How old to leave a child home alone for 10-30 minutes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:11 WOW! Your kid was a 4 year old kindergartner?

She's so smart!

I was a 4 year old kindergartener....what's the big deal about that?

In this area (VA and MD) they no longer allow 4 year olds to start kindergarten in public school, except under very rare specific situations.

So being a 4 year old kindergartner is a novelty, and not the average.

The kindergarten entry cutoff date in Virginia is September 30th, so of course there are 4-year-olds in K, unless the\y are red-shirted. A non-red-shirted September birthday is 7 at the start of third grade.

Same in DC. There will be several 4 year-olds in my daughters kindergarten class, basically all with birthdays before September 30. This isn't a smart or not question, this is the age cut off.

I'm fairly certain I will be able to leave my child to run simple errands by 7. We live in a condo, and she has no problem with us going to the trash room now that she is almost six. She knows almost everyone on our hall and who could help in an emergency. The only question I would have is about how to call 911. We don't have a home line. How do others deal with this as their kids get to that more Independant age, do you just buy them phones?

[Anonymous]

If you don't have a home line, I think you should get your child a cell phone if only to keep in the home.

I wouldn't be comfortable without a land line in the house for emergencies although I know many people just use their cells. Probably a good idea if you get your child a cell to be sure she always keeps it charged up and in the same location at home. Good habit to start early.

[Anonymous]

Friends from Finland let their 8 year old walk home from school and either go to a friend's house or stay home by herself for several hours. I can't believe people are complaining about 7 year olds being left alone for 5-10 minutes. When is the US going to realize these children will be adults someday soon?

[Anonymous]

11

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
And, contrary to what you might assume, I left my children alone from about age 7, but I started in about 3-minute increments.

Where can you go and come back from in 3 minutes that would constitute leaving a child home alone? I'm not being snarky; I'm sincerely curious.

[Anonymous]

Letting a kid travel solo in public seems very different than leaving them home alone. The idea of leaving a seven year old at home alone gives me hives--I think I was probably eleven or twelve before my mother left me at home by myself--but I was traveling to school under my own steam since about eight or nine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And, contrary to what you might assume, I left my children alone from about age 7, but I started in about 3-minute increments.

Where can you go and come back from in 3 minutes that would constitute leaving a child home alone? I'm not being snarky; I'm sincerely curious.

A walk around the block as a try-out, for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And, contrary to what you might assume, I left my children alone from about age 7, but I started in about 3-minute increments.

Where can you go and come back from in 3 minutes that would constitute leaving a child home alone? I'm not being snarky; I'm sincerely curious.

You live in the 'burbs and go everywhere by car, don't you? I can easily walk to the post office, grocery store and numerous little shops in our neighborhood, and back, in 3 minutes.

[Anonymous]

With a baby monitor going, I left an infant alone for a few minutes while I was outside, but would have been in in seconds if I heard anything.

We left our 8 yo alone during daylight hours for upto 1/2 hrs. Now, at 10, we will leave her alone a little longer, and sometimes in the evening, but no longer than 45 min-1 hr. And that is for events like Back to school night.

I can not imagine leaving an 8 yo watching a 4 yo

My 8 yo watches my 2 yo all the time, for up to an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

With a baby monitor going, I left an infant alone for a few minutes while I was outside, but would have been in in seconds if I heard anything.

We left our 8 yo alone during daylight hours for upto 1/2 hrs. Now, at 10, we will leave her alone a little longer, and sometimes in the evening, but no longer than 45 min-1 hr. And that is for events like Back to school night.

I can not imagine leaving an 8 yo watching a 4 yo

My 8 yo watches my 2 yo all the time, for up to an hour.

Kudos to you for having such a mature and responsible child. I know some 8-year-olds who could do this, and plenty of 12-year-olds (mine included) who couldn't. Only a few decades ago, children this age were routinely left in charge of younger siblings and I think that for the most part that was a good thing, and produced 12-year-olds (and 15,20,25-year-olds, etc.) who were more self-reliant and mature than today's children. However, it is also against the law in most jurisdictions and could get you in serious trouble. So I hope that you have a neighbor who is always home when you do this, and who would be prepared to say that they were the adult in charge in the (unlikely) case that something bad happens and the authorities become involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:11 WOW! Your kid was a 4 year old kindergartner?

She's so smart!

I was a 4 year old kindergartener....what's the big deal about that?

In this area (VA and MD) they no longer allow 4 year olds to start kindergarten in public school, except under very rare specific situations.

So being a 4 year old kindergartner is a novelty, and not the average.

The kindergarten entry cutoff date in Virginia is September 30th, so of course there are 4-year-olds in K, unless the\y are red-shirted. A non-red-shirted September birthday is 7 at the start of third grade.

Same in DC. There will be several 4 year-olds in my daughters kindergarten class, basically all with birthdays before September 30. This isn't a smart or not question, this is the age cut off.

I'm fairly certain I will be able to leave my child to run simple errands by 7. We live in a condo, and she has no problem with us going to the trash room now that she is almost six. She knows almost everyone on our hall and who could help in an emergency. The only question I would have is about how to call 911. We don't have a home line. How do others deal with this as their kids get to that more Independant age, do you just buy them phones?

So yes a few children will be 4 in K up until Sept 30, then they will be 5 for most of the rest of the year. In first grade, they will be 5 at first, then 6. In second grade, they will be 6 at first, then 7. So the pp with the 7 year old 3rd grader must have skipped a grade or something. It is certainly not ordinary to be 7 in 3rd grade. My first grader is 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

With a baby monitor going, I left an infant alone for a few minutes while I was outside, but would have been in in seconds if I heard anything.

We left our 8 yo alone during daylight hours for upto 1/2 hrs. Now, at 10, we will leave her alone a little longer, and sometimes in the evening, but no longer than 45 min-1 hr. And that is for events like Back to school night.

I can not imagine leaving an 8 yo watching a 4 yo

My 8 yo watches my 2 yo all the time, for up to an hour.

Really? I think watching a 2 yo is particularly hard. I really don't think this is a good idea at all.

[Anonymous]

I leave 9 year old for up to two hours he usually calls once to check in or I call him. If he's uncomfortable deal is I will come home right away. Usually only 15 minutes away.

I have left my 7 year old for 30 minutes.

Rules for both: don't answer phone or doorbell, unless caller id says its me, tv homework I touch, books only. Snack ok but no microwave, stove etc. no knives no scissors. They have neighbors numbers and my mom lives within 15 minutes.

I think it teaches them responsibility

[Anonymous]

Really? I think watching a 2 yo is particularly hard. I really don't think this is a good idea at all.

It depends very much on the kids involved. Growing up, I watched my siblings all the time, starting at a young age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:11 WOW! Your kid was a 4 year old kindergartner?

She's so smart!

I was a 4 year old kindergartener....what's the big deal about that?

In this area (VA and MD) they no longer allow 4 year olds to start kindergarten in public school, except under very rare specific situations.

So being a 4 year old kindergartner is a novelty, and not the average.

What are you talking about? I live in VA and my kid is starting kindergarten at age 4, turning 5 after the school year begins. I am not a "very rare specific" exception.