DD is 12 and going into 7th grade this fall. She goes to camp until 4pm, then comes to my office and reads in the reception area after texting me that she's there. If I can, I go over to kiss her hello and give her a snack (I bring from home). Then at 5 we go home together.

During the school year she has team sports (volleyball, track) after school a few days a week. When she doesn't have team sports she can leave school and either come home and do homework or go to the library to do it. She doesn't like the library option because in the adult section there are a LOT of homeless/crazy people camped out there and in the kids section it's noisy.

On the days she's coming home after school I leave her a list of a few things to do (homework, call Grandma, make birthday card for Ella's party). Sometimes we'll agree she can come to my office. One day a week her school ends at 2pm and I try to get her to make plans with a school friend on that day so she's not sitting around alone for too long.

My kids are still in elementary and fine with the aftercare, but wondering do kids age out for such programs.
Do most middle school latch-key kids (sounds so 1980's) stay home solo? I fear after school parties, "canoodling" etc.