To leave my 7.5 year old home alone today?

[brewbrewbrew]

She's off school as the bubble are isolating and I had school runs to do today.
Was fine for the morning run as dh was here but not for the afternoon one.

I drive a 7 seater car and had been given a curtesy car for the day. This car only has 5 seats and I needed 6 if dd was going to fit in.

I couldn't do anything else at short notice. The others were at school and needed collecting.

I spoke to her beforehand about the dangers and what to do if x or y happened, explained she could use Alexa to call my mobile also if there was a problem. I was gone about 15 minutes in total.
Even if I'd have walked (which isn't so close) she wouldn't have been able to come to the school with me as they've sent the bubble home. But at least next time I can leave her in the car if needs be now we've got the big one back.

I came home and she was where I'd left her, on the sofa watching tv lying down on her iPa

Is this awful of me? I feel so negligent.

Yes YABU, though you know that.

She's fine, you did what you had to do in the situation you were faced with!

Not ideal but absolutely fine. Always depends on the child and how sensible they are. I know if I pop to the corner shop for 5mins my 9yr old is going to be in the exact same position I left him in. He knows what to do in emergencies. Dont worry OP.

So much hysteria as usual on MN. This site is like a parallel universe😂 You know your child and whilst I am sure there are some 7 years old who couldn't/shouldn't be left alone, the vast majority would be fine for a few minutes.

I have left my 7 year old for 10-15mins whilst taking her sibling to school. She had one of my two mobiles, instructions not to open the door and she knew how to call me if needed.

It’s fine, she’s fine.

I have left my 8 year old for 15 mins several times. She is sensible, she knows to head to our neighbours if there is an issue and she can call me.

We all do what we need to do. You know your child.

You talked it through beforehand, she was fine with being left briefly, and all was well..it depends on the child - one of mine would have been fine, a very reliable child who would understand the situation. The other one would not have wanted to be left alone at that age.

For what its worth, I’m from a European country where children are left alone from a young age and no-one bashes an eyelid. It’s just the norm for younger kids to be left at home when collecting siblings, or for a quick dash to the shop.

WOW😡

It's fine. Stop worrying

Don’t beat yourself up about it, no it’s not ideal but it seems you had little choice. Could you perhaps get a neighbour to sit with her?

www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone

It's your call- I'd not have done it personally.

The school should have a plan in place as I'm sure they'd rather the sibling be safe

Where I'm from in northern Europe it is totally common to leave a 7 yo on their own for a few hours after school till parents get home form work. However, I know this is not the norm in the UK. So in my culturally biased opinion it is totally fine

Yes seems fine! I thought it was going to be all day. All day would be long for a child quite this young but school run, of course.

People saying they wouldn't do that ect, what do you expect her to do, she wouldn't be allowed anyone in her home, it's illegal for her daughter to leave the home if she's isolating, what if the lady doesn't have support network close by to stand outside the house until she gets back, some of you being a bit hard on her but she is following the guidelines, what you want her to do keep all her children off of school? If she didn't trust her child she wouldn't have left her alone for short space of time..

Not acceptable at all OP, sorry. It was negligent, yes your daughter was fine but she might not have been. Had the police been notified they would of forced entry and you’d have a referral to Social Services. It’s not worth the hassle is it?

I think YABU. You knew about the car - you should have arranged for DH to be home/spoken to the school/asked a school friend’s parents if they could bring a child or two home for you.

DS is just turned 7 and would have been terrified being left alone.

Its fine. I've done it with my nearly 7 year old.

How judgemental are the perfect mummies on here?! There are literally thousands of parents in the same predicament as you and have definitely left their child to take others, who are not isolating, to school.

It's certainly safer than taking her and overloading the car. I would have done the same.

YANBU

I got reported to ss for leaving my 8 year old to take the other two to school (15 mins in total) my son told the school and they reported me! So just be aware of that

@Pixxie7

Don’t beat yourself up about it, no it’s not ideal but it seems you had little choice. Could you perhaps get a neighbour to sit with her?

But the child is supposed to be isolating! How would that be fair on a neighbour even supposing one existed who was free?

You know your child better than anyone else as to whether it is acceptable as a one off. My school allowed children on-site but with face masks. Unfortunately parents are torn.
She survive that’s all that matters x

@Maybe83

My dd is 7 she would have been terrified. She hates some one not being on the same floor as her at home never mind not out of the house.

Its done now and I understand its one of those situations you felt like it was the only option but if something like that happens again I would do everything I could not to. I probably would have rang the school and explained and asked them to release your children early and walked with her wrapped up with a mask on.

Why would your 7 year old be terrified to be alone for 15 minutes. This sounds unusual. Most kids would not be bothered.

I think we can pass on our fears to our children and maybe that is what has happened here. It happens with dogs too.

@Leannethom85

What if the child was younger? A 4 year old? Would you justify it under the guise of her being in a tough situation? If the only way is to ensure all of the children are safe and given appropriate supervision is to have them all off school then yes, that’s exactly what she should of done. That or notify the school who may or may not be able to offer support.

I let my son go to the shops by himself from about that age - across the park and crossing a road, so I think I would probably have done the same in your shoes. I used to get the bus to primary school in south London at that age, and there's plenty more scope for things to go wrong in that scenario so I think that leaving a content child who is occupied and unlikely to move alone under extenuating circumstances. She's supposed to be isolating, so shouldn't be out anyway, and you know whether you can trust her to sit still and not set fire to the place. I think we have quite low expectations of children's capabilities in this country and it does them a disservice to never allow them to build up their independence.

Ideally - no, nobody would be a position where they have to do this and would be able to wait until it was a planned thing, but needs must and nothing bad happened. Was she really pleased with herself for 'coping' alone? The first time my son went to the shops by himself he was buzzing for hours!