At what age would you leave children alone ?

pulliptears

When my DS was about 3 months old I got a job working nights at Tesco. Only a couple of nights a week but the money was brilliant. When he was tiny he was mostly asleep so I would fit in naps when he did. By the time he was 2 I would sleep on the sofa while he played. The room was secure and I'd put Tots TV on or something similar. At 3 he attended a nursery until lunch so I would take him there, snatch a couple of hours, pick him up and he would have a sleep himself after lunch so Id grab another hour.

For 3 years I was constantly knackered lol, but the money I earned paid the deposit on our home so it was worth it.

Alikay

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

Under 10 you wouldnt have a shower?

No. Not with them awake in the house. When I'm showering it's 10 minutes when I can't hear or see what's going on in the house at all, so pretty much like I'm not there.

Rockporkchop

No way would I sleep while a 5 and 6 year old were left to their own devices in my house. My friend left her 6 year old twin girls in the care of her "D"H while she went shopping for the afternoon. He felt poorly all of a sudden and took himself off to bed while they were playing nicely, when he came downstairs they had chopped each other's hair off. I shudder to think of what could have happened.

Tulip09 - OMG how terrible. Thank god you were all OK.

pulliptears

As for leaving them, DS is 17 now so not an issue, but he was a sensible kid so Id leave him for an hour or two from around 11. DD occasionally gets left for a few hours and she is coming up to 13, but nowhere near as savvy as her brother.

one_hot_minute

Alikay wrote: »

I don't think I'd go to sleep or take a shower with a child under say 10 awake in the house....

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

Under 10 you wouldnt have a shower?

You beat me too it!

Isn't that a little extreme? Mine are 6 and 8 and pretty happy to potter around whilst I get ready. They also go out to play at the park outside my garden alone, as long as they are in earshot of me, but often not in my line of vision.

My 8 year old has also started going to the corner shop.

I think if you teach them personal responsibility there is no need to mollycoddle them.

That said, at 5 and 6, yes they are far too young to be left unattended whilst the OP goes to bed for a "proper" sleep. Like others have suggested, everyone in the one room sort of thing for a catnap is fine, but not an actual deep sleep.

pinknfluffy0

Alikay wrote: »

No. Not with them awake in the house. When I'm showering it's 10 minutes when I can't hear or see what's going on in the house at all, so pretty much like I'm not there.

I would never shower if I had the rule. Im lucky my kids are really good, have been doing it since they were about 4 and 5, I just listen out for them.

shellsuit

At age 5 and 6 I wouldn't leave them alone while I slept.

You don't know what they would get upto, they could get out of the house, they could eat something they're not meant to, they could choke, they could burn or cut themselves, they could fight with each other, they could tumble down the stairs ~ Jesus, my heart would be in my mouth!

Like others have said, is there nobody who would watch them while you catch up on your sleep??

I think my 2 were around 8, (so 7, 8, 9) when I could do something (like shower or hoover in another room) without having to worry.

pinknfluffy0

one_hot_minute wrote: »

You beat me too it!

Isn't that a little extreme? Mine are 6 and 8 and pretty happy to potter around whilst I get ready. They also go out to play at the park outside my garden alone, as long as they are in earshot of me, but often not in my line of vision.

My 8 year old has also started going to the corner shop.

I think if you teach them personal responsibility there is no need to mollycoddle them.

That said, at 5 and 6, yes they are far too young to be left unattended whilst the OP goes to bed for a "proper" sleep. Like others have suggested, everyone in the one room sort of thing for a catnap is fine, but not an actual deep sleep.

Does he have to cross a road? My son will be 8 soon and I was wondering about letting him do that.

pinknfluffy0

shellsuit wrote: »

I think my 2 were around 8, (so 7, 8, 9) when I could do something (like shower or hoover in another room) without having to worry.

You couldn't be in another room till they were 8? were they really naughty or something?

one_hot_minute

Alikay wrote: »

No. Not with them awake in the house. When I'm showering it's 10 minutes when I can't hear or see what's going on in the house at all, so pretty much like I'm not there.

Does that apply to your own kids or are you fostering kids with challenging behaviour? If its the latter then I can see that you'd need to have your eye on the ball at all times, but there must be a better system in place to make sure you can turn your back for 5 mins without things going awry. How many kids do you foster at one time?