Leaving children home alone

[mum71]

Hi, I just wondered what your views were on leaving 2 very sensible children at home alone in the evening for say 3 hours (approx 7.30 - 10.30pm). They are 8 and 11.

They know what do to in an emergency, never answer the door, they say they are happy to be left at home and the eldest has a mobile so we could keep in touch while we were out.

I plan to buy them a movie to watch together and then they would go to bed.

I have left them alone for an hour max before but always at day time, usually because I have chores and they don't want to come with me.

Grateful for any views.

I have a mutual agreement with my neighbour. I'm available if her 15 yr old is home alone and she's available if I have to leave my 14 and 10 yr olds alone - we pre-book each other so we know an adult will be around.

Neither of us do it regularly, and even so only out of necessity, as we both have husbands who regulalry work away from home during the week. All the children are very responsible and are only left for a couple of hours max. They seem to enjoy the responsibility and we want to encourage them to be independent. They're expected by the local council to get public transport to and from school so I really can't see what the difference is, especially as we all have mobiles; they have to grow up sometime!