Home alone or not?

[TessApricot]

I’m starting a job soon which will mean that one day a week, my DC (11 and 9) will be home 10-30 minutes before I get home (depending on traffic). They are both sensible and it’s on a Friday which is a day they’re allowed screens so will both immediately be on their iPads. My DH works a 5 minute walk from our house so could be there very quickly if they call. They have just started walking home from school alone but I am not exaggerating, it is a 1 minute walk - we live right by the school! So, with all these facts in mind, would you let them be home alone for this time or would you make them go to after school care? They would much rather just go home. I really can’t decide if I’m being irresponsible even considering it!

They are definitely on the cusp of ok/not ok. I think I would trial it and see how they get on. I would make them phone either you or dh when they are both in.

@Spanglebangle I thought I would call them from my car and check they’d got in, and oh no answer I would call DH and get him to pop home to check!

How will they get in? Do they have their own key?

I was quite robust about things like this and would happily leave 8 yr old DS for 10/15 mins while I picked up DD but for the 9 year old, in the winter I think it’s a bit too soon for up to half an hour.

Sounds absolutely fine to me. I wouldn’t even consider after school care for 30 minutes for a 9 year old.

I'd definitely do it if they get on. My 9 year old is having to isolate at the moment so I've been leaving him for 10-15 mins whilst I do the school run.

Mine are 11 (only just turned this week and my situation has been the case since august, so say 10) and 7. Last year I just had enough time to get from work to pick up but then due to covid the finish times were staggered. I'm now 10-20 minutes late for dd2 who finishes 10
Mines later than dd1. Dd1 waits and collect dd2. They hang about at the school gates (no roads) or they go to the play park just yards away. Always lots of parents around and the school are aware and staff obviously still in. A couple of times if the weather has been bad they've walked home and got in minutes before me. It's working well so I imagine the scenario you suggest would be ok for them by next year. I think it totally depends on your dc (and the neighbours you have) but especially as dh is so close I can't see it being a problem.

My girls are 9 and 12. I mostly work from home but on the odd occasion when I’m out at the end of the school day, they’re absolutely fine being home alone for half an hour. We have a key safe outside the front door and they love using it.

Yeah I would do it.

Even if they lost the key worst case scenario is waiting 30 mins.

I would say the 9 year old is too young and the 11 year old would depend on how confident I would be that they could handle an emergency

I think that's totally fine.

With that whole combination of circumstances, I'd say yes.

Sounds fine to me.

When my mum got a part-time job we children still at primary school had to come home and start doing things for lunch before she and my dad got in.

When my sister went to secondary school I was in (what is now) Y5 and as the oldest had charge of the key. Younger sister was Y2 and the following year my brother started in Y1. We were home without adults for about half an hour, three days a week.

It was never a problem.

Ok thank you - I’m glad most of you are thinking the same as me. I need to work out the key thing - a key safe is a good idea. They’ll probably still be working it out by the time I get home.
In less than a year my eldest will have to get himself to secondary school half an hour away so I need to start giving him some independence - I’ve wrapped him in cotton wool until now.

I think that is fine. Giving the older one a bit of responsibility and building younger one's independence. Ideal that Dad is 5 minutes away in case of any problems.

I think 9 is too young to be left alone (but I might be especially soft!).

At 11 it would depend on the child, but I wouldn't expect them to be responsible for a younger sibling at that age.

My older dd has a key, if she lost it in our case it would only be minutes they'd have to wait unless I was delayed but lots of my neighbours are working from home just now. In your case of timing I'd probably leave a spare key with one of them but again you have your DH such a short distance away. Dd texts me when she's collected dd2 and the 2 occasions they've walked home she's text to tell me then text once in the house.

Sounds fine. It's only half an hour, worst case scenario and they lose their keys and phones they do a brisk walk around the block to keep warm.

The 11 year old definitely. They’re plenty old enough and assuming y6, will be staring high school in 9 months time. As for the 9 year old. It very much depends on the child as an individual. Are they mature? Will they wind their old sibling up? Are they easily wound up by their older sibling? Will you return home every day and have to referee an argument? If they’re sensible and get on well I’d be tempted to try it and see if it worked out, but with child care for the younger one as a back up plan. I wouldn’t pay out for child care for an 11 year old that’s only going to be alone for max 30 mins though.