At what age can you leave a child at home alone for 15-20 minutes?

[december2020]

As a preface, DS is 4 - so I am nowhere near this stage.

However, it did get me thinking on what is the age and stage that you can leave a child at home alone for 15-20 minutes?

Of course there is always a variance depending on how mature they are, but on a general level?

Around 8?
Does depend where you are. If next door then earlier than if out in the car.

My younger was younger when we left her watching TV whilst we were outside 3 doors down having a mini street party for some royal occasion. But we knew she would just sit there, and we were within shouting distance.

I started at about 10/11 with my dc1. When I took his younger sibling to brownies down the road.

About 10 maybe. Depends on the child.

I think we did this age 9 for dd1 - super sensible and meant we could take dtds to clubs to drop them off without dd1 having to come. Dtds were older because they were wild and unaware of danger, and there weren’t the same opportunities as age 9 was 2020 for them. At 13, nearly 14, we don’t leave dtds very much but when we do they tidy and clean 😂.

About 10 child dependent. I’d be happy to go walk the dog for twenty minutes or so. I’m rural so nipping anywhere else takes ages so they come with but if I was around then I’m happy to say where I’ll be and they can come find me if necessary. So I’d chop wood for a few hours or garden.

Mine started staying for a few minutes at 9, would now be fine for an hour probably at 10. She’s one of the more responsible ones of her age.

It depends on the child. I started leaving my older 2 from about 15 but they have SN. Ds3 has adhd and is impulsive so he will probably be about 30 .

In the 80s, I think about 4 was acceptable 🤣

As PP, my DC much younger, so what do I know, but this all sounds younger than I'd have guessed (was thinking maybe 11). Interesting - light at the end of the tunnel perhaps then!

Just started this with my 9 year old, up to half an hour while we dog walk.

In the 1970s it was virtually compulsory.

Or you could send them to the shop, with a note, for cigarettes and 'get something with the change'. I know I was doing that before I started school.

started with a nip to shop (ten minutes) when they were ten and built it up. At 13 they were letting them selves in after school for a hour.

My eldest is 11, starting secondary school this year and we have just started to do this.

We had no choice really as my new job meant he’d have to get himself home from school and be here alone for about 45 mins but it’s been a good learning curve for us all to give him this independence.

It’s a funny one because I was a bit taken aback when a friend told me she left her five year old while she walked the dog. When I actually saw the route I realised she probably wasn’t going further than some peoples gardens. But it still felt a bit odd, somehow.

I’d probably say between eight and ten.

It depends on the kid and what they're doing. You could set a responsible 8yo in front of the TV with snacks and they'd be fine.

Around 8-9 to drop other parent at the station. So probably 15 mins.

but I wouldn’t have left my then 10yo with my then 6yo.

on own was fine but felt a huge step to be responsible for a smaller child.

now with a 12yo & 8yo we would leave them for 15 - 20 mins but still probably wouldn’t leave them both for any longer

12yo will now stay home for 3-4 hours on his own tho. Eg if we have to take the other one to a hospital appointment

I have offered to leave DD9 while I pop out briefly, but she prefers to come. I know 1 of her friends stays at home for 20 mins whilst parents drop at a club.

Well, how long is a piece of string?

Surely it depends on child, where and how you're going?

Are you going to corner shop for a loaf of bread that's a brief walk away, or are you driving 7 minutes away on the M1?

I'm quite surprised at many replies as they indicate much younger than I would have thought. I think 11 earliest.
It's obvious there so no answer fits all here.

DTDs?

Dear twin daughters

I’ve left my ten year old a couple times for very quick trips to the shops (on foot), for no more than a half hour. Probably high school age I might leave her a bit longer. I won’t have much choice then if I have to go into the office and she’s home from high school before me. She’ll be letting herself in and waiting for me and/or her dad to get home when she’s just shy of 12. There’s no after school provision for high schoolers. My niece is 12.5 and due to high school getting out at lunchtime on a Friday my dad sits with her till my sister gets home. She doesn’t mind her being home for 90 minutes after a normal school day, but a whole afternoon is too much. I’ll probably do similar.

I did it at 11

8 for us - was the norm round my way.

I know someone who called the police to report a crime (offender was found fuilty of public order offence)but a young policewoman while in the house taking a statement from the victim, reported her leaving her children…ages 8 and 10 upstairs by themselves for 30ish mins with other parent checking in on them half way :) it was pointed out when complaint was made its acceptable by the NHS to leave 6 month old baby overnight in a room by themselves.