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

[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?

Elementary schools have before care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Elementary schools have before care.

Not all of them.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you implement a rule about missing the bus and outline the consequences. That way accidentally oversleeping doesn't become a problem. Make sure DD knows that if she misses the bus, she loses her electronics or something else for 3 days.

[Anonymous]

Totally fine. Kids of that age are capable to make themselve breakfast (mine was also packing her lunch by herself), get up with the alarm clock and get dressed. They learn fast the consequences of missing the bus. One of my kids was doing it since elementary school. It make them mature very quick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally fine. Kids of that age are capable to make themselve breakfast (mine was also packing her lunch by herself), get up with the alarm clock and get dressed. They learn fast the consequences of missing the bus. One of my kids was doing it since elementary school. It make them mature very quick.

How do you know they're preparing healthy meals? I just caught my 12 year old daughter eating oatmeal out of the packet as her breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

Well hey there sanctimommy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally fine. Kids of that age are capable to make themselve breakfast (mine was also packing her lunch by herself), get up with the alarm clock and get dressed. They learn fast the consequences of missing the bus. One of my kids was doing it since elementary school. It make them mature very quick.

How do you know they're preparing healthy meals? I just caught my 12 year old daughter eating oatmeal out of the packet as her breakfast.

First of all, eating out of the packet has nothing to do with healthy choice, but with manners, that should be thought way before the age of 12. We don't keep any processed food in the house. If you would have a whole oats in your pantry, not a processed flakes, I doubt she would be munching on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

Good lord. I got myself up & off to school every morning as a middle schooler. Miraculously, I've still somehow managed to not only have close relationships with both of my parents but to make it to age 38 without spending a single minute in therapy due to their gross negligence. Amazing, I know!

[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.

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

The big deal is that they don't wake up in time to catch the bus.

The PP you were responding to was answering tge first PP's question about what happens when a kid is not feeling well enough to go to school in the morning & there is no parent home. If a kid is too sick to go to school, whether or not he or she wakes up in time to catch the school bus is obviously irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

Yes. I never understood why people who have such little interest spending time with their children bother having them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally fine. Kids of that age are capable to make themselve breakfast (mine was also packing her lunch by herself), get up with the alarm clock and get dressed. They learn fast the consequences of missing the bus. One of my kids was doing it since elementary school. It make them mature very quick.

How do you know they're preparing healthy meals? I just caught my 12 year old daughter eating oatmeal out of the packet as her breakfast.

First of all, eating out of the packet has nothing to do with healthy choice, but with manners, that should be thought way before the age of 12. We don't keep any processed food in the house. If you would have a whole oats in your pantry, not a processed flakes, I doubt she would be munching on them.

What does manners have to do with it? She was eating it on her own not at the breakfast table with her family. The point is 12 year old kids are KIDS. Yes they can get themselves out the door and won't starve, but a lot of them aren't taking care of themselves in the most healthy or responsible way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

Yes. I never understood why people who have such little interest spending time with their children bother having them.

Sad to have such judge-y mommies. Make sure you pass the judgement on to your kids. And that you teach your daughters to marry for wealth so they don't have be sad mommies. Bet you have a wasted expensive degree and credentials to your name, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad to have kids and not be able to be there for them. Some of us are lucky enough and able to sacrifice income to be there to send the kids off and be there when they come home. For me its the whole reason for having kids - to be with them. I would leave them alone if I had to for survival, short of that Ill drive older cars and spend time with them.

Yes. I never understood why people who have such little interest spending time with their children bother having them.

Sad to have such judge-y mommies. Make sure you pass the judgement on to your kids. And that you teach your daughters to marry for wealth so they don't have be sad mommies. Bet you have a wasted expensive degree and credentials to your name, too?

I don't consider being able to actually actively parent my child as a waste. Honestly it's what I've always wanted most in life and I'm damn grateful I can do it.

[Anonymous]

What does manners have to do with it? She was eating it on her own not at the breakfast table with her family. The point is 12 year old kids are KIDS. Yes they can get themselves out the door and won't starve, but a lot of them aren't taking care of themselves in the most healthy or responsible way.

I am home with my kids while they get ready for school every morning before I go to work. We have never once sat down to have breakfast as a family on a school day although I guess I occasionally manage to put an egg on a piece of toast. Usually, none of us wants to eat at 6:30 in the morning and the kids prefer to sleep as late as possible because they are normal teenagers who don't go to sleep at 8:30. So while I'm home, I'm not really "spending time" with them.

The MS feeds kids lunch at 10:30 in the morning, which seems like a normal breakfast time to me. My kids will take a banana and a kind bar if they don't feel like eating. Is it really "unhealthy" and "irresponsible" to have a less than perfect breakfast? (I won't even get started on the "why weren't those whole oats" poster) I grew up in the 80s eating a pop tart for breakfast while my SAHM slept in. It was fine!

To answer OP, I think because of early start times at most schools in the area, most MS kids likely have at least one parent home (I've never needed to leave for work before 7:30). Parents with early start times at work or really long commutes might have a different experience.