What age would you let your kids out by themselves?

[ProfessionalBullshitter]

My eldest is 11.5 and DC2 is 5.5 years.

We live in a village and it has a small library which you can walk to from our house without having to cross any roads. We go to the library a lot and the ladies who work there know us.

The 11.5 year old wants to walk to the library by themselves and take the 5.5 year old with them.

I’m really not sure it’s okay. But I remember I used to play out with my friends in the village I grew up in from about the age of 10. So am I just being an over-protective parent or would you feel similarly hesitant?

The 11 year old going fine. But with a youngster? Would you leave the 11 year of at home alone with the five year old? Does the five year old listen to and behave for the 11 year old? If you wouldn’t leave them home alone I wouldn’t let them be in charge of a five year old out in public.

I would let the 11.5 year old go alone but not with the 5 year old.

I would let your 11.5 year old go either alone or with friends, but I wouldn’t let them take the 5.5 year old with them. I think 11 is too young to be in sole charge of a 5 year old, particularly out of the house. This is just my opinion though. I’m sure others will disagree. These sorts of questions always throw up massive differences.

Agree, the 11.5 without the 5.
Put it this way, if the 5yo got knocked down you'd 'blame' the 11yo, so not fair to give them the responsibility.
If you wouldn't in your wildest dreams send the younger alone, then don't send them with 11yo sibling.

Surely your 11.5 year old is walking / taking themselves to school???!!!

Not the little one. I wouldn't let a little one out with an older sibling until I was already comfortable leaving them at home together, and I think 11.5 is too young to have sole charge of a young child.

Impossible for anyone to say.

At 11.5 DD1 would have been more than capable of looking after DS2 at 5.5. At 12 she was the first to react when a child got hit by a car outside the church and called an ambulance on her mobile whilst shouting for the first aider to come out.

DS1 was so easily distracted my heart is in my mouth sometimes even now he’s 18. Not a chance would I have trusted him with a small child.

Totally depends on your children, and particularly on how used to being together themselves (not necessarily home alone, but how are they playing together and the likes) they are.

Our local library says no unaccompanied children under the age of 8. So, not allowed under that age without an adult. So for our library the two children on their own would be a no-no but your eldest could go on their own.

Personally, I wouldn’t let two children of those ages out alone. Too much responsibility on the elder child if something happened.

11 year old fine to go out on their own, 5.5 not.

I’d let the older one go but not the little one without an adult. Far too young and older siblings shouldn’t be used as childcare or given the responsibility of them.

Ah good to know my instincts are pretty in line with the consensus.

I didn’t let them go. And I won’t. 11.5 goes to a school that actually is a 20 min drive away (long story) so doesn’t have many opportunities to go out on their own. We’re trying to get them more streetwise.

The 11.5 year old should be going out on her own. Most kids that age are taking themselves to school / many kids in London are navigating the tube on their own. You need to start giving her some independence.