If both parents work and yiu have a 6th grader.

[Anonymous]

I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

What phone does he have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

What phone does he have?

He has an ipod touch he can text from. (imessage). He can also call me at work on our house phone, but he prefers to just text me when he gets home. Also, if I'm in a meeting or something, he knows I'll see the text on my cell, otherwise I might not get the work voicemail. He'll call me at work sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 6th grader who will be 11/12 in 6th grade. We have hosted Aupairs for the kids and I'm so incredibly tired of having another person in our house. Both DH and I work normal hours and I'm home by 5pm each day. DS will get off the bus at 340. I'm considering letting him be home alone from 3:40-5pm. At least once a week I WFH and when DH is not traveling (he travels once a week) he works from home. Anyone leave their 6th grader homr alone after school?

I also have a rising 2nd grader, but I'll put him in an after care program.

He is 11.5yrs old and you are worried to leave him alone??? He has been able to stay home alone since 8. Loosen the reigns a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

Why does your son have a phone? He is in 5th grade. Why can't he pick up the landline and call to say he is home - just like the millions of other kids back in the 80's, 90's, 00's and now that don't have cell phones as kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City of Rockville has programs for middle school kids at community center. We used them for 6th and 7th grade. DC really enjoyed them. We gave him the option of coming home alone but he preferred company. They also covered 1/2 days with field trips.

This. Check with your community center. I'm in Vienna and they also have a program for 6-8th graders.

Please stop. 8th graders needs a program? HELICOPTERS!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

Why does your son have a phone? He is in 5th grade. Why can't he pick up the landline and call to say he is home - just like the millions of other kids back in the 80's, 90's, 00's and now that don't have cell phones as kids.

Read the post above, not the OP but she says he has an iPod touch he can text from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

What phone does he have?

He has an ipod touch he can text from. (imessage). He can also call me at work on our house phone, but he prefers to just text me when he gets home. Also, if I'm in a meeting or something, he knows I'll see the text on my cell, otherwise I might not get the work voicemail. He'll call me at work sometimes.

Thanks. This is a stupid question, but is the itouch registered to you, is the text number the same? We have an ipad at home that uses wifi and texts to my cell go to it, too. I'm guessing DS can just use the ipad to text "himself" and I'll see it on my phone, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

What phone does he have?

He has an ipod touch he can text from. (imessage). He can also call me at work on our house phone, but he prefers to just text me when he gets home. Also, if I'm in a meeting or something, he knows I'll see the text on my cell, otherwise I might not get the work voicemail. He'll call me at work sometimes.

Thanks. This is a stupid question, but is the itouch registered to you, is the text number the same? We have an ipad at home that uses wifi and texts to my cell go to it, too. I'm guessing DS can just use the ipad to text "himself" and I'll see it on my phone, right?

He can just use the iPad to send messages to your phone. My 11 year old son does that if I leave him alone for a few hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

Why does your son have a phone? He is in 5th grade. Why can't he pick up the landline and call to say he is home - just like the millions of other kids back in the 80's, 90's, 00's and now that don't have cell phones as kids.

The person didn't say that her son had a phone -- see upthread!

But I plan to give my phone a cellphone when he reaches 6th grade since he'll be taking public transportation to and from school and there are no longer payphone -- unlike in the '80s when I went to high school. I used to call my mom from the payphone at school. Mine will have a commute that involves a Metro and a bus. Definitely want him to have a cellphone at that point. Does this answer your question about why one might have their 6th grade son have a phone?

[Anonymous]

My 11 year old 5th grader walks home by himself once a week and is home alone from 3:30-5pm. I make him stay inside until I get home, though. He doesn't have a cell phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

What phone does he have?

He has an ipod touch he can text from. (imessage). He can also call me at work on our house phone, but he prefers to just text me when he gets home. Also, if I'm in a meeting or something, he knows I'll see the text on my cell, otherwise I might not get the work voicemail. He'll call me at work sometimes.

Thanks. This is a stupid question, but is the itouch registered to you, is the text number the same? We have an ipad at home that uses wifi and texts to my cell go to it, too. I'm guessing DS can just use the ipad to text "himself" and I'll see it on my phone, right?

No, he has an iCloud email address and that allows him to iMessage. You can't text anyone without an iPhone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

Why does your son have a phone? He is in 5th grade. Why can't he pick up the landline and call to say he is home - just like the millions of other kids back in the 80's, 90's, 00's and now that don't have cell phones as kids.

You just be poor,

[Anonymous]

Must be

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let my 5th grader do this starting this year. He walks home, we live a block away, and I'm home about 90 minutes later. No issues. He texts me when he gets home.

Why does your son have a phone? He is in 5th grade. Why can't he pick up the landline and call to say he is home - just like the millions of other kids back in the 80's, 90's, 00's and now that don't have cell phones as kids.

Why shouldn't he have an iphone? Will it bring destruction and ruin? What is so virtuous about landlines? Please do share, because we have not had one of those ancient things for years now.