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Parenting

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Original poster

What age would you leave your children home alone?

15 replies

lulu1971 · 21/12/2017 22:12

I have a 14 year old son who stays home alone for the odd hour or so when I need to pop to the supermarket or run errands. Never on his own for longer than 2 hours. I also have another son who will be 11 in April and I have never left him with his older brother at home while I am out. To be honest I never even considered it but now he is moaning and groaning about the fact he has to be dragged to the shops etc with me while his older brother gets to stay at home. Would you consider him to young to be left with his older brother?

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Original poster

lulu1971 · 21/12/2017 22:13

I should have added his older brother is mature and they wouldn't get up to any mischief, however they do argue!

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BrandNewHouse · 21/12/2017 22:15

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HeadDreamer · 21/12/2017 22:15

Doesn’t holiday childcare stops at 12? They will soon have to share the house alone during school holidays isn’t it?

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dementedpixie · 21/12/2017 22:15

Yes I would. I leave ds 11 at home with dd 14 and have done for at least a year

StealthPolarBear · 21/12/2017 22:16

Ds is ten and I'd leave him nowish for half an hour or so if I pop to a local shop.
Dd is 8 and I can't see me doing that for a while. Would happily leave them in the house for ten mins if I was at a neighbours. They are both sensible and don't fight.

dementedpixie · 21/12/2017 22:17

In fact I leave ds at home alone sometimes too e.g. when collecting or dropping dd off

yikesanotherbooboo · 21/12/2017 22:17

I wouldn't think twice about leaving a 14 year old alone.
I would probably leave an11 year old for an hour or so if they were happy to be left.
Leaving them together depends on how they behave together. If they are not going to fight and both DC are happy then I would leave them together for an hour or two.

BackforGood · 21/12/2017 22:19

I wouldn't think twice about it at that age. I thought you were going to be asking about an 8 or a 9 yr old being home alone.

StealthPolarBear · 21/12/2017 22:22

I feel differently now it's dark. Stupid really. I'd started leaving ds in the summer but have stopped again (in fairness it rarely come up). In the summer the neighbors are out and about.

SheepyFun · 21/12/2017 22:30

What is the likely outcome of any arguments? I ask because my parents couldn't leave two of my siblings together at similar ages because one was likely to injure the other, possibly seriously. On the other hand, I was certainly left alone with either of them from 14 or possibly younger (I'm the eldest). So I'd definitely consider it in your situation.

MirandaWest · 21/12/2017 22:34

Mine are 14 and 12. I would leave them on their own for a few hours probably.

I've only left them both where they are both responsible for themselves - i haven't had the older one looking after the younger one iyswim

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 21/12/2017 22:36

DS was regularly on his own for whole days from 12 or 13, before that he would spend a few hours with my nan because DH and I work full time and there is little provision for older children. He is sensible and I never had any concerns.

MyDcAreMarvel · 21/12/2017 22:36

Dd1 was nine when she let herself in for 30 mins after school. It was a few weeks before her 10th birthday.
Dd2 is 13 and has only be left for 15 minutes. It really depends on the individual child.

Jinglejoo · 21/12/2017 22:39

My (responsible) 11yo is home alone c2hrs most weekdays. After school club is only for primary age. I started leaving her alone for 10min nip to shop, from just turned 10yo.
I've never left my 8yo alone in the house.

stocksund13 · 21/12/2017 22:45

DD1 (13) is regularly left alone with a younger sibling or two while I collect another child or go to the supermarket.

10 year olds here regularly travel to and from school on public buses and walk around a mile to school so I didn't think 13 was young.

I think once they are secondary age it's acceptable. But I guess it's down to the personalities of those involved.

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