Would you leave Year 5 and Year 7 home alone after school?

[Jinglejinglejingle7]

Advice please. After a struggle following redundancy, myself & Dh are both getting new jobs. Ive had a job offer and dh looks like he's about to get an offer. Big change in circumstances as I'm going full time in office and dh will be hybrid, possibly 3 days in office. I may have some flexibility to finish early and wfh but I cant push that yet.
Problem is we have 2 dc, eldest year 7 youngest year 5. I think they are old enough to be left at home for an hour/ hour and a half. Eldest makes her own way home already, youngest gets picked up/ dropped off but its 15 minutes walk max and he's 10 now so could walk or eldest could collect. Dh worried that they're too young. I dont think we have a massive choice. Would u let 10 year old walk home, then stay with his sister for an hour or hour & half on they're own? They're sensible, get on well, we leave them now to run to shops/ walk dog etc.

My 10 and 11 walk home from school, let themselves in and are alone for a couple of hours twice a week.
I can trust them, they are sensible.

This is partly why so many young adults seem to have so little resilience I'm sure of it 🤨

Can't believe the number of people saying no. If they're sensible I don't think there's any issue with this at all.

DC yrs 4 and 6, walked home and let themselves in. I got home 45 minutes later. They loved their time alone.

Yes. Year 5 children are allowed to walk home alone at DS's school. As long as both kids are sensible and the youngest will listen to the oldest when necessary, letting them stay home alone for 1.5hrs is fine.

NDN's son was the same. He was very sensible and knew he could call on me in the event of an emergency.

Honestly? My DCs at those ages? For an hour, hour and a half after school? Yes.

I think too many perfectly capable children have been infantilised in this country and it's done them no favours.

I would. And in fact I did. I used to pick DC up but then I got a new job and they had to make their way home and be there till I got in (bit earlier than you tbf, it was a job in a school and I was home by 4-4.30pm).

They were yr 9, 7 and 5 IIRC. No probs. And yes primaries allow DC to walk home thank goodness. Mine all waked to and from school with friends but not us from year 5. It was beyond unusual for anyone to collect a year 6 DC (unless also picking up a much younger DC).

Social services would not be concerned about this in any way whatsoever so please ignore PPs saying that.

Oh I notice those comments are all from the same poster.

Absolutely fine, they’re sensible, it’s not that long

I have children the same age. The yr 5 walks to and from school alone. They are both fine being at home alone or together for short periods.

Schools absolutely let Primary kids walk home alone. Kids in dds class walked from year 3 with older siblings, and Year 4 alone. Sadly not always sensible ones either!

I left my Year 5 and Year 8 DCs home alone so I could go to an early evening exercise class once a week, it was all fine.

My DC are basically these ages and I think it’s fine. Get a flip mobile (not a smart phone) with your and DH’s numbers, plus the numbers of some local friends’ parents or reliable neighbours, so they have someone to call in an emergency. Get a Ring or similar doorbell so you know when they have come home and they know you’ll know if they don’t arrive home when they should, if they bring friends home, if they go out again when they aren’t meant to. Our rule is no cooking if we aren’t at home - toaster and microwave yes, but stove and oven no.

I see no problem with this.

I would if you feel they’re responsible enough. Me and DS did this from the same age. We called to say we were home, had access to snacks etc, knew not to touch anything cooking wise and just watched TV etc until mum came home 5:30ish. We knew who to go to if there was any trouble…a lost house key etc and knew how to contact mum plus other family phone numbers. Needs must. We kept it on the down low tha we were home alone for day 2 hours and never had a problem.

mine are y5 and y8, I do it and they are great. They have a laugh together and a good bit of independence. Our primary lets them walk home from Y6 solo, but most around here do at Y5

Of course it’s ok! 12/nearly and 10/nearly is absolutely fine if they’re both harmonious together as siblings (for the most part).

Honestly, no. They are really still very young, but also entering a really big developmental stage (pre-teen/early teen years) which they need significant support through

For an hour and a half?? Come on!!!

Most London boroughs let them walk home alone from year 5.

Year 7, no problem (DD year 7 has 2 nights a week where she is alone after school until 5.30 ISH).

Year 5 though I think I'd be looking for wraparound for one more year or at least an after school sports club or similar so they've got less time alone. But if needs must I wouldn't turn down a much needed job on that basis.

Of course it's fine at those ages!
We made sure ours knew which neighbours they could run to and were trusted in case of emergency. Who to ring if they couldn't get hold of us and what they were/weren't allowed to do (e.g. shower if no one's around in case they slipped - I know that's not a normal worry but it happened to my parents friend and it's always been an irrational concern)

Oh they are in year 5 now! Nearly year 6. I think it's fine then. You really don't have many weeks of school to limp through until secondary.

No, I wouldn't.

The Yr 7 would hopefully be fine, but not the Yr5

It is something you build up to.
Have you been collecting your Yr5 up until now? (I see you've answered no)
Have they been used to walking home? (I see you've answered, no)
Do they already have a front door key and are used to keeping it safe and knowing how to open the door ?
Are they used to being home alone for 10 mins, then 20 mins, then 30mins, then an hour, etc, when they haven't had to let themselves in, but you've left them knowing all needs are met ?
Are they used to entering the house on their own, even when it is getting dark ?

Yes I would ( and did when they were that age). Im
a single parent, worked full time and it felt ok.

When my daughters were in y6 and y3 they walked home together from school which was a couple of minutes away and I got home about 45 mins to an hour later. They were sensible girls and I knew they would be okay, and they were. No mobile phones then, but lots of friendly neighbours.