Would you let a 9.5 year old use the oven?

[Dancergirl]

My oldest dd may be taking part in a youth ballet company from next term. This would mean Friday evening rehearsals. The venue is a little way from home so unless I can find someone to bring her home, I would have to wait until she's finished.

We always have a roast dinner on Fridays and normally around 5-6pm I am busy cooking. Do you think it would be ok if I let my dd2 put everything in the oven at the right time? This would involve putting the par-boiled potatoes in the hot roasting tin and then in the oven and putting the chicken in the oven (I would prepare everything in advance so it's all ready).

This isn't starting until September and runs till next March so dd2 would be nearly 10 by then (Jan birthday). And I would obviously do it with her time and time again over the summer until she's confident and I'm happy that she's safe.

What time would she put the items in and when would you be home?

Mine makes cakes aged 10 with me nearby but hot fat would scare me. Can't you put it in the oven and get her to switch it on and then have boiled potatoes? Or have the roast on another night? Who will be watching her? Could they help / supervise. Surely she is not home alone at that age?

As long as you are convinced she'll be ultra cautious with hot fat.
I got burned making hot food when I was slightly older.
I was allowed to, I was a bit rushed and careless.
My mum didn't blame me or get angry but I still have the burn mark almost 30 years later. I wouldn't just in case.
Can you hahve the roast another day? Or do it if you and your dd feel confident she is sensible enough. I wasn't, but your Dd may be.

We can't have the roast another day as it's of religious significance.

Dh often works from home on a Friday in which case he could do it all. But sometimes he has to go in. If he's not there, I am happy for dd to stay by herself, it would be a couple of hours. But the hot fat does worry me too and I would worry about her doing it if there was no-one else home.

I suppose I could just put the pototoes in a cold tin with the fat and she could just put that in....?

By herself? Seriously? And cooking? Are roast potatoes vital?

Actually, come to think of it, I think my oven has a timer although I've never used it. I could put everything in and set the timer for it to come on. She wouldn't have to do anything at all then.

I might be in the minority but I don't think I would leave my dd at home on her own for any length of time at that age much less have her cook much less cook with hot fat. Maybe I am too cautious though.

I would leave my ten year old to switch the oven on / off but wouldn't be happy about carrying hot fat or any hot trays.

Why not just have the roast on a different day?

And preprepare something else for friday meals from September til March.
In that situation we normally have something like couscous cooked with veg and salad - cooked the day before so all I do is serve it up (tastes fine cold)

I dont leave mine home alone unsupervised or let them cook entirely unsupervised (especially with hot fat).

sorry just spotted you have it on Fridays for a religious reason - In that case Id go without roasts for 6 months.

yes to using the oven but no to roasts, the weight and having to bend whilst carrying something with 2 hands would be too much for an under 12ish imo.

Putting cold stuff into the oven would be ok.

There must be some way of doing roast spuds from cold if Aunt Bessie can do them from frozen.

Definitely not home alone at 9. Certainly not around hot food. Eat later? Eat cold chicken and salad? Get a babysitter. (That would be my priority, not worrying about food).

Genuine question, not a dig, what religion requires a roast dinner on a Friday night? A family meal I can get, something fish based I can get but not specifically a roast.

I burnt myself putting cold things in the oven when I was younger still do now so maybe not with hot fat for now. I don't think leaving her on her own is really bad as long as she doesn't answer the door out phone.

nearly 10 year old using a hot oven under supervision, yes.
nearly 10 year old using a hot oven on their own, no.
nearly 10 year old carrying a tray full of hot oil and potatoes whether under supervision or not, no.
nearly 10 year old in the house for a short period of time unsupervised during daylight with strict instructions about door and phone.....and not touching the cooker, yes.
nearly 10 year old in the house on their own on a dark evening for up to 2 hours, no.

That's my view anyway - if you can't be there then your OH should and he can put the dinner on.

No religion prioritises roast chicken over a child's safety. And no parent should prioritise one child's ballet at the risk of another child being home alone.

I leave my 9.5 yr old at home alone - no problem. BUT, I would absolutely not leave him in charge of putting boiling hot fat into a very hot oven.
Not for a million pounds.
I'm sure the Big Man will understand that for the sake of your other DC's ballet career, Sunday roast will now become a Saturday roast.
Your child's safety needs to be at the top of the priority list.
And I am a very liberal parent ! ......

Thanks, I obviously had my doubts otherwise I would not be posting for advice!

I do worry about the hot fat, of course I do, but there are ways round that such as sticking it all in the oven beforehand and setting the timer so she wouldn't have to do a thing.

I'm not too worried about leaving her alone, she's been staying for short periods for a while. She's v sensible, knows not to answer the door and we know our neighbours well. She just likes to sit and read in her room for hours! Dh often works from home on a Friday which would be fine.

Please don't come down so heavily on me - I have not implied that either religion or dd1's ballet comes before her safety. I just wanted advice from people who've been there and done that so I could work out my options. Of course I could cook something different etc, I just want to see what's possible and what's not.

Yes, without a doubt.

No! I have a very sensible 9.5 year old but No!

Buy a slow cooker and a deep fat fryer.

Put the chicken in the slow cooker in the morning.

Par boil the potatoes.

Let dd2 boil the other veg (or put it in a steamer so she only needs to turn a timer)

When you get home put the parboiled potatoes in the deep fat fryer - they are not quite the same as roast but OK for a few weeks.

Or roast a load all at once and freeze them in foil trays - she can take a tray out of the freezer, put it in a cold oven and turn on.

I think it is the hot oil/fat that would bother me but putting something cold in for when you get back I'd be OK with.

Everything except the hot fat would be absolutely fine. Ignore the catastrophists. But an oven tray full of hot fat- no I wouldn't. And I am
Notorious for letting my children do things that turn the cotton wool brigade white with outrage!

I would also recommend doing something in the slow cooker. I'm assuming you're Jewish, does it have to be roast chicken? Could you put a joint of beef in the slow cooker? Then you'd have no worries about accidents and would still have a tasty meal to come home to.

I am not an over-cautious parent but I would be worried about hot fat and a child left in the house alone. There might be a potential for fires as well as injury.

Thanks all. Yes, I thought I was being overly ambitious!

axure yes we're Jewish and 6 months without our usual Friday night dinner doesn't bear thinking about lol! I suppose a slow-cooked joint of beef would be quite nice though!

I still think I might investigate the oven timer method though. Then I could put my chicken in, spuds in another tray with cold fat, oven turns itself on at the appropriate time and Bob's your uncle (I hope!).