Kids 2yrs apart - at what age could they stay at home alone for an hour?

[Purpleroxy]

Eg if I went out to Tesco
Eldest is a ds, 2 yrs younger is dd if it makes any difference?
TIA!

Depends on the children.

About 10ish, depending on how responsible they are, and how confident/nervous they are. And how well they get on with each other too

11 & 9 I reckon. Definatly by 12 & 10

My DD was 10 but it depends how responsible the child is. Only you know if your DCs would be okay with it.

My 10 year old is fine alone, but I'd never heave them with the 8 year old.

My 8 year old isn't up for being at home without an adult yet anyway though, so it's not an issue yet.

They will probably be ready when my younger one is about 10, so 12 & 10 I guess.

Ages don't mean much though, as the dynamic between them matters more.

Depends on the kids, how mature and responsible they are, how likely to throttle each other they are, how easily they could access help if something did happen....

I've been leaving dd(11) alone for an hour or so since she was 9. I'll only leave ds(9) alone for 10 mins max. I wouldn't leave them alone together at all yet.

If they get on and are mature then 10 and 12. Possibly 9 and 11 if Tescos is local and you will be home in a hour or not much longer.

I am fine leaving for an hour at about 7-8yo. If there was an older sibling I may revise that downward. Like I would be fine to leave a 4-5-6 yo for an hour with a 12yo sibling.

I'd say 8 and 10 but depends on whether they would fight.

Unlikely to fight physically. They do argue sometimes but would stick together without an adult. They are both cautious but dd can get ideas if unsupervised!

I wouldn't leave ds3 (8) alone in the house at all at the moment. I have, briefly, considered it when I have been dropping ds1 at the bus station which should take 15 minutes max but worry that something might delay me and he would be left for longer. It is easier just to take him.

Ds2 is now 17 (I leave him on his own ) and I remember being really angry when one of his friends mothers went supermarket shopping when he was there on a playdate leaving the boys on their own for god only knows how long when they were 8/9 so clearly some people are happy with it.

How old are they?

I think at least 12 but the older one shouldn't be responsible for the younger one.

DS is 10 and DD is 9. I've been happy to leave them both on their own together for about a year or so I think. DS nearly 11 so from about 8 and 10. Neither is in charge and I know that they are both fine at being at home on their own. Depends on individual children and what they're like together I think.

I wouldn't leave DD and her friends on their own if one had come here although I think I have done for DS, although more like 15 minutes or so.