What age can you leave alone in the house

[darcymum]

My children are all very little ages 4.5, 3 and 20 months. The shop in my village is just over 1 minutes walk away, what age would you leave the eldest child alone in the house while I ran to the shop?

14 if they have younger children in the house. Your children are way too young to be left alone at the moment.

Erm not at 4.

Maybe about 7 years old?

and that would not be the oldest looking after the youngest!

No just the older one.

14? I think younger than 14, especially if it's just one min to the shop, however I do think your kids are still way too young to be left alone.

dependent on maturity of child 7 to 9 but not in charge of younger children

Still have young kids myself so not sure what age exactly I would do it at.

Seriously, the age is 14 if they are left with younger children. If they are alone then there's no set age but they have to have the maturity to know what to do in an emergency and it can't be for any length of time.

Yeah I suppose, it's just because I looked after my younger siblings from a much younger age! But my parents weren't the most responsible...

www.childrenslegalcentre.com/Legal+Advice/Child+law/Homealone/Howolddoesababysitterhavetobe

www.childrenslegalcentre.com/Legal+Advice/Child+law/Homealone/WhatagecanIleavemychildathomeontheirow n

I would let a 16 yo (I knew well) babysit and I have just started letting my 10yo stay home alone for less than an hour at a time. He started walking to school on his own at 9 3/4

The local school is only about 2 minutes away and I feel very strongly that we over protect our children these days so plan to let them all walk home from school together ages about 6,7 and 8.

Ds is 11, he's just started staying at home for an hour, it's pointless paying a babysitter as he can look after himself, £5 an hour so they can watch the TV takes the mickey.

I can leave my 9 year old in the house on his own while I nip to the corner shop, its literally 100m away.

However even at this short distance I wouldnt leave him incharge of my other two children, who are three and 18 months. I wouldnt even consider it in your circumstances.

I think she is too young to be left alone at the moment but I would leave her younger than most would if I was only going to the shop.

No, I would take the other two with me.

4.5 is too young IMO, sorry.

So what age would you leave her?

To pop to the shop? I didn't leave ds until he was 10 to go to the shop at the end of the road, in hindesight 7/8 would have been OK.

For a few minutes, I think 7.

For longer than an hour, I think 10.

In my building, the car park is a floor below us and requires me running down to put the number in and press button on fob to let someone in. I think I would possibly leave my DD alone when about 5 just to run down and do this.

5 or 6? She is very sensible. I used to go to the shop for my mum at her age now.

IMO 5 0r 6 is too young.