How long do you leave your 12yo home alone for?

[noitsnotme]

I've only recently started letting my 12yo DS stay home alone for any length of time. Usually no need for more than half an hour, and so far probably an hour max. He his own key as of a few weeks ago so that he can go home straight from the school bus instead of coming to meet me at work.

This week I've made an appointment after work, which means he'll be home alone for about two hours, then need to lock up and walk up to his dads when he gets home.

He's my only DC and I never ever came home to an empty house all through high school, so probably being a bit OTT, but does 2 hours home alone seem reasonable?

I think absolute fine but will depend on how mature he is. My son comes home after school on some days and will be alone until we get back from work - sometimes 2.5 hours. He is totally fine!

Dd1 has just turned 13, I'll happily leave her for 2 - 3 hrs (though 3 hrs would be unusual tbh) She's fine with it.

Thank you. He's sensible enough. He'll be okay, as long as there's food and x box and will probably enjoy having the house to himself. I think maybe I just feel guilty leaving him alone while I go and get my hair done but I can't fit it in any other time.

I'm also trying to suss out how long he can be left alone during summer holidays while I'm at work, to see if I can leave him alone at 8:30 til lunchtime, maybe one day a week, and just take afternoons off with him. (He'll sleep til about 11.00) but I feel that's maybe a bit much for this year. But also a waste of full days holidays.

Ds is just 13, during the easter holidays I left him for half a day, so 3-4 hours.

Also had to leave at home when he was off school sick recently ( think I came home at lunchtime though)

I'd leave my 12 year old for 2 hours without worrying.

Longer than that, I'd probably start worrying past a half day. I would say 8.30am-lunchtime is fine. If it was full days, personally I'd her someone (my mum) to pop in for an hour over lunchtime to make sure all was ok. But full days would be doable, IMO.

Sounds fine to me.

Sound fine to me too.

Having twins makes leaving 'em without an adult easier, I think. Our 12-year-olds are perfectly fine to be left from 8am-6pm on occasions during the holidays, or for three or four hours of an evening. I generally leave them with a list of things to have done by the time we're back, and they know the ground rules. They relish the independence.

I left my now 13 year old at home in the summer holidays last year when he was 12. I was at work for about 6-7 hrs. A sensible child of that sge should be fine.

My almost 12 yr old has just been given the option of about 6 hours at home on his own next weekend; I didn't want to do it unless he was definitely happy about it but he thinks he'd like to try. We'll be leaving him lunch ready and perhaps a reminder list of what we'd like him to do ... I'm also checking whether a friend can take him on a dog walk at some point and a neighbour will be around in case of problems.

He's previously done up to a couple of hours daytime with no problem; also sometimes in the evening he's happy to be left eating dinner and put himself to bed knowing that someone will be home again in an hour. He's also a couple of times had longer stretches with just his older sister around which has been good for them both.

Thanks everyone. I definitely feel fine with the couple of hours next week now. Should maybe make a point of it maybe once a week coming up to the summer holidays and see how we get on.

As a child, I was left home alone from age 8/9! But I think during my time parents did this. I was closer to 9 though and was left first alone w my sister who was 4 years older and then still age 9 during summer left alone while she went to summer school during the day! Always fine. Aged 10 was left alone after school, but my best friend and neighbor was also left alone so more often we would be together at one of our houses. Nothing ever happened. We were always responsible and safe. That being said, I think it depends on the child.