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Original poster

What do secondary (Y7) kids do after school?

30 replies

Vicky13 · 15/10/2012 21:33

Sorry for the silly question, but I really don't know. Can 11 yr olds be on their own after school for up to 2.5 hrs?

I have a daughter currently in Y6. She is now at after school club 2 days a week and I work at home the other 3 days but my boss has asked me to work full time in the office from next September. She is assuming that then all my childcare worries will be over.

Can't help thinking though that DD at 11 will still be too young to be home until 6pm on her own.

What do secondary kids do age 11 when parents are at work? None of my friends are in that position - all either work PT or don't work. I know there won't be an after school club at secondary.

I'm worried if it's 5 days a week she'll find it lonely / boring / scary being at home all that time. She's fairly sensible but still at 11 what if she loses her key, hurts herself, has someone knocking on the door and doesn't know how to deal with it. I'm worried I'm going to be a nervous wreck.

Is it normal for Y7 kids to walk themselves home and be in on their own? If not how do you get childcare?

OP posts:
Original poster
Vicky13 · 15/10/2012 21:47

Thanks all. Unfortunately no parents or partner around to help out. I do plan to persuade her to join as many clubs as possible, and change her music lesson so she's there one night if I can. Just trying to plan ahead and give my boss enough warning if I can't go full time.

Don't know why but it feels harder to ask for flexible working after she changes schools. My work is approx 1hr commute along a busy stretch of motorway. I'm a long way away if she needs me.

OP posts:
titchy · 15/10/2012 21:44

Can you keep your current hours? If she does a club on the days you work she'll be in her own for.a little while, and if she proves ok maybe build up over years 8 and 9?

titchy · 15/10/2012 21:41

Legally she can, although if something happens you're responsible. Plenty of year 7s will be 'latch-key' kids, on their own.

Only you can decide if that's what you want though. Personally I don't - mine are on their own for up to an hour, but no more. They need to off-load, hae tea, do homework, have friends over, get taxied to variou activities. None of which woul happen without adult input.

However I am sure there will be after school clubs she could do. Most schools also have homework clubs in the library each evening which she could go to.

sandyballs · 15/10/2012 21:41

My work have the same attitude as yours, weird isn't it. 11 is still very young and they're settling into high school etc.

sandyballs · 15/10/2012 21:38

My DDs started year 7 in sept. slightly diff for me as there are two of them but I do feel that year 7 is young to left alone for hours, esp with the clocks changing soon and darker evenings. We let them come home to an empty house once a week, the other two days that I work MIL is there when they get in. I will gradually change this over the course of year 7 if they prove they can be trusted and don't mind.

Secondary often has loads of after school clubs and I'm encouraging mine to join, lessening the time they'll be home alone.

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