Leaving children/grandchildren alone

[Daisy]

I know the law is very vague on the age at which it's permissible to leave children on their own in the house, and of course, we've all negotiated that particular hurdle many years ago.

But I'm just wondering at what age you felt able to leave your own children, and for how long, and if you feel it's different for your grandchildren?

[Oma]

I don’t think I left mine till they were about 14 but only ever while I went shopping .

as there was almost 8 years between mine once my DS turned 10 I would leave DD who was almost 18 by then in charge for a few hours but never overnight .

My DS although GS 2 is 14 won’t leave them alone at all and DD wouldn’t leave GS1 till he was almost 15 .

I think every parent have their own ideas , what is good for one isn’t for another , personally when I hear of 8-10 year old being left is a no no for me .

[Nanto2girls]

I think our eldest was about 14, so the youngest would have been11.
At the time i worked in a shop about 3 streets away from home.
When hubby was on the afternoon shift,they would be on their own for a couple of hours.
The eldest used to come to the shop to get the door key after school.
They had the shop phone number in case they needed it.

[Gemini]

None of my GC (12, 9, almost 6) have ever been left alone by anyone. I suppose the time may be close when GD will be, but as a grandparent I will always take the lead from the parents. I wouldn't leave them alone until the parents had. Realistically I cant see a scenario where I would ever need to, but it could happen I suppose.

When DD3 was 3 her her sisters were 15 and 13, and that was the age I considered DD1 (a loving responsible older sister) could babysit and we went out, occasionally. In the evening not all day.
Once DD3 was at secondary school I think there was the odd time when she would be alone at home for a short while between getting in from school and me getting in. Not often as I worked part time and was often in before her on work days anyway.

Like going out alone, being home alone is something they need to learn to do, responsibly, but not until they are ready. I think junior school age is too young.

[Plantaholic]

It wasn’t a problem for us as we shared houses with my Mil. I did a job in a nursery school when DD was pre-school age and she came with me. DS was at school and I fetched him.

[Lizzie48]

GD1 had a key to the house for when she left school when she was 11 years old, she always kept in touch with the parents (or me). I suppose the same would go for GD2 but as the parents work from home now there is always someone home. They go to the village shopping etc on their own and have done for a few years. GD2 came home from football when we were there the other evening, she does that on her own.

I left my boys at a much younger age,I expect they were different times, it made them independent. When my father was ill I had to make a rush to the UK, DS2 was 12 at the time and DS1 15, I had to leave them and a very good neighbour kept an eye on them and it all went well.

[Daisy]

When we moved here my DS2 went to the village school, but DS1 who was 11 had to travel a long way to the comprehensive by train. So DS2 would be taken home by a friend and I picked DS1 up from the station after I'd finished college. So DS1 was only on his own for about 10 minutes, but he'd put the kettle on (wasn't allowed to make the tea!), get biscuits out and put the tv on. Then we'd all sit and watch Grange Hill. He felt very grown up being trusted to do that, and he still remembers it.

I was wondering if having modern technology makes any difference to the current generation of children?

DS1 and DIL have left GSs overnight a couple of times - they're 18 and 17 - and are leaving them for 3 nights this week-end. However, the house has security cameras and their parents can see who is coming or going. They all have phones, and DIL has left meals ready prepared for them. Their other grandma lives nearby and she's invited them round for a Sunday roast and the neighbours are very good and keep an eye out as well. We offered to have the dog, but GS1 wanted to keep him at home and he'd let the house fall down before neglecting Bailey!

They will have to get themselves off to work and college on Monday morning, but I can imagine Mum and Dad will be checking they're up and have fed the dog and cat etc.

Lizzie - I think they rise to deal with an emergency like the one you had, and it's good for them to have the confidence to be as independent as possible.