Leaving kids home alone

[weluvu]

Would you leave 2 children aged 8 and 6 home alone for one hour once a week?

I should point out the playground they made was largely ornamental. You couldn't actually sit on their bench without falling down, but it stood up on it's own.

I'm with Spidermama, but not for as much as an hour - I certainly left mine at that age for 15 - 20 minutes. They knew not to touch anything electrical etc, they knew emergency numbers to call, and I was never far away. They also knew not to answer the door to strangers etc.
I don't think I'd leave an 8 yo on their own though - in fact I know I wouldn't - dd is 9 and does not stay home without her brother (12).

I agree with spidermama. I think our children are over-protected these days, and I don't accept that this is necessarily a good thing. I think it is important for children to be allowed to develop a sense of responsibility and independence.
I would be more afraid of getting into trouble with social services, than of dd1 (aged 6) coming to any actual harm if she wwere at home alone for a short period of time.

I have left ds, aged 7, on his own at home for 15 mins to do a nursery run a few times last summer (programme on TV he was passionate about) and I felt very anxious the whole time I was away.
We had clearly defined rules and the phone/my mobile to hand throughout.
8 is much too young to be left home alone with a younger sibling for any length of time, though, really
am happy with the idea of encouraging independence, getting children familiar with safe use of tools and cooking, but not with leaving them entirely without supervision at this age

I would think about an 8yo on his own, it is the two together that would bother me. I would worry about them fighting etc. Also 6.30-7.30 is only the class without travelling time, it overrunning whatever.

My DS asked me to leave him on his own while I went to pick his sister up from the other end of the village. He said, "I won't get scared". I wouldn't.

Ok so apart from the toaster thing mentioned by Aero, exactly what are people worried about?

In England, it's not illegal, they have to prove that the child WAS actually at risk to prosecute, whereas in Scotland it is assumed that the child is at risk

Oh, likewise re the toast thing sm (my mum didn't, hence I blew the toaster up age 12 and gave myself a nasty shock into the bargain, and I considered myself fairly sensible at that age and had a key to the door etc - I just didn't think). That was just an example. He is sensible, as is my six yo, but they may well try to explore something I might not have thought of, therefore, I wouldn't feel comfortable to leave them for that long.

LucyJo I do agree with your point also re social services. But given the thread on Childminders about an 8yo being left alone right overnight and social services not interested maybe we are worrying unduly?

Call me over protective then but there is no way I would leave and 8 year old at home alone. They know not to touch electrical stuff, matches, medecines, cleaning products etc but that's not to say they won't.

Specifically - falls, trips. Not so much silly behaviour (ds especially is extremely sensible, but dd is a wild child and takes a lot of tumbles) as accidents. Like when a normally quite competent adult burns themself on the grill by not concentrating for a moment.

Yorkshirelass, how could your dd have blown up the microwave by overcooking a croissant?

Well my DH was 26 when I got called into work and left him to cook some rice in the microwave and he didn't realise you had to put water in. The jug melted, the house stunk for days, the microwave stunk for weeks.

Leaving dps home alone - that's a whole new thread...

Then I would suggest mega that they may 'know' about not touching medicine etc, but perhaps they don't understand. Also surely it would be easy to unplug the toaster and lock the medicine cupboard.

I keep hearing that people are scared and untrusting of their kids but to me it's still a general feeling and no-one has spelled out a realistic fear.

I'd like to know the specific fears.

I thought I'd set the kitchen timer function on my microwave yesterday, had set it for 30 mins. Actually I'd just set the cooking timer and it wasn't until I smelt melting plastic that I realised the microwave was actually 'cooking' itself. Turned it off quick but it is black inside and stinks of melted plastic

He knows now Bozza. You obviously trusted him with something which was out of his depth. (microwaving rice).

Marina.

I do think this is an interesting thread though. And it is a hard judgement to make between being careful and over-protective. I do think DS who is a very sensible boy would have been fine on his own. And I know now that I would leave him at home if he was poorly and I had to do the nursery run which doesn't take long.

Message withdrawn

I think mines an instinctive feeling too.
My biggest fear, if I ever did leave them, would be to arrive home, find the front door wide open and no sign of the children. Unrealistic perhaps but that would be what stops me doing it.

It stinks Kathy and the whizzy round thing at the bottom will go black and sticky.

Yes spidermama. The thing is we were having chilli and rice. And I actually sat and wrote down detailed instructions for the chilli and rice and left all the ingredients out. Unfortunately the water was still in the tap..... but the chilli was very nice if you could get over the "air du melted plastic and burnt rice".

I would be much more trusting of my 6yo.

Actually, would like to know what you all think. My poor DD2 (2yrs) has been up for over 5hours last night throwing up every half hour until there was nothing left.
She is asleep now in her cot and has been since 11am.
At 3pm i've got to pick up my DD1 from primary soon and would be out of the house for half an hour.
If you were me, would you wake DD2 and take her with you (out in this horrible weather) OR would you let her sleep.
Please let me know.
Thank you.
AB

DS is very sensible but not very competent. I think generally he would be OK but I think I would have to wait until he was better able to use the phone. He is able to unlock the back door himself but not the front.