What is the absolute youngest

[Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov]

They can come down and watch tv by themselves? I've a 5,2 and baby. I'm now realizing with each child I've added a loads of years to early wake ups.

Also, is it a gradual thing? Like it starts with them coming down and only waking you for breakfast and then one day they're old enough to do breakfast too? And then one day they just don't need you (actually that's also a distressing concept.... must be the hormones)

I look forward to this day too! Mine are 6, 4, and 4. My oldest is nowhere near that point so I would guess around 9/10?

9 or 10 years!!!! Well that's just killed my morning.

I was definitely doing it by the time I started school but a lot has changed since the 80s! But surely it's a long time before 9/10 - that's not far off secondary aged?!

I was going to say very earliest with a mature child, 5 or 6.
But there are other factors. Firstly my 5 year old is unlikely to come down if she thinks there might be better fun to be had with me and her younger siblings upstairs. She wouldn't want to miss out.
Also, what they eat for breakfast. It might not be worth your while to come down to such a mess!

Haha sorry, was just a guess though so could be wrong! I have no idea is the proper answer, I just hope it's soon. My dd6 couldn't (maybe wouldn't is a better word!) go downstairs and watch TV without me.

Our boys could do this from 4. They started getting their own cereal from 5-6.

@Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov

9 or 10 years!!!! Well that's just killed my morning.

Mine were more like 6 and then 4 (because she had her older sibling) so don’t despair! It’s one of those things that’s quite individual, like when they can be left alone in the house, or when they can go to the park. It depends on the child.

And big yy to breakfast -making-mess!

I have a 5 and a 3 year old. My 5 year old tends to wake up early, gets up, turns the tv on gets himself some easy breakfast like yoghurt. Sometimes he gets himself dressed if he wants. I get up when the 3 year old wakes up or for work and get them the rest of their breakfast etc.

Ds is 5 he goes downstairs alone and watches TV for around 20 mins before shouting one of us to come down. He usually wakes us first to say he's up and going downstairs.
He doesnt eat alone and doesn't try to tbf

My 4 year old will go downstairs and turn the tv on in the morning.

My 5 year old goes down by herself some mornings but I am awake at this point but still in bed or pottering around upstairs.

You have to teach children things; if you wait on them and don't let them do things for themselves, don't set up your kitchen to facilitate growing independence skills, then they'll be nowhere near at 6 - but tbh they should be!

I live in Germany and from age 3 children at kindergarten get their own drinks and snacks etc. From 6 they walk to school in groups without adults! Obviously the infrastructure (both of kindergarten and private houses and the roads etc) is set up to facilitate this happening safely.

Wehad a children's cupboard low down in the kitchen with plastic plates and cups and cutlery, and a step stool to get to the sink, and I encouraged the children to get their own cold drinks and cereal and bread and jam from about 3.

My older two were 6 and 4 the first time they surprised me with (a very strange but sweet) mother's Day breakfast in bed at 5.45am

5 should be old enough to come down and watch TV and have a glass of water/ milk - a 5 year old should absolutely not be "in charge" of a 2 year old though, just him or herself, so if the 2 year old or baby are up, you're up unfortunately! Also at 5 you shouldn't leave them alone long enough to get bored and up to mischief/ misguided helpfulness or lonely obviously!

My 7yr old doesn’t get his own breakfast (he likes porridge). But he sleeps till 8 so no early wakes. He started sleeping past 7 when he went to school.

I have a 1 year old though so it’s a short lived bit of peace as she wants to then be awake and play

Mine have been since 3.5 and 5.

Eldest pours the milk. They both pour their own cereal and they can both get onto kids Netflix.

Never had an issue

My eldest could do this at 4, & my subsequent two probably went down with her around 3.

My 9 year old walks herself home from school, lets herself in & is alone for 30 mins... she might be unusual but thinking about her peers I think the vast majority of 9 year olds could go downstairs & watch telly in the morning, not sure about the suggestion of 9/10 upthread.

Depends - we have recently agreed that kids (age 5 and 8) can watch their tablets or game (lockdown 2 birthday presents to stop the device fighting for schoolwork) ‘after the click goes orange’ (7am) on weekends.

If I don’t remember to leave on the landing the 5 yr old goes downstairs all by herself, finds it and takes it back to bed until I get up. To be honest I have occasionally heard her up before it’s orange! For which I tell her off when I get up and threaten to remove iPad time. 8 year old doesn’t tend to wake until at least 8 anyway.

No one eats without a grown up sorting it out though (but I would be fine if they did - I allow snacks/rubbish from a drawer they can reach pre proper breakfast on weekends)

Before we got the tablets they came wondering in to me as soon as they woke up, and I tried to enforce the gro clock to stop it being too horrifically early - we started with the clock really young, it didn’t exactly work but at least set the scene for daytime/nighttime even though summer is so light and winter so dark.

Compared to the old days of up no later than 6 when they were small it’s bliss 😁

My oldest certainly came downstairs with a cup of milk to watch tv (obviously not without help - I'd have to get the milk and turn on the tv) from the latter end of 3/close to 4. Only on the weekends. We'd then go back upstairs and dose a bit, but could hear her. She's certainly been bringing herself downstairs since. I don't know when breakfast would have started, but she's 8 now and definitely gets herself a drink and food if she wants it, and has for probably 2 years? We are awake, but upstairs with toddler as he plays in our room before we get up and come down.

My 8 year old got up and made him and his brother jam on toast and a glass of milk for breakfast and they are watching tv and playing Lego. It’s amazing as he was always an early riser and quite a high needs child.
I’ve found age 8 to be a big turning point.

My kids do at 8 and 5. 8 year old is v sensible though. I leave cereal out and they can eat breakfast when they're ready. They come up if there is a problem but they have been fine doing this for ages

About 6 to watch Tv
7 or 8 to get some breakfast
I give mine iPads in bed

My eldest has done this for a few years (he’s 8 now). If he’s hungry he’ll get himself some fruit, cereal or toast.
He’ll also get the youngest up if he hears him but at that point I get out of bed as he’s only 2.

My 5&7 year olds will go downstairs,get something to eat and watch tv. They aren't especially quiet about it though!

My 6 year old has been doing it for about a year and helps his 3 year old sibling, he can turn on cartoons and get basic breakfast or fruit for them. But we live in a bungalow so no stairs to navigate for littler one and we can hear everything they're doing very clearly in case they need help.