Wait until 8 and 11

I do. My kids love it because they have no tech restrictions during date nights. We have an iPad we can use to contact them (and they can use to contact us) and we have neighbors we know and that my kids are comfortable with.

My DD just turned 11 and is very mature. DS is 7. They are typical close siblings- mostly get along well, but fighting is not unusual.

I wouldn't do it yet. I don't want to put that responsibility/worry on my 11 year old. Maybe next year.

I would wait till 8. Then if anything happens, you won't be seen quite as neglectful since 8 seems like the age for Maryland law.

Also--how far away would the date be? We have a shopping center .5 mile from our house with a few restaurants. We could be home in 3 min flat if there were an emergency. If you do go, stay as close to home as you can.

I never left my kids alone when they were 7, but they are 11 now (I have twins) and I would do it, but haven't. Honestly anything that would be a "quick dinner" we just take our kids with us. If it is a fancy non-kid friendly place, the dinner would usually be longer and we would just get a babysitter or ask my mom and make it a date night instead.

Ours are the same age. I leave them for 20 minutes to walk the dog in the neighborhood, but not yet for dinner or errands. I think they will be ready at 11 and 8. As another PP pointed out, 8 is the legal age they can stay home alone.

For a truly "quick dinner" , like an hour, I would. But a couple hours? No.

You should probably be fine but I personally would wait a year or two.

I would and have. We have a landline and both kids knew parent numbers by heart and also we had a safety plan if they got scared or whatever, they knew which neighbor to go to. 90 minutes is fine.

Have a special dessert after bed time. 7 seems young.

In MD you can’t legally until the 7yo turns 8. I doubt CPS would come banging on the door but just fyi. I wouldn’t leave them alone just to go to dinner. We would go out all together..

Depends how they get along and how mature they are. Some kids would be fine, some wouldn’t.

We have started leaving our 10 year old twins home alone occasionally to grab dinner nearby, and that has gone fine. My only concern with your situation would be the 7 year old, I don’t know if I’d leave my 10 year olds in charge of a 7 year old just yet.

I would feel guilty going out for dinner and leaving my 9yo home alone so
I sound get a sitter to do something fun with her.

Our kids are 10/7. Would it be ok to start leaving them for a couple hrs so DH and I can grab dinner? Or still hire a babysitter?