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Original poster

What age would you leave your children to pop to Waitrose?

92 replies

SoupDragon · 14/02/2008 14:09

I'm not ready to do this yet (DSs are nearly 7 and 9) but I was dreamily thinking how much simpler it would be to leave them in front of the TV and just nip there myself (it's 5 mins up the road). Obviously BabyDragon is excluded from this, she's in nursery.

Instead I will shift my ar$e from in front of the PC and go now, before school pick up, but I just wondered when it might become a possibility

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 14/02/2008 17:19

My dd is 9 and I have popped to tesco to get hot chocolate (my tesco is the corner shop)I don't feel I would leave her for more than 15 mins at the moment but will increase the time slowly so that she is ok with it and it is a natural progression.

Dd 9 walks to school on her own and home again after - just a 5 minute walk round the corner not to far.

Original poster
SoupDragon · 14/02/2008 18:42

Next to Shell, Serenity? And opposite a park where Waitrose had to refurbish/expand the play area as part of their planning permission! I'm in S but can still see the hallowed chimneys of Ikea from the hill where DSs school is

OP posts:
Original poster
SoupDragon · 14/02/2008 18:43

"Wouldn't it be simpler still to take them with you"

Oh no. Never ever ever is it simpler to shop with SmallDragons in tow.

OP posts:
tortoiseSHELL · 14/02/2008 18:45

I would leave my 6 year old for 10-15 mins, but not if the other kids were there.

Quattrocento · 14/02/2008 18:57

Soupy, coincidentally mine are 7 & 9 and I left them alone for 20 minutes to nip to a local shop. So it wasn't a big supermarket shop but it did feel like a big change.

Cam · 14/02/2008 19:02

Its already been said soupy but online and hone delivery are 3 words that spring to mind

Pollyanna · 14/02/2008 19:06

i wouldn't leave my eldest 2 alone yet to go to Waitrose. I am wondering whether I would leave them to pop out for a paper from the corner shop, but I don't think i would yet (7 and 9). I am more likely to leave the 9 year old on his own than both of them together.

Original poster
SoupDragon · 14/02/2008 20:04

No, Cam. Delivery/online shop isn't an option for this - I had a large Tesco delivery on Tuesday but always need a top up visit to Waitrose for fresh stuff I have all the main grocery shop delivered - I've not set foot in a supermarket to do that for about 2 years

I'm not quite ready to leave them yet. It's getting to the tempting stage though and I was curious what age others think is about right.

OP posts:
Cam · 14/02/2008 20:06

Oh I see. Well I always get dh to do the top up stuff so still can't help.

Wouldn't leave dcs at 9 and 7 though

southeastastra · 14/02/2008 20:09

you could leave them, but talk constantly on a mobile for the entire time. sure they'd be ok if they were mature 9s and 7s.

Hallgerda · 14/02/2008 21:45

You can do that and buy the right stuff, southeastastra? I'm impressed!

ByTheSea · 14/02/2008 22:04

Have been leaving fairly sensible DS-12 alone for a little while for about a year. Now can leave him for up to about 2 hours. Have started leaving very sensible DD-8 1/2 for up to a half hour or so, and left them together today for about 45 minutes. Will never ever ever leave DS-11 either by himself or with another of the DC.

tortoise · 14/02/2008 22:19

I leave DS1 10 for about 20 mins every evening while i walk the dog with DS2. DD1 4 and DD2 3 are in bed. He had his mobile he can call me on if there are any problems.
Xp's Mum has now told him i can't leave him and that i am breaking the law!! Stupid old bat!

serenity · 15/02/2008 09:42

We are talking about the same one then

The IKEA towers are a bit like the Crystal Palace mast - you can see them from all sorts of strange places, and it gives you this weird sense of how close everything is when it isn't really (that does make sense in my head but I'm prepared to accept that it soen't in RL, Friday mornings are not my most coherant time )

bluenosesaint · 15/02/2008 09:53

TBH i wouldn't leave a 7 and 9 year old alone. I have a super-sensible 8 year old, but i wouldn't leave her alone.

And i do think that SM has a very good point. For those who say that the chances aren't very likely, well yes, of course they're not likely, neither is it likely that anything would happen at home in such a short space of time ...but it could!

If you are confident that your children would know what to do in the scenarios that something went wrong and you didn't come home, or if something went wrong in the house, then fair enough ...

I personally wouldn't risk it, but each to their own ...

SixSpotBurnet · 15/02/2008 10:03

My DSs are 6.5 and 8.5 and although individually they can be quite sensible, they do have a tendency to get into nasty fights with each other and I would worry that would happen while I was out .

Anna8888 · 15/02/2008 10:14

At 7 and 9? I'd definitely leave the children on their own in our flat.

I happily leave my 3 year old with her 10 and 12 year old brothers while I pop out shopping for 15 minutes. I leave my three year old on her own while I take the rubbish downstairs (5 minutes max).

TsarChasm · 15/02/2008 10:15

Not sure about shopping but I have recently left my 9 year old (v sensible) dd at home alone while I nipped out for 10 minutes - maybe less - to take dd2 to Rainbows up the road.

The first time I did it I left dd1 deep in conversation chatting and giggling on the phone to her little friend. When I came back she hadn't moved an inch and was still on the phone chatting and giggling. That's my girl!

Blu · 15/02/2008 11:03

(wonders where this waitrose is)
Serenity - have you ever been to the Balham one? I havent...yet.

batters · 15/02/2008 11:08

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Blu · 15/02/2008 11:10

I should be relieved she doesn't take them to lidl. I suppose, but even so, Batters......she is what, 9?

batters · 15/02/2008 11:13

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Blu · 15/02/2008 11:18

To be frank, i am shocked at the lengths some parents will go to to earn the money for private school - if it wasn't for central heating she'd be up a chimney no doubt . AND shojked that other parents are so greedy for money that they will employ a 10 (ish) y.o babysitter.

call me judgemental, but that's how i feel.

(ps - how much does she charge?)

Blu · 15/02/2008 11:19

You know that the 'baby' in 'babysitters' is supposed to refer to the 'sitee' not the sitter??????

batters · 15/02/2008 11:32

This reply has been deleted

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