Opinion on leaving 13 yr old and 9 yr old home alone while working 9-5?

dandelionclock30

I think if it was me I'd try and get someone to keep an eye on them like a neighbour or can they go to a relatives somedays?
Even if my children were sensible I would worry about them having all the neighbourhood kids in.Other peoples kids wont be bothered about your house and respecting it.
I'd be trying to get some time off work and to sort something out with other parents like if you keep an eye on theirs they will also return the favour.

geoffky

grey_lady wrote: »

It's illegal - for all the reasons listed above. I would think MSE probably have to pass on your IP address to the police and social services to check up on a parent !!!!ing stupid enough to leave a 13 year old in charge of a 9 year old full time for 6 weeks.

No its not...

Care to tell me what law? :cool:

MarilynMonroe_2

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Hi,
i am just interested in opinions.

Would you leave your 13 year old and 9 year old home alone together from 8.30am-5.30pm for 6 weeks (during summer holidays)?

Or what about 8.30am-1pm?

What would be the advantages/disadvantages of doing this?

They generally get on really well, never come to blows when i leave them for a few hours to go food shopping, and the 13 year old is trustworhy (although he wont have to cook or anything).

13 yr old maybe at a push depending on their maturity but defintly not a 9 yr old, and i wouldn't put the responsibilty onto a 13 yr old to look after the 9 yr old.

Abbafan1972

What did you end up doing OP?

WantToBeSE

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

What did you end up doing OP?

I have got a job (self-employed, via an agency) :j that is 9.30am-12.30pm 4 days a week. So i am only leaving them for just over 3 hours a day (my commute is a 5 mins drive).
Also, my neighbour finishes work (from the night shift) at 10am, so pops in to visit them a few times (normally just the once, but twice if i ask) between 10am-12.30am.

All the paperwork that's involved (1 morning/evening a week) can be done at home too.

We sat down and made some 'family rules', such as what the boys expected of me (to have my phone on, and be contactable at all times) and what i expected of them (to act sensibly).

They have the neighbours phone number (although they only live next door), and we went through the 'what to do in the event of an emergency' routine (they already knwe it, but just to double check).

It has worked out really well, both the kids love it, and it makes our lives so much easier.

barbarawright

Good for you. I bet they'll enjoy the responsibility of looking after themselves, eating some rubbish food and watching some rubbish tv and then spending the afternoon with their mum

bagpussbear

Glad you found a solution that worked out well for you.

WantToBeSE

Thanks barbara and bagpuss

Janey3

That's great news WantToBeSE.

I've been following your thread but felt it inappropriate of me to add anything as I am from the generation where me and my school friends were working at 13years of age in the school holidays and also taking a share in looking after our younger siblings when we had to.

Wishing you all the luck in the world.

bestpud

Glad it's worked out ok for you all. :j