What age did you start to leave your DC home alone in the evening?

[houstonspca]

Just wondering what age you would or did feel
comfortable to leave your DC at home alone in the evening?

I'm not talking overnight but for example if you were going to the cinema or to a friend's house?

When the youngest was 10 oldest 13 but this was for 2 hours in the summer whilst it was still bright. I’d be slower in the darker winter months

My children were at Primary School and I was at uni so they were what would now be called latch key children, letting themselves into the house and being on their own for half an hour or so after school. And yes, they walked home on their own too. Once they were 12 and 9 we would leave them if we were going round the corner to see friends in the evening.

I would leave my 12 year old for an evening, but not late enough that he'd need to sleep while we were out. I think it would be scary for him if he woke up in an empty house, but he is fine in the day time for a couple of hours at a time.

I have just started leaving my 11yo if I go out locally eg for a walk.
Sometimes I'll go when he's asleep. He knows I will be going and has his phone by his bed.

It feels different leaving him at night so we've been gradual.

I wouldn't go to cinema or go out for long.