unattended child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok DCUM is unanimous! I’m glad I asked here.

I think if your child is the sort that will sit quietly in the back and read a book, it’s fine to bring them to Back to School night with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok DCUM is unanimous! I’m glad I asked here.

I think if your child is the sort that will sit quietly in the back and read a book, it’s fine to bring them to Back to School night with you.

+1 just bring them. People at my kid’s school bring all kinds of kids to BTSN and they are NOT all quiet and well behaved and reading a book, let me tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My public library says no children allowed can be without a supervising adult under the age of 15 which I think is crazy. A 9th grader can’t go to the library? I have neighbors who have their 4th graders bike through traffic to the 7 11 store alone which is way more full of weirdos (plus the danger of traffic) than our library.

The library doesn't have the rule because of the child's safety. The library has that rule because so many people raise feral children who will get into destructive activities while unsupervised in the library, and librarians are not babysitters and not meant to be engaging in discipline of children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you just leave them at your home

It’s 30 minutes each way. Can I leave a 9 year old home alone for 2+ hours?

That was about the age I started to leave my kids home alone. I would let my neighbor across the street know, and my kids knew they could go to her if they had any issues. They were quiet kids, and if it was going to be longer than 30 minutes or so, I’d set them up with a movie before I left the house.

I would be worried about a fire or similar emergency

That gets into the maturity of the child and also what kind of support is around. My kids were very well-behaved and comfortable with our neighbors, plus we literally live on a culdesac off of a culdesac, so it’s a quiet street. In different circumstances I might have waited longer to let them be by themselves.

[Anonymous]

Ask the library.

[Anonymous]

Check library policy. Most won’t allow children under 12 unattended. Even if they did, I wouldn’t do this. Get a sitter.

[Anonymous]

I would ask a friend or neighbor for a playdate.

[Anonymous]

Bring your kid to BTS night with a book. Almost every parent does at ours or nobody would attend. I always brought mine.

Single parent teacher

[Anonymous]

It’s fine to bring them-especially an older kid like this. Our back to school night was yesterday. Several parents had their kid with them, but not out of necessity-both parents were in attendance so one of them could have stayed home with the kid. It’s because the people who bring their kids to our back to school night just feel like the information doesn’t apply to them about bringing children. It’s those parents I judge-not the ones who clearly didn’t have a choice.

[Anonymous]

Do not do your library plan. I'd be very uncomfortable with that because libraries let whomever in...

All of the following are better options:

(1) skip it (teacher always circulates the presentation/powerpoint afterwards anyways)
(2) get a babysitter
(3) bring him with a book - he reads quietly in the hall (there will be a few other kids, trust me)
(4) he stays at your home alone with a way to contact you (landline, dumbphone, ipad that can make calls, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Contact your school and say that no kids allowed is an undue burden. Bring your kid with you. Everyone will give you the side eye, but they won't physically stop you.

Our PTA paid for childcare during BTSN. The teachers made liberal use of it, and some parents brought their kids too. It's what civilized people do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine to bring them-especially an older kid like this. Our back to school night was yesterday. Several parents had their kid with them, but not out of necessity-both parents were in attendance so one of them could have stayed home with the kid. It’s because the people who bring their kids to our back to school night just feel like the information doesn’t apply to them about bringing children. It’s those parents I judge-not the ones who clearly didn’t have a choice.

How do you know that the reason both parents were in attendance wasn't because they have more than one kid and needed to go to multiple classrooms? Our school has two sessions within the night, which is nice, but I have a few friends with three kids in ES -- so both parents need to be there or they miss one kid's classroom.

[Anonymous]

NO!

Not because I think it is wrong (I don’t) but because these days you could really get in a lot of trouble for doing this. So many busybodies. Not worth it.

Do you really even need to attend BTS night?! Our school/teachers always sent out an email with all relevant info anyway- there are always parents who cannot make it.

Otherwise you’d be better off leaving your child at home alone, presuming this school is not far from home (and your child has a way to contact you). But presumably this would be a new thing for you both, and really not worth it for BTS night.

Assuming you have no option for a play date or sitter, that is. Which would be ideal.

Personally I would just skip BTS night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you just leave them at your home

It’s 30 minutes each way. Can I leave a 9 year old home alone for 2+ hours?

Yes.

Legally, you can leave kids home alone starting at age 8 though you should use common sense to decide if your kid is ready. My oldest was biking all over the neighborhood at that age, my second kid is another story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you just leave them at your home

It’s 30 minutes each way. Can I leave a 9 year old home alone for 2+ hours?

That was about the age I started to leave my kids home alone. I would let my neighbor across the street know, and my kids knew they could go to her if they had any issues. They were quiet kids, and if it was going to be longer than 30 minutes or so, I’d set them up with a movie before I left the house.

I would be worried about a fire or similar emergency

That gets into the maturity of the child and also what kind of support is around. My kids were very well-behaved and comfortable with our neighbors, plus we literally live on a culdesac off of a culdesac, so it’s a quiet street. In different circumstances I might have waited longer to let them be by themselves.

And this is exactly why in areas where there are policies but no laws they refer ultimate judgement back to the parents/guardians. My kids (all old enough to be alone for at least an hour) also are perfectly comfortable running to knock on the doors of neighbors they've known their entire lives and have pretty strict rules about using appliances and similar while they're home alone.