At what age would you let your child get up and go downstairs Un supervised?

[MrsT&Ben]

As a kid I can always remember getting up and watching the telly whilst my parents still slept.
What age do you think is acceptable to let them start doing this? My son is a sensible 5 year old and bloody lazy so wouldn't even think to get himself breakfast etc. I can't say it would happen often as I have a baby too but on the odd occasion it might be nice not to have to get up!

 

[k4th]

I think it's more about my lo's independent skills than how old she'll be. She is also very sensible. So when she can work the TV by herself & get herself a drink, if not a proper breakfast, I'd let her. I might walk her through the process a few times so I know she can do it all.

Eta: if she struggled with any of the above things I know she'd just come back upstairs & wake us up - so it would be no big deal.

Although I can imagine the days I'll come downstairs & find her covered in glue & craft bits because she didn't want to watch TV IMO - a small price to pay for a sleep in!!!!

 

[mummy2_1]

If ur confident ur lo would be sensible and not injure themselves, I would let them take little steps in this independence. Maybe start letting them go down stairs and u going down 30mins later. Then maybe start leaving out a bowl of dry cereal and a small jug of measured milk so they can pour it in themselves, a drink that is ready on the side.for them.to help themselves to and leaving it a little longer before going down


I think as soon as my lo masters the stairs on his own, I'd feel happy letting him go down alone. (few years yet. We have very steep steps) he is already very independent addiNg his Own milk to cereal, and getting his drink of the side by himself, he can switch the telly on already,and plays well with his toys. He outs his rubbish in the bin and pots in the sink.

 

[mayb_baby]

My sons 4 and he goes into the playroom (same floor as he cant pass the stair gate for our 1yo) and plays until we get up on the weekend. X

 

[Boomerslady]

I don't live in a house so it's much easier, as no stairs and I can hear everything! i've been doing this for the last 6 months or so since he turned 5. He comes and wakes me up and we have a chat and cuddle in my bed, then I make his breakfast and set him up in the front room with it, and toys and iPad. Then generally I go back to bed (I rarely fall back to sleep because he must disturb me about 4 times at least!) but occasionally I've drifted off and he's happy just playing.

My nephew whose just turned 7 gets himself up, makes his own breakfast and puts the tele on, so it might be another year or 2 before I have to stop waking up before 6am!!!

 

[kerrie24]

My son 5 and he has recently been allowed to go downstairs with his sister(9) as she is up before 6 every day. They put tv on and get something like milk and a biscuit but come up and ask if they want anything else. I normally go down by 7 so they are happy sitting quietly till then when I make their breakfast.

 

[Rhio92]

Connor is 4 1/2 and he goes down in the morning to watch tv, but he doesn't make his own breakfast - he struggles with the milk! He's fine downstairs by himself for a bit x

 

[Natsku]

No stairs here and Maria can't switch on the telly herself so on weekends I get up and switch the telly on and get her a snack and then I go back to bed. Feel quite confident she won't get into trouble. I'd trust her with stairs as well if we had them as she's been fine on stairs since she was a year old really.

Guess its going to be a while longer before I don't actually have to get up first but at least I can snooze for a bit longer after sorting her out.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Mine did when I had Jade so 6 and 8. They never did before then. Not sure why, they could have managed from 6ish.

When J was born I would leave cups, juice and cereal bars/fruit on the side.

Now they are allowed to use toaster too.

That said, I'm usually first up haha but they are allowed down anytime after 7.

 

[alibaba24]

i would trust my 5 year old to do this now even though in the morning it is me waking her up lol

 

[BrittRashel]

Matt just started getting up by himself so 6. He doesn't make his own breakfast though as we don't eat processed food so he'll play on the computer until around 7:30 or 8 then come get me up to make him breakfast.

 

[Cattia]

My four and five year old go downstairs and play together but don't yet get their own breakfast. They have only really started doing this the past month or so and I don't tend to properly go back to sleep, so I can hear them.

 

[RachA]

Mine ate 5 and nearly 8 and i allow them to go downstairs on their own. The eldest will sometimes make breakfast for him and his sister.

However they are not allowed to put the tv on themselves. They have plenty of toys so i dont see the need for them to put the tv on.
It's nothing to do with them not being responsible-I just think if you are not there then you don't actually know what they are watching

 

[Eleanor ace]

My DS is 4 in July and for the last 3 months or so (so since abut 3.5) he's been going down to the middle floor to play in the playroom when he wakes up. He doesn't know how to put the TV on an doesn't get himself breakfast, if he wants something to eat he'll come and let me know but usually I'm up before then (he doesn't want breakfast or at least 30 minutes after he wakes up). He plays with his toys and if he want anything he'll just come and ask me. He's very sensible so I don't worry about him being downstairs alone.

 

[Lauraxamy]

My LO's can't switch the TV on by themselves yet but they're 5 and 3 a half and they'll get up and go downstairs (if it's light, they won't in the winter when the dark mornings come) and play with the toys in the dining room. They don't make their own breakfast though and I wouldn't expect them to just yet. I'm usually down 10-15 mins later anyway because I'll either be up if it's an early morning for us or they'll wake up me going downstairs and playing anyway.

 

[Wriggley]

DS1 is 4 and he goes down stairs by himself. i go down to turn the telly on for him and get him a glass of milk then we all have breakfast when we are all up

 

[Snow Owl]

Dylan (2) gets up and tends to go downstairs and gets his trains out for a bit before coming and jumping on me.

Without locking his door there is nothing we could do as he can open doors and climb the stair gates!

We always bolt the kitchen door so he doesn't have access to anything dangerous

 

[mummy_ellie09]

Once he's woken me up, Josh usually goes back into his room and watches his tv. There are times he'll go downstairs and watch tv but I always get him to tell me he's going down first. The only thing he helps himself to are his frubes thankfully so I've no need to worry yet lol

 

[AP]

Alex gets up all hours of the night and sneaks the TV on or reads books, and she doesnt compromise her safety,(we always chase her back) but, if we had stairs I wouldnt let them go up and down themselves at any time, but Alexs gross motor skills are behind a bit to be fair

 

[RaspberryK]

DS would probably be fine but as he isn't yet 4 I don't let him because I would fall asleep.
He is downstairs unsupervised while I shower and get ready in the morning which is a start.
On the weekend if he wakes before 7.30 I send him back to bed with a film downloaded on the tablet and some snacks/drink.
xx