it is against NHS advice.

Really not on to risk exposing vulnerable people to CP.

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This. I’m actually disgusted in the school for this.

Begaydocrime94 · 24/07/2024 16:26

I leave my 7 year old for up to half an hour. I mean everything has risks, if anything a motorway journey with a child would be more risk prone than leaving them in the house for half an hour I would have thought. It depends on the child I think.

Littlemisscapable · 24/07/2024 16:17

Delighted you can go !!

Original poster

confusedwithschool · 24/07/2024 16:06

it is Really interesting to see people getting hungover about what a child leaving Primary school is called . Whether it is called graduation, leavers assembly, it is a very huge milestone for my child and for we as parents.

thank you so much to everyone who offered kind suggestions and made me wake up my tired brain from sleepless nights to think of other alternatives. She would stay with a TA who is available as all other teachers and students would be at the assembly

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SleepingStandingUp · 24/07/2024 16:05

Calamitousness · 24/07/2024 13:56

I can’t believe this is even a consideration. Poor kid. They want to be taken care of at the best of times, even more so when they’re ill. My son who is now 13, till very recently used to say “who is looking after me!” When I had to go somewhere. There was always someone. I would never have left him.
You just cannot go unless you can get someone to watch your child. The end.

At 13 is he not making his own way to and from school? Wanting to go out with mates? I agree 7 is too young but once they hit high school, learning disabilities aside, they really should be gaining independence

Witchbitch20 · 24/07/2024 16:02

Absolutely not.

lele2221 · 24/07/2024 16:00

@WindsurfingDreams have you ever heard of something called hands free. Surely you have....if not it's a device that your phone sits in while in a car

Kinshipug · 24/07/2024 15:59

I wouldn't leave my just turned 8yo that long, because frankly he's an idiot. But in theory if they are sensible I think it's fine. I was regularly left alone at that age and we didn't have the mobile phone, video doorbells/security cameras back then. Year 6 graduation is a big deal to the 11yos.

WindsurfingDreams · 24/07/2024 15:58

lele2221 · 24/07/2024 15:32

I had to leave my 7 year old at home for 20 mins as I had to take her sister to school and back. She wasn't well enough for the car journey. I had her on FaceTime the whole journey. She is sensible and did not move from the couch the whole time

Surely you can't facetime someone while you drive?!

lto2019 · 24/07/2024 15:55

Sunshineclouds11 · 24/07/2024 13:35

A year 6 graduation might sound daft to some but it is a big deal for the kids and most parents.

Leaving primary school is a big deal.

I agree - people are so rude. As a child who rarely had parents available to watch things - I did notice.

If there is really no one you could ask (now is the time to be cheeky and call in favours) then having someone video it and watching it together later - you could link your phone to the tv and make a big deal of it that way.

BurbageBrook · 24/07/2024 15:54

Absolutely not under any circumstances.

Herewegoagainandagainandagain · 24/07/2024 15:49

It would be poor judgement and irresponsible to leave an ill 7 year old child alone for any reason. A pretend "graduation" / leavers assembly which your dc will not remember in 6 months time is not a reasonable reason.

I would also not even consider purposely taking a child suffering from chicken pox into a primary school.

Also, if they are too ill to be bundled into the back of a car for a school run, they were definitely too ill to be left alone! What are you meant to be able to do on Facetime if they urgently need you and how can you safely watch Facetime when driving? Either she wasn't that ill and could have went in the car, or she was ill enough she needed an adult there.

lele2221 · 24/07/2024 15:32

I had to leave my 7 year old at home for 20 mins as I had to take her sister to school and back. She wasn't well enough for the car journey. I had her on FaceTime the whole journey. She is sensible and did not move from the couch the whole time

fussychica · 24/07/2024 15:30

I'm old school and would say yes to lots of these type of questions on here but in this case I'm firmly in the stay home with your sick child camp.
When I read graduation I first thought you meant university where I could see a genuine dilemma but turns out you are talking about leaving primary school so no dilemma at all.

JusWunderin · 24/07/2024 15:23

Errrrrr no, the fact that this has even crossed your mind to leave a 7 year old (and a poorly one at that!) home alone is absolutely bonkers and you should in fact be totally ashamed of yourself to be honest!

Its scary that people think this might be acceptable.