Leaving a child at home alone...what age?

[NotThereYet]

I don't have any children (yet!) but I'm wondering if anyone can help me - what age does a child have to be before you can leave him or her home alone for, say, a couple of hours?

there is no law

however there can be child protection issues if something happens

HTH

It really does depend on the child. My 11-year-old has been fine for an hour or two since she was 10, and my 9-year-old would be fine for up to an hour - but I once had a neighbour's 12 year old bolt round to my house in a panic because he thought his mum had gone out and left him alone - she was upstairs having a shower!

I left dd1 (11) and dd2 (8.5) home alone for ten minutes twice on Tuesday whilst I took dd3 to nursery and back. They were quite happy but dh was a bit shocked.....

I leave DD (4.6) for 10-15 minutes while I go shopping and run errands very locally (within a 50m radius).

DSS1 who is 14 can stay at home alone all afternoon. DSS2, who is 11, doesn't like to be at home alone for that long but sometimes is alone for an hour/hour and a half.

Thanks! That's really helpful. Any more opinions welcome though, of course.

For me, I think they need to be secondary school age (and reasonably sensible, of course). I figure if they're of an age to be sent to school by themselves on a bus, they're old enough to stay in the house for an hour by themselves.

But I think I'd want to have a big chat with them first about what they do if anything goes wrong, e.g. going to a neighbour, calling your mobile, etc.

I have been lambasted for my slackmum-ness on Mumsnet before, but I leave my 8 year old ds at home in the mornings while I run his sister to the bus stop (about 20 minutes). I leave them both alone together (she's 13) for up to about 3 hours while I go out or to evening meetings (back by 9.00 at the very latest) and I also leave them both asleep in the mornings sometimes while I take dp to the station (15 minutes max). I always tell them I'm going to do it the night before and leave a note to remind them. BUT they do get on very well indeed, enjoy each other's company and ds will do what dd asks him to. If they were different personalities I probably wouldn't be so relaxed. And there are helpful neighbours not far away.

I also let dd come come with 2 of her friends on a friday evening while I'm at football training with ds. They get themselves something to eat and watch re-runs of Friends until I get home at 7.00

I have left my 10 year old for up to an hour but only a stones throw away and never at night.

My older DD has been left since she started secondary school for about half an hour before and an hour after school (aged about 11 and a half.)

Her school holidays don't quite match mine (independent school) and since last summer (end of year 7)I have left her while I am at work( again not that far away and with my mum just round the corner.)

My dd is 9 and I can leave her for an hour and a half. I haven't left her longer but probably could. We only ever leave her when we go shopping down the road; we are on foot, all hte shop keepers know us, our dd is very sensible and knows not to answer the door or the phone while we are out, she has our mobile nos. She know the neighbours, knows the shopkeepers etc. I am comfortable leaving her under those circumstances.

Bonsiour I can,t believe you leave a 4 year old.
Is this when the older siblings are there as well.

I wouldn't leave any child under 6 on their own - probably would leave a 6.5 - 8 year old if it literally was only a 10 minute job ie quick walk to the shop at the end of the road, pop to school at the end of the road, pop to a neighbours. Would leave a 10 year old for upto 1 hour - with me calling them etc. Then senior school for anything longer.

Anna is your daughter with someone?

I think Anna lives in an apartment so if the doors and windows are locked, surely it's fine to be out for 10 minutes? She could be elsewhere in the apartment, out of her daughter's sight, for that long.

I leave the front door unlocked so that she can get out (no-one can get in without a key). But it really does depend on the child - I am quite aware that lots of 4 year olds wouldn't want to be left alone. My DD is left alone at her own request - she'd much rather draw or watch a DVD than run errands with me after a long day at school.

Its not something I would do Metella.
Its another matter leaving the building completely in my eyes.
Surely if anything was to happen she could be facing major problems if she was found to have left the 4 year old, but not if she was just simply in another room.

I wouldn't either, exodus, but that is because I know my situation and my children. Other people's children and situations are different to mine and they are better placed to make a judgment about their children than I am.

I wouldn,t leave a four year old even if I had full faith in them and they didn,t mind.

About 11-12?

Get your point Metella but still wouldn,t do it its just too young.

Leaving a 4 yr old must be illegal surely?Who is responsible for her from a safety POV when you aren't there?

Exactly noddy

I leave my DS1 alone for 5/10 minutes if i am popping to the shops at the end of my road (he is nearly 10) . I would NEVER leave DS2 alone - he is nearly 6 (he has low functioning autism).

exodus - i agree

Could never leave a child under 8 alone personally.