AIBU?
To leave my dcs to get themselves to school?
Carlywurly · 05/09/2015 12:29
They're year 4 and year 6. School is a safe 3-4 min walk from home.
I need to leave by 7.55 to get to work on time, they'd need to leave at 8.25 to get to school for 8.30 with lessons starting at 845.
We have a Yale lock - they wouldn't need to lock up. I would plan on putting coats and bags by the door and setting an alarm for them to remind them when to leave.
I feel they're fine watching TV for 30 mins and letting themselves out but a friend's reaction suggested she thought I was mad. We have lots of friendly neighbours very close by.
This is therefore, a genuine Aibu - happy to be told if I'm being daft even thinking this.
Carlywurly · 05/09/2015 12:56
I'd get them up, give them breakfast, make sure teeth were brushed and bags laid out by the door. The alarm would be to remind them to leave, not get up.
Last year we lived 15 mins away so I used breakfast club, which regularly opened late and meant I was consistently late for work. This year we've moved just round the corner from the school.
Tbh the 8 year old is probably the more sensible of the two.
dontrunwithscissors · 05/09/2015 13:05
What are the chances of them playing with something (iron, straighteners, cooker) that could cause a fire while you're out? Are you sure they are sensible enough to pull the door fully closed? What happens if they shut the door and then realise they've forgotten something? Will they know how to contact you if one of them feels sick/hurts themselves?
DD1 is in P4. She's a bit of a worrier and I suspect she would be unhappy being left. I think she would probably be OK by P6, but would still probably worry her. DD2, on the other hand, is reckless and fearless. I would not want to leave DD1 with the responsibility of trying to get her out of the house (unless she changes radically over the next few years.)
Carlywurly · 05/09/2015 13:16
The playground is manned by teachers from 830 so I don't really want them there before then. There is only one road to cross, patrolled from 8am by a lovely neighbour.
I imagine there will be friends passing they can walk with and will try and get an arrangement set up - it really is just round the corner.
No concerns about them touching iron etc, no straighteners in the house. They've had about 5 sick days ever between them. Something like falling down the stairs would be my biggest concern.
I think we might trial it and see how it goes. Any issues and we'll revert to breakfast club.
bakingaddict · 05/09/2015 13:20
Is there no way you can shift your start time till a little bit later. It sounds like you'd only need 15 - 30mins extra to get them to breakfast club by 8am and then onto work yourself. I would explore that avenue first before leaving kids to get to school themselves
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