to leave DD at home

[Justhadenough]

Sorry I know it has been done so many times before, but I've forgotten the answers .
DD has just turned 9. She has been begging to be left at home for a year now. I have left her for a few minutes at a time to go to the corner shop and she has always been fine and enjoyed it. She says she enjoys being able to read and watch tv in the quiet.
Anyway DH took our 7 seater to work with him. So I can't fit the DCs (5 + me) into the other car and if I don't go to the supermarket soon we will all be eating nappies. The corner shop is closed today, so it would mean leaving DD for at least 45 minutes.
I know she would love this but I am wondering if it is too young. My other opption is to leave her with next door but I am asking a lot of child care from them at the moment so I am trying not to use them when possible.
Just wondering how old other peoples DCs were when you left them an if you think 9 is too young to left for that long?

I think it's too young.

Get your DH to stop and do the shopping on the way home from work.

9 is too young imo, i wouldn't leave my 9yo alone especially for 45 mins.
Wait until your dh gets back

Sorry, I think it's too young. Would be different if you were at the neighbours

Dd is 9.8 and I have been leaving her home alone for up to 30 minutes on her own. I sometimes leave her for a bit longer if ds (13) is home.
They are both very sensible and I trust them.

I grew up on the continent and they generally leave children from around the age of 8 or 9 (or at least they did when I lived there). It encourages independence, a self-reliance.
Strict instructions on not touching the oven / hob / kettle, strict instructions on not answering the door.

It does of course depend on the individual child. Mine take it as an opportunity to flop on the sofa and raid the biscuit tin without being admonished!

I think it's fine to leave her (my mum would have sent her 9 year old to the shop with a list alone.)

Could you pop round to the neighbours and see if they are going to be in, she could go round there if there was a problem.

I think for 45 minutes she will be fine. Tell her to watch TV and not answer the front door.

Not enough time for DH to do it nor can we do it when he gets back.
The neighbours would take her happily if I asked but they have my DCs alot already which is why I was trying to find a way around it.
I know she wouldn't touch anything or answer the door anyway she would just sit and watch tv or read but I thought 9 may be a bit too young, which is why I asked.

She'll be fine.

But don't forget to make her a tinfoil hat to ward off alien abduction. She'll be fine so long as she doesn't take that off.

For some reason I didn't think of that honeytea. I may be losing it. I shall go and peak on the neighbours now.

seeker

It really depends on the child and how mature they are. I expect that DS will be in his teens before I can leave him alone, but DD will be earlier.

If you are confident that she's mature enough and you have a phone that she can contact you on if there's a problem, then I don't see why not.

I think its a bit long although not too young for shorter period. I left DD1 at 9 for up to 20 mintues, at nearly 11 I would leave her for 45 mintues.

This is so not a question anyone here can answer for you as only you know your child.

I would do it with my 9yr old DS because I trust him not to open the door or start cooking food etc...but I wouldn't trust my Niece who is the same age.

Mobile phones are a wonderful invention, take it to the supermarket and you can contact one another if necessary.