What age did you let your child come home to an empty house...

[CovidStoleTheRainbow]

... after school? And wait a few hours until the first parent got home? 5ish pm.

The government and NSPCC guidelines state that 'children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for long periods'.
What 'long periods' is classified as though, is anybody's guess!

I was 11, a 15 minute walk home from school, and about an hour spent alone until my mum got home. This was in 1975! I was a very sensible child. My mum had started a full time job in 1973, but I was picked up by a neighbour with her children then. My mum was also only a 5 minute drive away.

My widoe3wed mother worked long hours and I always came home to an empty house from age 12 / 13 on: I absolutely hated it. It wasn't just empty, it was comfortless. cold ( dead fireplace, no central heating) and dark in winter and the dirty breakfast dishes were still in the sink. So then I had to clear the grate, fetch coal ,lay and light a fire , wash up before staring my homework.

I swore I'd never let my kids come home to an empty house and they didn't. I PAID someone kind and grannyish to be there, be welcoming, make their tea etc until I got home from work.

Daughter 9 (sensible)
Son 12 (a bit silly)
Daughter 7 picked up by 14 yr old sister. (Both sensible)

Depends on the children. I would never of allowed an 11 yr old DS at home with a 9 yr old DD 2 for example as the DS was not mature enough to care for himself let alone a younger one.

OP only you know the answer to this based on your children's maturity in a crisis ... (it also helped that we lived around a village green and they knew all the neighbours)

DD been doing this since September and starting Year 7. She's home an hour two nights and nearly 2 hours 2 nights.

Due to Covid we can't have vulnerable grandparents doing it so it is what it is. She loves it, sits playing Roblox and eating biscuits.

DS was 9, long school bus ride so home alone for less than an hour at first, two days a week. I think he'd turned 10 when I had to leave him for longer two days a week for my second job as well.

With a 13 year old as well I think up to two hours at 9 is fine. Assuming they get along. 13 year old for company, just to have someone in the house, not as a babysitter. Though I babysat my preschool aged sibling at 14.

I think 11/12 or year 7. But if I was desperate I might think differently, and it does depend on the child.

If you can trust him not to do anything dangerous then yes it is absolutely fine. It is not ideal but occasionally when you are stuck for options is fine.

My 11.5 year old (Y7) finishes school really early now, so there's no way I could be home before she gets home now. She's usually home about 1/2 hour - 45 mins before I'm home. It feels okay, she's quite sensible surprisingly!

11. Forced into it by high school.

I think people are answering "what is the best age to allow child to arrive home alone for 30mins?" Rather than "would you allow your 9 year old to come home alone for 30mins occasonally if you had to for work and no other childcare options"

10 P7 comes home about 3.15 takes the dog a walk then plays xbox.

Y7 so 11. Though I was a latch key kid from 9/10.

If you’ve really no option then you may have to, do you think you can trust him? If so then I would but keep looking for other options.

I think as a one off (Or infrequently) with telephone contact and a sensible 9 year old then it would be fine, especially If older sibling coming home.
Not ideal, but ultimately loosing your job is a worse option.

Tbh I think it's down to how well you trust ur 9yr old if you know they r going to be ok responsible no Injury's then tbh sack what anybody's negative opinions are n just go with your gut feeling... these days seems like kids r not kids anymore this is my opinion anyway probs won't be useful good luck x

At son is 12 and let himself in once recently but it was for about half an hour and I was on the phone to him while he let himself in. He's been alone longer but not after letting himself in.

I got a key on my 10th birthday and from Yr 7 came home to an empty house. My big chores started then too, I fed the pets and hoovered every night before my mum got home around 5ish.

Could you be on the phone to your son while he's letting himself in and talk him through it? (Practise with him first while you're there). It would only be a 5 minute call and would make you both feel happier. Or is there a retired neighbour who might like to earn a bit of money a week sitting with him?

I was 12 or 13 when I was allowed to do this

DD is 10, nearly 11, and sensible. I'd go out and leave her alone for 15-20 minutes. IMO that's different from her coming home to an empty house for any length of time. I'm not ready to let her do that yet. I think next year when she goes up to secondary I'd probably allow it for half an hour or so, no longer.

Age 8. Many times, on my own. I hated it.

DS was in Y7 but it was probably about an hour at most.

I would leave my 9 year old for half an hour. I know he would just sit on a device and not move! But I wouldn’t trust him to walk home from school, let himself in with a key (that presumably he’s had to keep safe all day) and then make a snack etc as he would be hungry.

@Sally872

I think people are answering "what is the best age to allow child to arrive home alone for 30mins?" Rather than "would you allow your 9 year old to come home alone for 30mins occasonally if you had to for work and no other childcare options"

Yes, this. I had childcare options but would have been paying for after school care from 3 to 6pm rather than DS catching the school bus with other children for half an hour, then being home alone for half an hour. He would have only sat alone with a book at after school care anyway (as that's what he did at before school care).

11 year 7