Is it common for middle schoolers to be home by themselves in the mornings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as there is a back up plan if he misses the bus..or it does not come..I think it is fine.

There is no back up plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't seem crazy to me (though I'm not sure my 6th grade ds would be up to it), but what happens if the daughter wakes up and is sick. Does she just stay alone?

OP here. It doesn't seem crazy to me either, but it certainly seems less than desirable.

My job pays me $63K per year which is certainly less than desirable. That's life.

So how did you manage mornings when your child was elementary age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't seem crazy to me (though I'm not sure my 6th grade ds would be up to it), but what happens if the daughter wakes up and is sick. Does she just stay alone?

OP here. It doesn't seem crazy to me either, but it certainly seems less than desirable.

My job pays me $63K per year which is certainly less than desirable. That's life.

So how did you manage mornings when your child was elementary age?

Dropped him off at the before school program. It was expensive but I didn't have any other choice. I was able to take my lunch hour whenever I wanted so I drove like a bat out of hell to pick him up at 3:30 and dropped him off with my neighbor until he was in 4th grade when I dropped him off at home. Then I drove back to work for another hour or so.

[Anonymous]

It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What happened when you were sick or missed the bus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What happened when you were sick or missed the bus?

I never missed the bus. If I was too sick to go to school, we knew that before my parents left, they called to say I'd be out and I stayed home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What happened when you were sick or missed the bus?

I never missed the bus. If I was too sick to go to school, we knew that before my parents left, they called to say I'd be out and I stayed home.

You were an amazingly responsible seven year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as there is a back up plan if he misses the bus..or it does not come..I think it is fine.

There is no back up plan.

Uber is cheaper than before care.

[Anonymous]

Über, taxi, neighbors these are all back up plans. Not a big deal. My kids have been getting up, lunches packed, door locked since the youngest were in 2nd/oldest in 5th. I'm usually in the shower or still sleeping when they are getting ready for the day. Sometimes I'm up and already ready and will make their lunches, walk them to the bus, etc. Independence is a beautiful thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What happened when you were sick or missed the bus?

I never missed the bus. If I was too sick to go to school, we knew that before my parents left, they called to say I'd be out and I stayed home.

You were an amazingly responsible seven year old.

Funny you say that. My parents remember me never listening or doing what I was supposed to, and I remember always being in trouble for something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't seem crazy to me (though I'm not sure my 6th grade ds would be up to it), but what happens if the daughter wakes up and is sick. Does she just stay alone?

OP here. It doesn't seem crazy to me either, but it certainly seems less than desirable.

What is the big deal, most middle school kids take an Advil and go back to sleep, maybe eat some Oodles of Noodles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor does this. He missed the bus once and asked me to drive him. His mom needs to work to pay the bills and feed her family. I work at home a few days a week so it was not a big deal.

My son would take the bus home and be alone in the afternoon some times. I don't see why he couldn't do it in the am.

If he were sick I would have him call me and I would drive home. I have left my sick middle schooler at home by himself.

You are a great neighbor!

[Anonymous]

OP, I had to do this with my older child and am doing it with my now 6th grader younger child.

It's not ideal, but there is no before care at school and my kids really would prefer staying home to before care anyhow.

I leave the house at 7:45 but my daughter's bus doesn't arrive till 8:45. I make sure she is awake by 7:30 so we have 15 minutes together to touch base. She showers at night and makes sure she has clothes and her lunch and HW and everything before I leave. I set the time for 1 hour so she won't forget to leave the house on time at 8:30.

We do not have a huge backup plan for if she misses the bus or it just doesn't come. She is capable of staying home alone all day but I don't want her to have to do it. She can text me all she wants. I could come home at lunch and driver her to school if I didn't have a friend or neighbor able to help out.

I really preferred elementary school where she came home and was on her own from 3 to 4 PM. I think that is easier emotinally on a kid, than staying home alone in the mornings. But it is what we have to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What was so important about what you wore to school..especially given your parents would not see it until the end of day if they had issues with it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. My mom left for her teacher job around 7:30 and I left for elementary school at 9am. I had to leave a note at home saying what I was wearing that day. Did this from second grade on. No problem.

What was so important about what you wore to school..especially given your parents would not see it until the end of day if they had issues with it?

I'm guessing it was in case she went missing, so they could provide a description.