What age would you give your child a front door key?

[Rowofducks]

Just that really.

I am struggling for money and currently paying loads of money to cover 20mins that I’m behind getting back from work for my 10 nearly 11 year old. When I’m not at work he walks home alone normal time but while I’m at work goes to wrap around child care. As I get home 20mins after him and his siblings get home slightly before me. Just wondering what age you would let your child let themselves in?

Of course that's fine. If a child of 9/10 is mature this is perfectly ok.

DS was 9. He spent two hours in the garden once at 11 as he'd forgotten the key, hasn't forgotten again.

I got my house key to my parents house on my 12th birthday (first week of secondary school!) and still have it 16 years later 😂

Children used to wear the key round their necks on a string @Bunnybigears so that is not the big 'woah people infantilise their kids nowadays' gotcha you think.

Some my have not all of them and if I was a parent at the time that a keybround the neck was a thing I would have thought the same thing.

We’ve got a key safe even though our children are teenagers. It’s handy for all of us in case anyone locks themselves out or if neighbours or friends need access to feed the cats if we are away etc. It saves having multiple spare keys being cut/lost.

We had a key safe put up for our then 10 year old. The code was put on his phone and he would be home for up to half an hour on his own. We decided on the key safe because he wanted the independence but he's dyspraxic and his organisation skills at that age were rubbish and he constantly lost things. Worked perfectly for us and by 13 his organisation was much better so he stated carrying the key with him.

We have a key safe too. Saves me taking my keys out in a pocket as well.

I don't see that wearing a key round their neck is teaching them any more responsibility than a key safe is tbh.

Anyway - think the thread's pretty much in agreement that it's fine.

Mine did this in year 6. Key on retractable fob attached inside backpack so hard to lose!

We have a key safe. Mostly for DH who constantly forgets to take his keys out with him. The DCs have had a key since the start of secondary.

Speak to the school and explain your financial situation - you may find they can assist with afterschool club or heavily subsidise it x

My dd was given a key in year 5 ..because she actually went to a middle school in the next village and really only in case of emergency. ,there's usually someone home. I don't think she used it until year 6 when I was out picking up DH.

Mine was 9/10. No way would he go to childcare at 11.

Are you paying for after school club then? Maybe drop one day a week for the moment as a test so you save a little bit of money and they get a little bit of independence. Pick a day the siblings are more likely to be home on time?

We got a key safe (daughter lost her bus pass in the first week, didn’t fancy having to replace all the house locks) she still has to remember to lock up and put the key in the safe.

Mine have usually been walking home alone and letting themselves in from y7 onwards - but that's because they've all had a younger sibling in primary school who I've had to pick up anyway.

My ds has lost several keys so far but I'd trust him in the house alone from the age of 11.

@Bunnybigears

Some people use a key safe for younger children attached to the wall, so the child has access to a key but doesn’t have the responsibility of carrying it around all day.

Honestly it baffles me how some people ever expect their child to learn to be responsible when they dont let them try.

I can't be doing with all the hassle that might attend the key being lost tbh, so key safe it is. It's helpful for the whole family. No issues with responsibility here!

I had one from 9. My kids got one in yr6 (10-11)

Give him a key to the door but not the snack cupboard 🤣

I took a key three mornings a week in what is now year 5 (once my older sister went to secondary school) so from when I was 9y2m.

The key lived on a string because round your neck was the most secure place to keep it (on the very rare occasions when having the key coincided with swimming class or something I remember feeling that it wasn't quite as safe in the teachers desk )

I and my two younger siblings would be in the house by ourselves till one of our parents got back somewhere between 12:30 and 1.

Pretty sure I often did some of the lunch preparation, too, even if it was only making up instant mash.

DD will get one when she starts travelling home from secondary by herself in September. She comes back from primary at the moment on her own, but doesn't need a key yet as there's always someone in.

My 10 yo has one. Although I do the school run to collect her younger sister, she has started to walk home with her friend & lets herself in. They’ve got staggered finish times due to covid so she’s on her own for about 10 mins. We have left her longer & she’s been fine. She’s very sensible though. Not sure her sister will be the same!

If you don't want your child to have a key you could always fit a Yale key code lock, we have one for our front door. You can have fobs too but although we all have a fob we all use the key code.

Yale Keyless Connected Smart Door Lock (Chrome) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01DE4DFM8/ref=cmswwrsmssapifabccYNDFE3RSMV5EKVNRQX9A?encoding=UTF8&psc=1

If you think he'd be ok doing this I think it sounds fine.

I would definitely allow him to let himself in in in this situation. I am not sure what I would do with the key. A keysafe sounds like a good idea. When I was young we had a hook in the coal shed for the key . I suppose that as you are all coming home soon after him the worst that will happen if he mislays the key is that he will have the natural consequence of having to sit on the step for half an hour.