'Home alone' - what age?

UglyBetty

You say 'we' so perhaps you are not on your own. Go to classes separately so that an adult is always at home. At 10 years old could your child manage adult callers at the door with malicous intent, an attempted break -in or a fire? What alternative safe arrangements could you make? Just think of the worst case scenario and decide whether you are prepared to take the risk.

baileysbattlebus

When mine were young I worked and we had a childminder for the 3 of them, before school and 3 afternoons after school, they were with her from the eldest being about 8.
When he was 11 or 12 (first year of high school), he asked if could have a key and come home on his own instead of going to the childminder. When they started high school they walked from her house to school and then back to her house afterwards - school was 30 to 40 minute walk. In junior school she took them to school and back.
Anyway, we gave him in key on the strict understanding that if there was a problem he had to go the childminders, and occasionally when picking the girls up he would be there, had forgotten his key or what ever. As the girls started high school they too were allowed to come home instead of childminders. This was the age I first allowed them to go to town on the bus on their own. I remember being like a wreck the first time one of them went - they had instructions to phone home (reverse charges) if there were any problems.
Most kids are pretty sensible realy and like to have a bit of responsibility and independance and of course they want to feel a bit more grown up, the only things I insisted on were no friends in the house and no cooking, if they were hungry they could have a sandwich, and no fighting or arguing, world war 3 was not to break out until I got home !! They were home for about an hour to an hour and a half on their own before I got home.

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