5.5 year old gets up on own

[Jellyrose20]

I have a 5.5 year old. She often wakes up before us and our 6 month baby and comes downstairs on her own.
She has access to a healthy snack box and juice boxes. We've also prepped a kitchen area so she can make her own cereal/ cold drink if she wants.
Would you do this?
YABU - No I wouldn't
YANBU - yes I would

My just turned 5yo does this.

How early does she go downstairs and for how long before one of you gets up with her?

I think that's fine, dd is a similar age and will go get herself a snack in the morning.

My eldest always pestered us to get up so I was slightly gobsmacked one Sunday to find my second one downstairs by himself watching Match of the Day with a bowl of cereal!
He'd have been about 5.

Normally between 6 and 7.30 and for 1-1.5 hours ish.

This sounds absolutely fine to me.

No.

Can I ask why please?

No. I would worry about choking. She isn’t getting up early. I would just get up with her.

Absolutely fine.

Unless you're living in a huge house you are a few seconds away from her if she wants you.

Good for her for sorting herself out and entertaining herself.

i dont think i'd be comfortable with this. my DD is 4 - not sure how i'd feel when she is 5 but i suspect i'll feel the same. i have anxiety about her eating alone in case she coughs up or chokes.she could be fly kicking off the sofa and crashing into cabinets. my suggestion is to ask your DD to stay in her room until 7.30 (maybe set an alarm in her room so she knows to wait for it to go off) by which time an adult will be awake and downstairs with her.

Depends on the child. My daughter, absolutely. She's 11 now but , even at the age you describe, always been sensible. We would have ground rules about what she can and can't do. Such as opening the back or front door, practicing tricks (she's a gymnast) or putting anything in the microwave or cooker. If she were not sensible or trustworthy it would be a firm no.

I wouldn't be comfortable with the length of time. Maybe she could wake you from 6.30 on her way downstairs and you could lie in until 7 but you are at least awake and able to respond instantly to any issues.

Absolutely fine and a testament to your parenting that they’re already so independent and capable. Good for you!

I wish my 6.5 yo would do this but she wouldn't have the confidence sadly.

Although to be fair over the past 6 months or so 90 per cent of the time my 3yo wakes first anyway.

DS does this on weekends and it's fine. I'll leave a couple of bananas/satsumas, his water bottle and a brioche out.

I wouldn't at that age / the risk of choking is too great and she wouldn't be able to shout for you if choking.

It's not super early in the scheme of things and it won't last forever

Yanbu. I used to do this. My house is tiny so I could hear DS had put cbbc on. Carton of juice in the fridge and some cereal.

Perfectly fine and normal if the child shows they are capable.
You will get a variety of answers based on the fact children vary massively with their independence and skills.
You know your child.

Early is relative though as she doesn't fall asleep until around 9pm.

The choking though is my only concern, but after 5 the risk decreases and I wonder when (if ever) the worry around that would change?

@Jellyrose20 I couldn't do it with my 5 year old as he has some additional needs, but I know a couple of parents with kids the same age who have started doing this at weekends and it's fine. As long as stuff is set up so it's safe and you'd be able to hear/react if something did happen, then I don't see an issue to be honest.

One mum I chat to had to stop it though as it got to be more trouble than it was worth - she has twin boys and although they're very well behaved, they took "independent" to a new level and they started trying to use the toaster and kettle by themselves - they were 4 🤣

My eldest has always woken early, by age 6/7 he often came downstairs before us on a weekend. 5.5 is a whisker young but every child is different - you know if your child is the type to be getting into things they shouldn't, or the type who will quietly get on with that lego kit/magnatile fort.

We've had some rules though. Firstly, stay in bed, lights off, til 6.30. Turning the light on just tells your brain its morning. Secondly, no coming downstairs until 7am. By 7am I'm usually awake if not out of bed & will have my door ajar to hear him. One of DH or I is usually up by 7.30.

A 6/7 year old should know not to touch the hob etc & should be able to amuse themselves for a bit.

Oh lord haha. Fortunately my daughter is VERY sensible. Too sensible sometimes as she overanalyses everything and it stops her jumping off things at softplay/ gymnastics. But good for things like trusting her to not use a toaster 😅

I think an hour and a half is too long at that age, especially if you aren't awake. It's not just choking but she could fall and hurt herself or trip on any stairs you have. Also doesn't she get bored waiting for you to get up? What does she do once she's eaten?
My children were 7 before I let them go downstairs alone and even then I was usually awake. I'm usually quite relaxed about things but this would be a no from me.

Absolutely fine. Mine would do this from the age of about four.

I do know people panic about the possible but imperceptibly likely chance of choking. But in weighing things up the thing I do is recognise how much I have known this to happen with people in my own boundaries of life. Throughout my entire lifetime I have never known this to happen and the only reason it ever makes the news is that it is so rare. At five they’d probably do what any adult would in that situation anyway ams come and find help as soon and they realised they were struggling.

This is giving your child a step towards independence which is our job as adults. Let them.