11 year old walking home / home alone - AIBU?

[WeyKorker]

I am a key worker.

DC is just 11 and starting high school in September.

I am currently working reduced hours around the school as the after school club is not open. The shortfall in hours is being taken from my Annual Leave and would be unpaid if this goes beyond my allowance.

I am wondering if it would be a terrible idea for DC to come home from school by themselves and be in the house for around 2 hours alone until I get back from work. They have a phone and family within a 8 minute walk who are home all day at the moment.

They know the walk well and it takes under 15 minutes to do it. I am just concerned about it being so empty on the streets and what might happen if the police were to see them?

I think there's very little point worrying about September right now. But 11 is plenty old enough to walk a short distance home and be in a house on their own for a bit, in my opinion.

Yanbu. As long as child is comfortable being left.

Essential journey from school to home I would have thought if police ask? As long as you can trust them not to be walking with others and maintain social distance.

They would be walking home alone as their is only 4 others in their year still at school and they get picked up.

It would just mean I'd get to stay at work longer, take less from my annual leave and might actually get the majority of my work done too.

YANBU. I left my (same school year as yours) DS at home alone for a morning this week as DP and I are both keyworkers. School isn’t accessible to us as they have to be signed in by an adult at 8.45 when we start at 7.

Just be sure to prep him for all likely hiccups. We asked DS who would you call if X happened etc etc. Make sure he’s confident unlocking the door and locking it again behind him. No touching the oven, microwave, toaster. Don’t have a shower or a bath. Use a plastic cup just in case.

He was absolutely fine. He watched way too many episodes of the Simpsons and ate a load of Oreos .

Fairly sure that's what most of us did when we started secondary school so pretty normal, no one was collected really you either walked the whole way and let yourself in or you may have got a bus.
I think instructing not to use the toaster and use a plastic cup is going way too far!

I'd talk to him about worst case scenarios...ie...what would you do if you lost your keys?

Some secondary schools are telling kids to wear their blazers so that it's obvious they are travelling to and from school. If the police did see, stop and ask 'I'm coming home from school' wouldn't worry them.

In terms of age/legality, no problem. Leave lots of snacks available for as soon as they come in and orders to send a text message to say 'Home' every day without fail.

Just wondered could your child go to school with you - take his home work/lap top whatever?

@NotExactlyHappyToHelp i (kinda not really) get the oven, but why can't your 11yr old use the microwave, toaster or glass cups!?

Do you mean right now or in September? In September yes it will be fine. Right now I'd feel a bit strange about them walking around on their own too with there being so few people around. I would probably still let them though.

I think it’s fine - probably safer now than ever! Lots of 11 year olds make their own way to and from school. DD walked home for the whole of Year 6 and just made herself a snack and waited for us at home.

It probably depends on the individual child but my son same age & year has been doing this since last Sept. He's pretty mature for his age and loves having the independence, he hated going to after school clubs. With circumstances being what they are at the moment hes at home during the day whilst I work. I make him a packed lunch so he needs not do anything, he has his phone and I check in with him a few times a day and my Mum can be here in 10 minutes in an emergency.

I think it's fine, I would do it.

I don't understand why so many posters think you mean September. It's clear from your OP you mean now.

@Winter2020 the OP hasn't said where she works. Could be a hospital ward or a supermarket checkout. It's unlikely to be somewhere he can sit with a laptop.

That was standard when I started secondary in the late 70s, and is standard around the mums I know now - I have a Y6.

The OP doesn’t mean in September, she means NOW. No, I wouldn’t be comfortable with my child who is the same age walking home alone at the moment. Staying in alone, fine. But walking whilst the streets are so quiet? No way. Someone will take advantage at some point. Could you not ask another parent to drop them off at your house? I’m sure people would be happy to help in these unprecedented ties.

Just be sure to prep him for all likely hiccups. We asked DS who would you call if X happened etc etc. Make sure he’s confident unlocking the door and locking it again behind him. No touching the oven, microwave, toaster. Don’t have a shower or a bath. Use a plastic cup just in case.

Why on earth do you need to be so restrictive? No oven I can understand, but he's really not allowed to use a glass or the toaster without supervision at age 10?

Could you not ask another parent to drop them off at your house?

You aren't supposed to give lifts to people who aren't members of your family.

Thanks for the input.

I do mean now, in year 6, having just turned 11.

I don't work somewhere that a child could sit sadly.

I think I am just second guessing myself because it is earlier then I planned to let this happen. Feel like I'm being a bit precious now so will give my head a wobble!

I know they will likely just watch TV, play playstation and eat me out of snacks until I get home so it'll be fine.

AlbusSeverus - this did cross my mind. ~On a normal school day with plenty of people walking home at that time I think it would be safer.

I was doing this aged 11 (my Mum had to work FT and my Dad was no longer with us). I was fine, used to enjoy to peace and quiet to be honest! But agree, ask her if she would be happy with this situation.

I think it's fine, as long as you trust him to be sensible at home.

Stranger abduction is rare, and probably even rarer right now when there is a risk of being stopped by the police. Also, even though the streets might be quiet, if it is a residential area, there will be lots of people at home, who would presumably see/hear if something was happening?

Do remind him that even though the roads are quiet, there are still some cars, so he needs to check every time he crosses.

Could you get him to text once he is home? Would you be able to check your phone for this?

My DS was walking to and from school then home alone for two hours at age 11. From age 9 he was getting the school bus home (45 minute journey) then was home alone for about half an hour. There should be plenty of people out doing their daily exercise, the streets are hardly deserted, and he can say why he's out if asked can't he? Children are still allowed out to exercise without adult supervision anyway as far as I know.

It's the quiet streets that would make me nervous, even though I know it's probably irrational. I let my 9 yr old walk 5 minutes home from school by himself but on the days he comes home for lunch I pick him up. It feels like there is safety in numbers when lots of kids are going home from school at the same time.

Is there no-one going in the same direction who could keep an eye from a distance? It does seem like the best option if they could walk home. Or a family member who could wait outside school and see him home by walking on the opposite side of the road or something as their daily exercise?