Nipping To The Shop

[babyrough]

I agree for me it is the what ifs. My son is 6 in May and I can go upstairs to shower or clean or tidy etc for hours while he's downstairs playing or watching tv and he's absolutely fine. But I can't even bare it when he's sitting in the car on the drive way and I have to run back into the house for something, my mind starts thinking of all these completely irrational worst case scenarios.
Saying that occasionally he plays on his bike out the front with his friends. I usually hover around in the kitchen so I can see him from the window and I literally pop my head out the door every 5 minutes to check on him. However the other kids his age round here are out for hours playing and I've never even seen their parents! It's very much individual choice.

 

[Tanikins]

I honestly don't think my son (6.5) would even notice if I left . Throw a tablet at him and he's in zombie mode.

Here schools allow them to walk alone from year 5 (9-10). So I guess around that age. If he can walk to school, play out alone then he can stay at home for 30 mins while I go to the shop

 

[caz_hills]

Interesting. I am clingy so would prefer like 23!

Seriously though, in the UK kids are allowed to walk to school in year 6 so that to me feels right - kids are 10-11. It will scare the life out of me the first time he goes anywhere without us / on his own but it’s life and he has to learn. I would never leave my kids in the house alone - I won’t for a LONG time.

 

[SarahBear]

Apparently my husband has been leaving our daughter "every day" to walk the dog. Yesterday she got scare and went into her room and cried herself to sleep... I have mentioned to him that he should only be doing something like this if he leaves her with a walkie talkie and stays within a block of the house. He said he won't be leaving her anymore.

 

[LilFooshFoosh]

DS is 7.5, we've left him home maybe 2 times to run DD down the street to care (literally 10 houses away) when he's been home sick (with a cold, not vomiting) on the couch, in front of the TV. <5 minutes

I'd like him to be able to wait for his bus and walk home from the bus, which is also only a couple of doors down. But he isn't allowed to by school rules until next year.

I live in a major city, but on a quiet one way street with houses only on one side and a park on the other. I know other parents in my city would think we are probably nuts for wanting to give him even that much independence. But I've lived here my whole life, my parents live 5 doors away and we (including the kids) know all of our neighbours.

My concern with leaving my child is if something happened to me while I'm out. I meant to be right back but get hit by a car...fall and get knocked out...break my leg...then what?

What if you were at home alone with your child when you fall down the stairs and are unconscious, what would your child do? I asked my son that question when he was 6 and he thought for a second and said I'd call Oma (my mum). So I said what if no one answered, he said he'd try miss Vanessa (the neighbour). I said no one is home. He said he'd call 911 (emergency). Children can be react in a responsible way but it comes down to the child.

Even knowing he would likely be fine, I am not comfortable chancing it yet. In a couple of years though I'm sure I'll be ready.

 

[Rags]

Ds is 8 and incredibly sensible and trust worthy - I wouldn't leave him in the house by himself for longer than 5 minutes, and even then only to be in the garden or nipping to a neighbours house. It's not that I don't think he's more than capable but what I might expect to be a quick 15 minutes run to the shops wouldn't necessarily end that way, could get caught in traffic or worse. As for walking home from school I apply the same principle my mum did with us based on research on brain development - a child can't distinguish distance related to speed until approximately 10 or older, therefore gaging the time available to cross in traffic is difficult - I'll keep walking him to and from school until he's out of primary!

 

[BabyBlondex]

My two are 6&4 (almost) and I’d never leave them at this age even though they could full be trusted going on how sensible they are (some of the time) I’m sure I was around 6 when my mum used to pop to the shop and I was fine but I guess things were different back then! I’d probably leave them to pop to the shop which is at the end of my street maybe when their like 10/11 I’m not sure I don’t know the right answer to this!

 

[minties]

Apparently my husband has been leaving our daughter "every day" to walk the dog. Yesterday she got scare and went into her room and cried herself to sleep... I have mentioned to him that he should only be doing something like this if he leaves her with a walkie talkie and stays within a block of the house. He said he won't be leaving her anymore.

Oh that is awful. Your poor daughter.