To leave a 7 year old at home?

[ooft]

In reality, I am not going to, however he is happily reading his book, would be happy for ten minutes while I pick his brother up and both next door neighbours are in. It seems silly that I can't leave him because society says so when I know he would be fine and knows what to do in an emergency. He often stays in the car through choice while I go into a shop - to me that is more risky as we are out and about but he prefers that to being dragged into shops.
So, WIBU to leave him at home for ten minutes while both neighbours are in?

It's thread like this that make me wonder why children suffering from anxiety is at an all time high.

@Bonsaibreaker

ok, let me break it down
my plan was: 4 mins driving to shop, 20 mins in shop, 4 mins driving home.

reality: 57 mins driving to shop. shopping and extra stuff took way longer than anticipated. then a 30mins or so drive home on a different route.
altogether out of the house for over 3 hours.

@Hoppinggreen

You can’t leave him because it’s irresponsible not because “society says so”

This. It isn't society, it's just sense.

there will be no diagrams btw.
if you still don't get it I don't care🤣

Do people really not leave their children alone. I'm forever popping in and out the house, bring in the wood, hang up the washing, take the bins down the drive, take the dog out for a wee.

I don't drive off but I can easily spend a couple of hours doing the garden/ maintenance/ log splitting. Dc will wander in and out. Someone will come and tell me if there's a problem.

I would call the cops if i see a 7yo locked in a car by himself

@Marvellousmadness

I would call the cops if i see a 7yo locked in a car by himself

me too

@Helpimfalling

I've actually had social services called Twice for me.

From a complaint by the police

1. In covid times I left

My children in the car and went to get a pizza car was 1 min walk from pizza shop I could see it my kids were 5,12,13 police came and referred me to SS

1. Covid times so didn't want to risk taking kids out.

Left Same kids home and went to corner shop police knocked on the door due to next door neighbour calling them police referred me to SS

I'm a fucking teacher and responsible my teenage kids are so so mature.
Guard tjere little sister with there life.

Another lady I know she popped to shops left her 11 year old at home it was night time police stopped her for having a light out and she said I have to go my daughters at home it was late at night and guess what they referred to SS

Why why chance it.

The police referred you to SS for that. How utterly ridiculous and what a waste of SS time.

7 is too young!
If I saw a 7 year old alone in the car I’d report you

I leave mine at home for short trips like that. I usually let my mum know who lives a 5min walk from me and do the whole “if i dont call you in 20mins to tell you im back home, can you assume i had an accident and go check on him”. I havent left him when my mum wasnt home yet.
He knows how to call me, my mum, my neighbor, his dad in case something happens.
I dont know what changed, most my friends back when i was that age had working parents. They would walk home from school by themselves and just be on their own until 6-7 in the evening 🤷🏻‍♀️

there will be no diagrams btw.
if you still don't get it I don't care🤣

Dammit I was holding out for the bloody diagram 😁

I get it now didn't factor in the 20 mins in the shop. I thought it was a 4 minute drive nip in pick up a loaf 4 minutes drive back.

phew
🤣

@Marvellousmadness

I would call the cops if i see a 7yo locked in a car by himself

How dramatic!! I mean obviously yes if the seven year old was there for ages with nobody in sight, but a seven year old playing on a device for ten minutes whilst parent pops out to collect a pizza? They'd be long gone before "the cops" even arrived so they probably wouldn't thank you for wasting their time.

I honestly can't see what's wrong in leaving a sensible 7 year old with no sn, for 10 minutes!!! People saying - but what if there's a fire, or something goes wrong...

Well, things can also go wrong when you drop your child at cubs, for a playdate, at school, let them climb on a climbing frame, let them ride their bike, crossing the road with mum, etc.. etc.. doesn't stop is doing these things! We cannot wrap them in cotton wool forever.

10 minutes alone in a house age 7 is fine!

I used to cycle to the shops age 6! I loved playing out on the estate age 6/7, climbing trees in the neighbourhood! Glad my mum didn't accompany me everywhere. Kids need a little freedom and 10 minutes is really not long!!

My 7 year old gets left for 10-20 minutes once a week while.i drop his brother at a swim lesson. No big deal! He's fine! He doesn't move from his iPad the whole time and has had a few talks from me on what to do if ... scenarios.

@Poppets14

7 is too young! If I saw a 7 year old alone in the car I’d report you

How ridiculous.

@TeaAndToastNameChange

but all of your examples suggest there's at least one adult present directly or in the vicinity.
That's the difference.

When I last looked it up at what age you can leave a child alone at home and for how long I found no age restriction or duration. (it was about 10 years ago).
So it's your decision - but if something goes wrong while a child is left unsupervised you can be prosecuted.
Obviously avoiding going to prison is not top reason to make the best possible decision, the child's safety is.
And just because nothing happened the last time they were left alone it doesn't mean nothing will happen next time - but unfortunately the normalisation of deviation can lead to escalating behaviour and accident analysises are seldom able to exclude them as non-factors.

Some people are ok with certain risks, some aren't.
I'd need more than a casual reason to willingly leave my 7yo home alone.

It's thread like this that make me wonder why children suffering from anxiety is at an all time high.

It's Mumsnet for ya Next up - children must pay rent to live at home

That is neglect and totally irresponsible lack of parenting

Hypothetically, if your neighbours are so nice you could leave him with them for 10 minutes, in their house. Failing that, you should take him with you.

Any outrage on here is based on common sense really - seven is very young to be alone. No doubt in real life kids are left alone for much longer, but you wouldn't really do that unless there were dire circumstances.

What is it that people might think will happen to their child if they are left alone in a locked car for a few minutes? I have done this before. Can't believe some people would call social services if they saw this happen. Completely OTT

I've enjoyed the discussion about this!

I think by year 5 (age 9/10,) you can leave them for up to 20 minutes home alone. By that age lots of children are walking home from
school alone or playing out with their friends.

I would look at it from a different angle, why leave him at home alone? how does it help? yes chances are he would be fine, but there is risk, what if you have an accident, delay, unable to communicate? is it worth it? that weighed up with waiting until your child is a few years older and avoiding that risk for as long as possible?

Er no I have a 7 year old. She in the last 10 mins has developed a fever

@cooker321monster

I would look at it from a different angle, why leave him at home alone? how does it help? yes chances are he would be fine, but there is risk, what if you have an accident, delay, unable to communicate? is it worth it? that weighed up with waiting until your child is a few years older and avoiding that risk for as long as possible?

Different angle?? That's the same angle the last 170 posters have used isn't it?