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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think kids can come home after school when we’re WFH?

150 replies

Sleepdeprived42long · 01/04/2022 22:21

My two DC (age 9 and 7) both go to grandparents after school twice a week but it’s getting quite a lot for GPs as they also have my nieces. Eldest is now able to walk home by himself (10 min walk). DH and I WFH both days. Our jobs are very full on and we couldn’t supervise them after school but DCs could watch TV etc and obvs if there was an emergency we’d be there. At what age do you think it’s ok to start letting them walk home and entertain themselves for a couple of hours till we finish work?

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepdeprived42long · 01/04/2022 22:22

I should add-eldest DC very responsible and mature. Youngest less so!

OP posts:
Sirzy · 01/04/2022 22:23

How would the 7 year old get home? I don’t think lost schools would be happy releasing a 7 year old into the care of a 9 year old.

PotteringAlong · 01/04/2022 22:23

I would let the oldest come home and the youngest go to grandparents

FawnFrenchieMum · 01/04/2022 22:24

I’d be happy to have them in the house at that age while I worked but I wouldn’t like the idea of them walking home (well the youngest anyway), could the GP pick up from school and drop them at yours, or any friends that could?

gemloving · 01/04/2022 22:24

A lot of my colleagues take a late lunch break (half hour at 1, the other half hour for school pick up), so the kids don't have to walk alone but entertain themselves - similar age to yours.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 01/04/2022 22:24

DS is 10 (just) and I'm planning to do this when he starts YR6 in September. Its under 10 minutes walk, he can walk with a friend and he's perfectly happy to get in, sort his bag, grab a drink and snack and entertain himself for an hour or so.

MrsBlondie · 01/04/2022 22:26

I wouldn't let them walk home at that age without an adult.
I'd have them in the house making sure they knew where to find me if they needed something

jeffersonians · 01/04/2022 22:26

Depends on the youngest I think. What are they likely to get up to?

DD is 10 and comes home alone now as the older 2 are in secondary and finish later. She can use the toaster and microwave and is very good at entertaining herself. I think she likes the independence.

TheHoptimist · 01/04/2022 22:28

What does your work say?
I used to wfh pre covid for a large national company. We were not allowed to have children under 12 at home unsupervised by another adult whilst working (ie you could have a nanny at home). We were not insured and we had to sign an annual contract to say no children at home

DH had similar- Uk bank
One friends said no under 15

LampLighter414 · 01/04/2022 22:28

Seems most parents I know who WFH stick them on tablets/consoles after school until work finishes. They only get bothered occasionally.

Duracellbunnywannabe · 01/04/2022 22:28

Could one of you work 8 until 4? But you would still need to sort pick up

Tohaveandtohold · 01/04/2022 22:30

Can’t you take your lunch break at that time to pick them up from school. They can entertain themselves when at home, it might be lots of screen time or maybe they read or do homework for the 2 hours but I won’t be comfortable with them walking home alone because of the younger one

Original poster
Sleepdeprived42long · 01/04/2022 22:31

@gemloving yes I’m thinking that might be the way to do it. I’m not sure I trust my youngest to walk home without an adult yet. There are two roads to cross but there is a safe route with crossings. I have a feeling a lot of my colleagues are doing this but nobody seems to be feeling confident about being open that this is what they are doing!

OP posts:
gemloving · 01/04/2022 22:33

@Sleepdeprived42long ah I understand. It's very out in the open at my work. My kids are 3 & almost 1 so I don't have to worry about that yet but know I will be able to collect him once he goes to school. He will only be 4 but will have to entertain himself for 1h. He's pretty good already so hoping it'll continue and if not, TV to the rescue x

cadburyegg · 01/04/2022 22:35

What do the school say?

My 7 year old is in y2 and at his school they aren't allowed to walk home by themselves until y5.

But once pick up is sorted I think it's fine for kids that age to be at home occupying themselves for a couple of hours as long as you are happy with it and feel they can manage.

My 7yo and 4yo will be going to ASC in September- currently my mum does pick up 3 days - but that's because of their ages and also they bicker constantly when at home together, I wouldn't be able to get much work done. 4yo is really too young anyway. When they're older I might reconsider childcare arrangements

MissDollyMix · 01/04/2022 22:35

I have my 9 yo and 11 yo in the house while DH and I WFH. Both our employers know about it and are quite happy. 11yo makes their own way back from school but either DH or I will nip out for 10 mins to pick the 9yo up. We’ve been doing this for a couple of years now- even pre-lockdown as DH has always worked from home - so we started when they were 7 and 9 and it’s been absolutely fine. As long as they have a snack and tv they’re quite capable of entertaining themselves for a couple of hours. Not saying it’s quality parenting but it works.

AntiHop · 01/04/2022 22:40

Are you in the UK? My daughter's school only let year 6 walk home alone.

My dh often works with the 7 year old at home. She can entertain herself

MuggleMadness · 01/04/2022 22:41

@MrsBlondie

I wouldn't let them walk home at that age without an adult. I'd have them in the house making sure they knew where to find me if they needed something
Do you live in Buckingham Palace or something?

@Sleepdeprived42long. Of course it's fine for them to be home, walking home depends on the school allowing them out (assuming they think they know better than you Fuchs me right off).

If the school won't let them out, one if you try to adjust your lunch break so you can collect them.

Beachbabe1 · 01/04/2022 22:57

Use some of your lunch break to do the school run! Perks of WFH!!

MrsMiddleMother · 01/04/2022 23:00

I'd feel more comfortable gp picking them up and dropping off at home then they can watch TV/play until I finished work

Motheranddaughtertotwo · 01/04/2022 23:01

I wouldn’t let them walk home alone but I think it’s fine them being at home, they’re old enough to entertain themselves for a bit.

Doveyouknow · 01/04/2022 23:02

I suppose it depends on how easy they find it to occupy themselves without you (and without getting into trouble). If the grandparents are finding them a bit much it suggests they do need a fair amount of supervision so it might not work

Kite22 · 01/04/2022 23:05

Like others, I wouldn't allow a 7 yr old to walk home (unless you live next door to the school, literally).
But I think they should be able to be in the house, entertaining themselves without interrupting you much at that age.

I guess what you have to work out is if there is someone you could pay to deliver them to your house, or swap favours with. Or if you have a job that means you can just take 10mins to make a sarnie and a drink for your lunch hours, or start early, or finish late, and create the time to fetch them yourselves at the end of school. All our jobs are different so none of us know if that is feasible in either your job or dh's job. It will be for some people and not for others.

pinkcattydude · 01/04/2022 23:06

I do the same @gemloving lunch at 12 pick up at 1430.

Rosebel · 01/04/2022 23:12

I wouldn't like the youngest walking home and would ask the GPs if they can pick up and let your eldest come home.
You say your youngest isn't always very sensible so I'd want him to have adult supervision otherwise it's putting a lot of responsibility on the eldest.

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