can a 10 year old (just turned) stay at home alone for one and half hours?

[AMAZINWOMAN]

very confident, able and indpendent 10 year old wants to stay at home alone for one and half hours (due to me having to stay at work late one off. brilliant at DIY, using kettles, toaster and can use cooker. He wants to stay at home alone-hat do you think

someone whatever age shoud never be locked in a house - anything could happen and they cant get out.

I was left on my own for 5 days whilst my "mother" went on holiday when I was 11, nothing happened to me.
I think it really depends on the maturity of the child, safety concious, streetwise etc
I think if you sat down and covered all eventualities with him and did a trial run it would probablt be ok

I don't know what the law says but if there is a reliable neighbour on call, I think it is fine. My mum went back to work when I was 10 and I had my own key. Let myself in and looked after myself for a couple of hours until she got home. I have older brothers but they were rarely home by then due to secondary school being a long bus ride away and afterschool clubs.

It was reassuring to know I could call on the neighbours. Specially on the days when I managed to leave my key behind at school!

Fine but might suggest if your worried, that you mention to him he shouldn't use his brillant DIY skills or cook, and leave him a cold snack.

I always used to try and cook pancakes when my parents were out no harm done, just bad pancakes!

That is terrible Busybean!

I too used to have a key and let myself into the house aged 10, although my older brother and sister were usually only 10-15 minutes behind me.

My 10 yo son starts secondary school in September and my youngest starts primary so I am thinking of going back to work and, if I do it, I fully intend to give my 10 yo (he will be just 11 then of course) a key and let him be home alone while I finish work and the younger ones are at after school club. I can't think of any other alternative once he is in secondary school, but I trust that he will be OK.

No.

Agree with mysonsmummy. Doesn't matter how grown up they think they are.

Does this reflect on the posters' children I wonder?

YES FOR GODS SAKE BUT DONT LET THEM COOK

My very sensible DD1 is 9.7. I have just started leaving her for a few minutes while I pick up younger kids from stuff - her choice. I would not leave her alone in charge of younger sibs but I think she is fine for up to half an hour on her own and by 10 perhaps a little longer. They have to be given independence gradually - what is the point of wrapping them in cotton wool till 16 and then letting them loose - recipe for disaster IMO.

I would make these things clear beforehand -
no friends in the house while you are out
whether he can go out if he leaves a note to say where he is or does he stay indoors until you return
can he cook anything - agree which appliances he is allowed to use (if any) while you are out
whether he's to answer door/phone or ignore them
if he's allowed to use phone/internet

Does he know your work/mobile numbers? And which neighbour is most likely to be in/helpful if he needs them?

I'd say yes if he's comfortable with it but before you do discuss with him: what to do in the case of fire, injury, phone calls, knocks on the door, specifically what he will do while you're out (e.g watch tv yes, make an assault course out of the furniture no), what he can eat and drink, any neighbours he could safely go to in case of emergency, should he lock the door behind himself when he's inside, any no go areas in the house, can he go in the garden? use a knife? glass? help himself to food? etc etc

You then need to repeat the rules several times. We leave ds (10) alone for short periods but he surprised me the other day by not really knowing enough about internet safety in spite of me talking to him about it before.

Depends on the child. I'd imagine one of my DDs being perfectly capable of being left alone at 10. Her sister will probably be nearer 40 unless she changes drastically .

yes

rofl at the 15 thing

If she is confident it should be ok. Have you left hr before? If not try leaving her for half an hour a few timeas and see how she is.

Why not? 90 minutes is not a long time. Unless children are given independence they never grow up. I used to catch the bus on my own when I was ten and go round Kingston. I'm still alive.

I was also a latch key kid at the age of 10 as well. I know there are horrendous things in teh news, but it is a balance.

thanks for all your advice and tips. today was the day i left my son and it went really well! he was so pleased that i trusted him to stay at home and has even me given me a hug without me begging for one!

in afew years maybe i can leave him while i go to a night class or something! start getting my life back