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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Home alone at 8

33 replies

thaigal · 31/08/2006 18:35

My sister has started to leave her 8 year old son in the house on his own for an hour a couple of nights a week so that she can go to a keep fit class, she has nobody else to look after him. He is quite sensible and be trusted but am I alone in thinking 8 is too young, even if just for an hour?

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Molesworth · 31/08/2006 18:37

Yes, I think that's too young

Amanda1 · 31/08/2006 18:40

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 31/08/2006 18:40

I'd agree, wouldn't leave ds even though he's quite sensible. He'd be scared easily and you can't know what would happen. Can't she take him along with a book or gameboy ?

pedilia · 31/08/2006 18:45

Way to young, I am sure it is against the law to leave a child under 12 on their owm in the house.

pedilia · 31/08/2006 18:47

Way to young, I am sure it is against the law to leave a child under 12 on their owm in the house.

Scoobydooooo · 31/08/2006 18:50

Sorry but that is to young, is there anyway you could look after him? It's very unsafe to leave a child of this age on his own even if he is sensible i also believe it's against the law & if found out she will have alot of questions that will need answering

rustybear · 31/08/2006 19:38

It's not actually against the law - the NSPCC website says: "There is no law that states the minimum age that a child can be left alone. However, it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts him or her at risk."
It certainly used to be (and may well still be) illegal to leave a child under 12 alone in a room with an unguarded fir, so this may be where the idea comes from that it's illegal to leave them home alone.

rustybear · 31/08/2006 19:40

Sorry, that should be unguarded fire - you don't have to build a fence round your Xmas tree!

nikkie · 31/08/2006 19:45

I do! Dd2 climbs them!

Seriously though even if your nephew is sensible there are things that could go wrong, electrical fires springs to mind or what would happen if she had an accident and didn't get home straight away?.If your sister does this regularly someone will notice and report her to SS.

lilmamma · 31/08/2006 19:53

its not so much that he is sensible,its if someone knocked at the door,would he be able to deal with it,you hear about men conning old people to get into the house the little 8 year old wouldnt stand a chance.I dont think its safe these days..

Kelly1978 · 31/08/2006 20:00

I don't think it is that bad personally. I could happily leave dd for an hour in noraml circumstances and she is 6. I won't in case of emergancies which she isn't old enough to deal with. soem kids do mature earlier. I'm assuming precautions are taken, and he knows how to get help in an emergancy, not allowed to cook, not allowed to answer door etc. an hour isn't very long at all.

ghosty · 31/08/2006 20:03

Kelly, do you leave your 6 year old alone for an hour then?

Saturn74 · 31/08/2006 20:03

LOL Rustybear re unguarded fir!!!

NewTermAtMaloryTowers · 31/08/2006 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheRealCam · 31/08/2006 20:05

I'm surprised these youngsters aren't too frightened to be left alone, I know my dd aged 9 wouldn't let me leave her alone (not that I would)

Saturn74 · 31/08/2006 20:06

Think 8 is too young to be left home alone. My youngest is 8, and a much more independant character than his 10 year old brother, but I would be unhappy leaving him in case of an accident occurring.

roisin · 31/08/2006 20:13

Dh (in his role as Governor) interviewed some yr6 (age 11) children at school as part of the ECM initiative. A lot of children said that there greatest fear was when they were left home alone, even for just 10 mins whilst mum popped to the shops. This was not an answer which had been expected or anticipated.

I was surprised, but it appears most children hate being left alone at all.

rustybear · 31/08/2006 20:15

Actually, DD's first Xmas when she was pulling herself up on everything, I put the Xmas tree in the playpen!

Kelly1978 · 31/08/2006 20:46

Humphrey - NO! I said I could in normal circumstances. As I can't guarantee normal circumstances I won't, as I'm not certain she could cope in an emergency although I think she could. If by 8 I was certain she could use a phone, or go to a neighbour for help in an emergency if she needed to then maybe.

Kelly1978 · 31/08/2006 20:48

what I eman by normal circumstances is that I trust her not to do anything stupid, and sit quietly and play or watch tv for an hour, but not deal with emergencies.

Saturn74 · 31/08/2006 20:51

Kelly - don't think it was me that commented on your post!

kittywits · 31/08/2006 20:54

yes it's too young and it's also against the law

kittywits · 31/08/2006 20:56

I meant against the law in regards to putting to child at risk.

Kelly1978 · 31/08/2006 21:22

humfrey, sorry! I don't knwo where I got that from!

hulababy · 31/08/2006 21:25

Too young, definitely.

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