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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that a 11 year old can be left home alone

121 replies

popelle · 27/10/2010 18:53

AIBU to think a 11yo can be left home alone until their parent(s) come home from work on a regular occurance.

OP posts:
Mssoul · 27/10/2010 19:19

Thought someone was actually looking for advice then read thread properly sorry Blush

bigchris · 27/10/2010 19:19

So you all think an 11 year old can stay home btw 3pm and 6.30pm five days a week alone and for the school holidays bearing in mind a single parent would only have four weeks annual leave to cover all the school holidays and baker days?
Seems pretty harsh for a new year seven with no network if friends when they first start secondary school

ENormaSnob · 27/10/2010 19:20

Yanbu

ds1 is year 6 and does this, as do most of his friends whose parents work. It's only an hour tops though for us.

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:20

I think probably yes, an 11 year old could but I can understand the parent being uneasy about it.

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:20

ermm - I've never said it was a reason I couldn't work Hmm

I said it was a concern for me leaving him for anything from 16 hours a week upwards during the school holidays.

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:22

and to clarify - he won't be in Senior school, he'll be in YR6 and only just turned 11.

This is the problem with threads about threads Grin

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:22

dd is 10. I think she would be left alone, in terms of not burning herself, burning down the house, letting strangers in etc that kind of scenario.

I think she would find it lonely if she were at home alone from 3-6.30 every day, a year from now.

mamatomany · 27/10/2010 19:22

I nearly burnt the house down putting on an electric fire and standing too close to it at 11 and also electrocuted myself sticking a knife in the toaster, so if my kids take after me I think University will be the first time they are left alone Grin

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:22

sorry
think she would be OK alone

baildonwen · 27/10/2010 19:22

MaMoTTaT you did challenge Popelle to make this thread

MrsSchadenfreude · 27/10/2010 19:22

I had a key aged 9!

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:23

oh god mama - that REALLY doesn't help my nerves you know. I've managed to get my head around the potential after school time I don't need people scaring the bejeezers out of me with stories like that Grin

uyter · 27/10/2010 19:24

Absolutely fine in my opinion and far better for everyone that the mother is in employment.

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:24

I know I did - but she's totally twisted it! Making it out like I said I'd NEVER leave an 11yr year old at home (for any period of time) and that I'd use it as an excuse for not working which is NOT what I said.

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:25

who? what? who twisted it?

am confused

mamatomany · 27/10/2010 19:25

I could give you a list of things we got up to without supervision, quite honestly I was a bugger, how my friends and I are still alive is nothing short of a miracle.

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:27

mind you they get so much homeowrk in secondary these days, ds will probably have his head down over his books till you get home

(Don't tell her about sampling alcohol, smoking, looking in the bottom of your parents' drawers etc, finding their stash of secrets....., she doesn't need to know)

Mssoul · 27/10/2010 19:27

Oh FGS I spent quite a while writing my response, but now I feel like I'm helping settle an argument.

bigchris · 27/10/2010 19:28

I just think it sounds lonely to be on their own for a few hours every night
and it would have to be well paid to afford holiday schemes in the summer and not every 11 year old is keen on sports camp two weeks every summer

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:28

don't you dare mamtomany - I have trouble enough sleeping as it is I don't need horror stories to fill my mind Wink

I was a good girl when I was a latch key kid when i was that age (mostly) (but my mum worked term times only - so heaven knows what I'd have got up to during the school holidays).

Original poster
popelle · 27/10/2010 19:29

MaMoTTaT Where have I twisted it? I've never said that you were using it as an excuse not to work

OP posts:
bigchris · 27/10/2010 19:31

Fgs did you actually want an answer to the thread title?!!

Mssoul · 27/10/2010 19:32

I'm wi you bigchris

ZZZenAgain · 27/10/2010 19:32

non comprendo

feeling too thick for this thread

MaMoTTaT · 27/10/2010 19:32

ZZZ - he won't be in secondary - he'll still be in Juniors.

He hates smoking (phew! - I've put him off)

He's already declared he's not going to drink when he's older (his dad put him off that)

To clarify - I'm not too concerned about after school during term time (espcially once he hits 12 and goes to SEcondary school as if he gets in where I hope he does he won't be home until close to 5pm anyhow). He already has a key to let himself in after school (as he walks himself home) to wait while I finish nattering in the infant school playground Blush

It's the school holidays when it wouldn't just be an hour or two (or 3) after school that I dared the OP to start a thread asking about.