What age do you leave child at home?

[mulberry69]

At what age would you leave your child at home if you pop to shop up the road for 10 mins?

10 years old with my eldest. Covid has changed things and I will leave my 8 year old at home with his siblings if I pop to the shops.

I left my 9 year old when I was nipping out. Front door is locked, back door left open in case, we have good neighbours if there was a problem.

I think it depends on the child though. Some are ready earlier, some later

My 10yo (Y6) is alone for 45minutes every morning then walks to school by himself.

He has been left for up to 4hrs. He has a phone and he's sensible.

I used to leave my 8 year old Ds for a few mins when I collected my DD from the bus stop. He just stayed in his room and probably would have been more of a risk taking him out with me.

We started from about 8 years old.

I leave my 8.5 year old dd to pop to the laundrette which is literally at end of road. One min walk.

Year 6.
All part of getting ready for high school.
Back door locked, front door on the chain, washing machine/tumbler/dishwasher off.

I have a sensible 9 year old and a 7 year old and I have only ever left them to nip 2 doors up to my mums house to either drop something off or pick something up. I sometimes when its pissing it down with rain wonder if leaving them while I take the dog for 20 mins would be ok. (My mum literally lives 2 doors away) but I always change my mind.

There is also a park at the end of our street, albeit you can't see it as there is a big wall. I'd love to tell them to go play, but I always chicken out.

My 10yo y5 walks to school but I dont leave him home alone yet. When he goes to secondary probably

From age 11 we left DD at home for short periods. Ds is 11 he walks to school on his own, plays in the park and goes to the shops with his friends just for an hour or so. As DD is 14 now we leave them home alone together for up to 3 hours.

I think for me it would be 10. That said, I was left home all day every day in school holidays from 10. I learned quickly how to cook myself lunch and mum told me to never answer the door if anyone knocked. I personally don't think I would be comfortable with that, but for 30 minutes, maybe an hour, yes, I think so.

I was also doing overnights by myself at 13 (like 3 day stints at home) while my mum went on work trips, as we had no family or anyone I could stay with. I also wouldn't do that, but generally it was fine (except for the one time I felt down the stairs messing around and dislocated my knee, this was before mobile phones and I just had to lie on the sofa with peas on my knee until she came home the next day).

I’d leave my nearly 8 yo alone briefly but not in charge of his younger brother. I was left home alone from much younger- I think about 6. But this was rural Wales and things were different then, I’ told.

My nearest shop is a 3 minute walk and I could probably leave my 8 year old (9 in a couple months) now but haven't done it yet.

I would leave my 8 yr old home to pop to the shop. It's about a 3 minute walk. I think in terms of walking to school, it will be after his 11th birthday in year 6. In year 7, he have to walk to and from school by himself (hopefully with a friend maybe) I will have to spend a about and hour or so at home alone after school most days as the wraparound care stops in year 7

9 or 10 for short periods with a phone to hand. Now they are 10,12,14 I have no qualms leaving any of them home alone for a while (not for hours on end!)

My dd is 8.5 and I haven't yet.

Not sure when I will.

It really depends on the child, i don't think you can put an age on it.

I agree it totally depends on the child. I’d probably say around 9/10.

I started leaving my 10 year old home alone earlier this winter so that I could take my 8 year old to their swimming lesson. We're not allowed poolside and it was cold, dark and miserable waiting in the car and she'd rather stay home. I was about 2 miles away (5 minute drive) and DH was due home from work about 30 mins after we left.
Since then, I've left both DCs (now 11 and 9) home together for up to about 20 mins during the day whilst I pop to the post office in the village and each of them individually too. I wouldn't leave the 9 year old for more than 30 mins or if I was going out of the village.

6 for mine.

I know this will shock some people but we were living in Austria and at that age the children were expected to travel to school alone so leaving them at home was no different.

We prepared the children for being at home alone. Talked through rules, what to do in an emergency, how to communicate with us if there was a problem and what to do if someone knocked on the door.

I would not leave them where I couldn't be back in 10 minutes if they called me.

It does depend on the child, where you live and how far you are going but I think that it is more about preparing them for it rather than a specific age.

DD is 10, almost 11 - she starts secondary school in September. I leave her at home whilst I pop out to get some shopping, or do quick errands if she doesn't want to come with me - usually no longer than an hour. I do tell her not to answer the door to anyone and lock her in, but she has access to unlock the doors herself from inside.
I have also let her walk to the shop near our house with a friend a couple of times. I'm trying to let her have some independence as I know come September she will likely want to start going out after school with friends (if Covid allows by then). I want to give her some freedom and not be too over protective - She is sensible and does have a phone so I can contact her, but I do worry!

This is asked regularly on MN
It depends a LOT on the personality / nature of the child
It also depends on child's experiences prior to that - are they used to being 'without you' even if you happen to be there..... are they used to talking to adults on their own..... etc.
Other things that come into play are relationship with neighbours, etc., in the teeniest chance that something worries them, is that a natural place they would turn for help?