Home Alone!

[PinkSquidgyPig]

So, this is just to ask what age parents have started to allow their child to stay at home alone.

My daughter is 9 and a half and pretty sensible. No other children. One cat. We live in a London borough. No neighbour that we could ask to keep an eye on her/be at the end of a phone for an hour.

I'm not planning to do this yet. But thinking ahead. She, on the other hand, is gagging for every bit of independence we will give her 😊.

Theoretically I'd probably start by going to a shop 15 minutes walk away. So not be away for more than an hour and have my mobile phone with me -no guarantee she'd ring it etc.

With my DD (only child), I did a (largely) unannounced trial run about a week after her 10th (she's now 11). Picked a Saturday afternoon to run a few errands - DH away on work - when I was certain we weren't expecting anyone to call at the house.

About an hour or two before, I quietly asked DD if she'd like to stay behind with strict instructions to not answer the door to anyone. Repeated the process gradually letting her off longer and longer errands (maximum for now is about 90 minutes)

I think subtly implying you trust them is more effective than, say, sitting them down to announce your intention to leave them alone for however long. Less daunting that way.

I like this. It's my style, and my dad's too.
PS: tall is good! 😊

Dd, not dad!
Bloomin' autocorrect!!