Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS1 - 7
DD1 - 8
DD2 - 7
DD3 - 9 (there were so many older kids around it didn't even come up until then).

Leaving 7 yr olds home alone could get you a CPS visit and a lot of trouble. Not safe

Totally not worried about it. Firstly, they are no longer these ages. secondly, nobody was paying attention to the point of calling CPS. You suburban people are such busybodies.

It’s neglectful to leave a 7 yr old home alone. Terrible parenting

Lol, okay. I'll start feeling bad about my parenting any day now. Because you said so.

Anonymous wrote:NP. For those that have kids coming home when you’re not home (rather than going out and leaving them alone once they’re already home), do you have a key lock or code lock?

We have key lock on front door, and code lock on the garage. Have never had an issue. Also have a spare key hidden and have never needed. Keep meaning to get code lock for front door, haven’t gotten around to it…

Anonymous wrote:NP. For those that have kids coming home when you’re not home (rather than going out and leaving them alone once they’re already home), do you have a key lock or code lock?

Code lock. Front door and garage.

My 11 yo 6th grader came home from school once a week and let herself in (my in-office day). Never a problem. She has a key on a long string in her bag so she never needs to take it out of her bag to use it so it never gets forgotten or lost.

If she wanted to go to a friends house after school she would text and ask if it was ok.

I’d base it on the child, rather than what guidelines etc say.

All 3 of my kids were fine being alone for 15-20min by age 8, if not 7. Totally depends on the details. My 12yos were definitely fine being left over 3hrs, or even a full work day, although it isn’t something that happened often. I would not leave my oldest (almost 16) overnight yet. Many would disagree on various aspects of that, which is totally fine. Depends on the kid, sometimes the house/neighborhood, depends where the parents will be and how reachable they are, depends on nearby support system (neighbors, nearby family or friends etc).

Weren’t you all latch key kids?

I mean NYC kids take the subway to school alone by 3rd grade.

Middle schoolers babysit. Stop the coddling

6th grade is the natural point for this since there isn’t aftercare at middle schools. My 6th graders are comfortable with coming home, letting themselves in and chilling for a few hours. This isn’t every day, we are WFH most days, but I would have no issue if it was more often. They know the rules and follow them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS1 - 7
DD1 - 8
DD2 - 7
DD3 - 9 (there were so many older kids around it didn't even come up until then).

Leaving 7 yr olds home alone could get you a CPS visit and a lot of trouble. Not safe

Totally not worried about it. Firstly, they are no longer these ages. secondly, nobody was paying attention to the point of calling CPS. You suburban people are such busybodies.

It’s neglectful to leave a 7 yr old home alone. Terrible parenting

Anonymous wrote:NP. For those that have kids coming home when you’re not home (rather than going out and leaving them alone once they’re already home), do you have a key lock or code lock?

20:11 and we this is when we installed a combination lock.

We let our oldest at the beginning of 6th after school and then our second kid alone in the mornings in 5th. At that point their older sibling was home first in the afternoons. That’s when we dropped before school care at our kids request.

NP. For those that have kids coming home when you’re not home (rather than going out and leaving them alone once they’re already home), do you have a key lock or code lock?

Anonymous wrote:Make sure they know basic things like metal can’t go in the microwave *because it will catch fire or explode* or plastic wrap and to automatically lock the front door behind them. What they may not use ex. knives/matches/stove

If they are allowed to have friends over, go outside to play/ride bikes etc.

These may or may not be things I did when I was left home alone at that age.

+1 make sure to remind and/or set rules about those types of things. We had a “no kitchen, no outside, no friends over” rule for the first while, and loosened things gradually. The “no kitchen” just meant cooking/using appliances..pantry snacks or eating stuff like yogurt or fruit from the fridge was obviously fine. I did blanket rules at first because it was just easier/simpler as they got used to things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once kids hit middle school there arent really many options except for kids to be home alone.

My 11 year old 7th grader was home by 2:45. He had no choice but to be home solo for a few hours.

Not judging you because you know you’re kid. But there are always choices. I’m the above PP that pays a sitter. Yes it costs money but it’s what we do to not leave DD alone when she doesn’t want to be left that frequently.