DD 1 having to isolate, how do I get DD2 to school?

[divafever99]

DD1 (age 9 1/2) sent home from school today and told to isolate for 2 weeks as she may have been been in contact with Covid. DD2 still expected to go into school.
Currently considering what I will do tomorrow, would you:
A) take DD 1 on school run, keeping safe distance from others.
B) drive to school and leave her in car alone for approximately 10 minutes.
C) leave her at home alone, I will be gone for approximately 15 minutes.
Any advice appreciated, I'm sure I'm not the only one with this issue.

notevenat20 sorry, I didn't mean to be patronising, it's just you repeated that concern as if it was a fairly normal, endearing concern to have with 9 year olds, and it really would show an unusually low level of impulse control and emotional maturity for a 9 year old!

My 8 year old is allowed out to play no further than a certain friends house in one direction and the main road in the other. The area allowed includes a few fields, small stream, a few small roads and an a cul de sac. A corner shop and a post box. Often to be found calling for friends, riding bikes or mucking about on the swing in the field by the stream then coming home muddy. Also often to be found sponging change to buy sweets in the shop and posting parcels for me. Fine to be left for an hour and knows how to use a phone/front door key/what to do in a fire/where the friends and neighbours are.

If a child who is 9.5 can’t be left in their own houses with a phone, for 15 minutes how can they be expected to suddenly get two buses to school and back at the right time every day at 11? How old is DD2? Can they walk to school?

6 months ago, anyone who left a 12 yo alone would have been vilified.
No they wouldn't. Parents in the UK do tend to be overprotective of primary school aged children compared with some other European countries but when children start secondary school at 11 there isn't much choice at that stage for many working parents.

I’ve never seen anyone vilified for leaving a 12 year old for short periods. It’s quite normal for them to go and from school alone, go out with friends alone and stay at home alone for a few hours sometimes.

I absolutely would (and do) leave a 9.5 year old at home for 15 minutes.
If she is not used to being left perhaps you could ask your mum to sit outside in her car as a back up the first time you leave her. Once she's done it once or twice she will know whether she is happy to be left. Perhaps once she is back in school it would be worth her practising walking by herself in preparation for your other dc having to isolate.

Well I decided to meet my friend where I can park near school and she walked dd2 (who has just turned 5 for those that asked) into school along with her daughter. DD1 stayed in the car. I know previous posters have said she shouldn't be in the car with us, but we live in a small 2 bed house and the girls share a room, so can't see it making much difference.
This thread has really made me think though that I need to give DD1 more independence and get her ready for high school, so thank you for all your replies.

This thread has really made me think though that I need to give DD1 more independence and get her ready for high school, so thank you for all your replies.

I am really pleased you found a solution. I definitely wouldn't taking parenting advice from angry MN posters though! Just do what you feel is right for your family.