WWUD? Leaving children home alone to go to work.

[OnceUponACat]

Would you leave a very responsible 12yo and a 14yo alone for 5 hours 3 days a week home alone? Or would you ask your employer to furlough you on these basis? I have asked to work from home and that was denied although possible.
I do want to work and I don’t mind to go in per se but would I be irresponsible and put myself and my children at risk?
Tia

Of course I would, unless they weren't capable (which you say they are).

Yes for that length of time and I do when necessary.

Yes I would. The 14 year old is old enough to be babysitting outside the home.

Yes.

Have your employers offered furlough as an option?

Yes

Yes. They will be fine. Lots of parents do the same once secondary age reached.

I would if they are sensible. I would just have rules in place re using hob etc. Also keep getting them to check in. You know them best though.

Oh goodness yes, it's totally fine. I assume they have been left alone at home before? What do you normally do in school holidays anyway?

I often wonder this, what rule would be in place re "using the hob"?

All j DC were perfectly able to cook a meal unaided by this age. I can't imagin banning a 14yo from making beans on toast for lunch!

Yes.

Of course yes.

Absolutely, my mum worked full time in the 90s and me and my siblings would be home alone all week at those ages. If they’re sensible then no reason why not.

They do, they do and are great but are not Left regularly and all the time. They Normally go to their dad but he is not available at the moment.

Thank you. I wasn’t sure whether I was being too precious or too irresponsible.

I’d have no issue in normal Times. It is more of the lack of available help around due to social distancing etc.

Just make sure they know what to do for flood (how to turn off water at mains), fire ( where fire blanket is, or safe meeting area), first aid kit etc.
Mine have used fire blanket once aged about 15, otherwise no issues.
And how to reset tripped fuses.

Yes I leave mine a similar age. I make sure there's loads of snacks and usually make the sandwiches in the fridge so no need for them to cook.

I meant that they are left alone plenty of times and for even that many hours when and if needed and are used to travel alone etc etc. I am not precious at all. It is just that they do not do that on a regular basis and in these circumstances hence my confusion.
So thank you. Very reassuring.

@Kitcat122 you leave your teenage children sandwiches so they don't have to cook!? God, I'd have loved you at that age. My parents were very much of the "if you're hungry, there's the kitchen" school of thought.

Having said that, I do think that independence probably wasn't a bad thing for us.

At that age yes, absolutely fine. If you want to give yourself less to worry about get them to use microwave, sandwich press etc. to make food rather than hob or oven.

clay re using the hob. I just preferred mine to not use equipment involving a naked flame when they were home alone. Just one less thing to think about whilst I was out. There was plenty of other food to eat. One of them at 12 would have been fine to do this, the other not so much. We all know our kids and their abilities and they are all different.

It’s absolutely fine, seriously.

They will be fine but I thought that people had to work from home unless it was not possible. Why is your employer not facilitating this as surely they're breaking the rules?

Yes i do every school holidays and from younger. They know how to use hob etc safely. I do have strict parental controls on scrrens though to ensure not accessing anything inapropriate online.

@Shakirasma well... it is the usual conundrum of can’t/won’t.

Also a bit worried about my own safety but then again, it could also be because I have been in now for a while and lost all sense of perspective, if there is even one at the moment.