Reply to Would you leave a 6-7yo home alone for 10-30 min?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]When my husband used to travel a lot for work, I would often leave my four and six-year-olds at home while I went for a 40 minute run. If if they hadn’t been exceptionally well-behaved children, and there hadn’t been good neighbours in our street, I wouldn’t have done it.  If they were kids who broke rules or pushed boundaries, I wouldn’t have done it.

If your kid is going to look for matches, climb out the window, go outside into the street, etc,  
don’t do it, even if they are 8 years old. Eight years is not a magic figure. You need to use judgement based on your child’s maturity and development. [/quote]

I’m this poster. It sometimes surprises me how other people assess risk although it’s not clear whether some are just worried about breaking the law vs actual risk. The chance of a house fire or burglary in the 40 mins I was out running was minuscule. It’s not like I was doing this every day. On the other hand, I was the mother who kept her kids in a five point harness seat and in the back row long after their friends had moved to booster seats because the risk of a car accident isn’t minuscule and evidence shows five point harnesses and being in the backseat are MUCH more effective in protecting children from serious injury.

In terms of emotional damage, I’m not seeing it yet. You realise that in many cultures, independence is encouraged at a much younger age and everyone isn’t damaged by it. But of course you have to do it, thoughtfully. My children knew how to phone me and, since I was running from my house, it wasn’t like I was going to be stuck in traffic.  I was very attuned to their reaction after the first time and wouldn’t have done it again, if they had seemed upset or disturbed.[/quote]

You’re a selfish pig [/quote]

No. She's rational. [/quote]

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