Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Would you leave a sensible 10 year old DC home alone...

31 replies

Jorvik1978 · 20/10/2025 22:58

... for 30 mins early morning M-F for 3 weeks?

DH is away for 3 weeks early next year. I have horses so during the winter I am up early in the morning to turn out, and am usually home before either he or DC wake up.

But what to do whilst he's away?

a) Get DC up and out of the house early with me? We could walk to the yard, turn out, and then carry on too school, but we would still need to be up, breakfasted and out of the house by 7:45.
b) Leave DC at home asleep in bed whilst I nip out? I can be there and back again within 30 mins, DC is very sensible and will be left with a phone. We've talked about it and they're not particularly keen on being left at home and seems to think option a) will work. Given how much they love their bed and sleep, I remain unconvinced.

Option c) (ask someone else to turn out for me) is available, but I'd feel bad asking them to do it every day, so I suspect I'll end up using all of the above.

Weekends are easier as there isn't the getting-to-school-and-work-on-time pressure so it's just weekdays that are causing some head scratching.

Just wondering what you would do?

OP posts:
OptiMumm · 20/10/2025 23:01

I'd pay someone to sort the horses.

ChilliMochaCoco · 20/10/2025 23:02

Can you pay the option C person a reasonable amount to do the job for you?

Alternatively I think go for option A. Otherwise you don't want your dc to feel anxious if they wake up and find you and your dh nor there.

VikaOlson · 20/10/2025 23:02

My 10 year old would be fine.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
DEAROP · 20/10/2025 23:04

I'd go with A. I'd not risk me having an accident/delay and DC not being with me. I'd also not depend on someone who might let me down.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 20/10/2025 23:04

Pay someone or take him with you as he’s told you he’s not keen

RessicaJabbit · 20/10/2025 23:06

Just take him with you, he's said he wants to go.

Beesandhoney123 · 20/10/2025 23:06

Pay for someone to sort out the horses or pay for someone to be in your house. What about an au pair for a few weeks? Or a friend / relative daughter/ son who is looking to spend a few weeks in the UK and is able to get up in the morning?

I wouldn't leave them, because of traffic, some kind of horse problem etc.

ThatCalmFinch · 20/10/2025 23:12

Actually try getting him up but I think that would be okay to leave him, my now 10.3 year old DS has had to have been up, breakfasted and out of the house by 7:35 for the past three years as I have had to take his older sister to the bus stop (only 5 minute drive but she has a ton of stuff to carry and not keen on her walking) its only since this term started that I've been happy to leave him for the 10 minutes, DS is the youngest in his year but I think I could tell him the night before and maybe leave post-it note to remind him and he'd be fine for 30 minutes.

Original poster
Jorvik1978 · 20/10/2025 23:20

Thank you all. The mix of responses is a reflection on where my mind jumps about on this. I will probably just pay someone to do it but I do wonder if I'm being over-protective. This age (upper KS2, 10/11) is such a tricky one about leaving them or letting them out without grown-ups...

Whilst traffic wouldn't be a problem (or very unlikely to be at 6:30), you can your bottom dollar this is the time that one horse decides to injury themselves badly. Or one does it one week, then passes the baton to the other for the following week..!

OP posts:
NellieElephantine · 20/10/2025 23:35

ThatCalmFinch · 20/10/2025 23:12

Actually try getting him up but I think that would be okay to leave him, my now 10.3 year old DS has had to have been up, breakfasted and out of the house by 7:35 for the past three years as I have had to take his older sister to the bus stop (only 5 minute drive but she has a ton of stuff to carry and not keen on her walking) its only since this term started that I've been happy to leave him for the 10 minutes, DS is the youngest in his year but I think I could tell him the night before and maybe leave post-it note to remind him and he'd be fine for 30 minutes.

Same, our bfast club drop off is open from 715 so many kids up and out long before 745.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 21/10/2025 01:59

Option a for like a day until hes had enough, then option b

He will be fine at home for 30 mins x

confusedlots · 21/10/2025 05:32

Surely you can be out of the house for 7:45? My 2 kids are out of the house at 7am on 2 days a week. I would pay for someone else to come and help for a few days a week if it’s going to be too much 5 days a week for 3 weeks.

CousinBob · 21/10/2025 05:40

Option a for me.

TuckFrump · 21/10/2025 05:53

I'd do a mix of A and C.

Is there someone you could return the favour for, so it wouldn't be bad to ask them to do a few days a week for you?

ThingsgetbetterwithalittlebitofRazzmatazz · 21/10/2025 05:59

I would have left mine at that age but the fact he's not keen to be left changes that, I'd get him up and bring him. It might be after a few days getting up early he'll decide he'd prefer to stay at home.

usernotfound0000 · 21/10/2025 06:08

I would do option b but only if he’s keen, if he said he doesn’t want to stay alone and wants to come then I’d just take him. I own a sensible 10.5 year old and would leave her alone in similar circumstances but only if she was happy with it.

FridayIsItFridayYet · 21/10/2025 06:20

A. Having to be up and out of the house by 745 is hardly early. Mine have to be out at 650 to get the bus to school!

as to leaving them, one of mine would have been fine with it, the other not (although would have been fine e.g. mid afternoon) so totally child dependent.

TheNightingalesStarling · 21/10/2025 06:26

Start with A. Let him know B is an option if he decides after a few days he doesn't like having to get up early to hang around in a cold field.

CinnamonCrunch33 · 21/10/2025 06:29

Option A or C. He has told you he doesn’t want to be left alone. So you don’t leave him alone.

rainbowstardrops · 21/10/2025 06:31

He’s said he doesn’t want option B, so I’d probably try to do a mix of A and C if you have someone that you could pay to do it.
Out by 7.45 isn’t unreasonable at all.

Cantseetreesforthewood · 21/10/2025 06:35

You've already been told by the child thry don't want you to slip out and leave them at home. So, definitely in the beginning cross that idea off.

Can you get someone to do Tues and Thurs? And take DC with you mon, wed, fri?

Original poster
Jorvik1978 · 21/10/2025 06:58

I know 7:45 isn't early for many, and he will be ok to wake early on one or maybe 2 days, but his natural wake-up time is 7:30 so it may prove a challenge for 5 consecutive days!!

I think a combination of a) & c) is our way forward. You're right, those of you who have said he doesn't want to be left alone but he may change his tune when it's wet, cold and still dark...!

OP posts:
NellieElephantine · 21/10/2025 07:00

How far is the yard? Can't you just take the car and he can wait in that? (Providing you drive that is!)

Neemie · 21/10/2025 07:14

I would get mine up and out by 7.45. It isn’t particularly early. Both of mine have to do it every day and it never occurred to any of us it was an issue.

Comeonbabylightmyfire · 21/10/2025 07:17

they're not particularly keen on being left at home

They are not keen on being left so no.

I would do C.

Swipe left for the next trending thread