Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please clarify if this student is coming home to an empty house and will be alone for an hour or kid home with a parent and that parent needs run out for an hour.

OP here. Empty house some days until parent can drive home early from work. Most days, either DH or I would be there, WFH, but this won't be possible every single day. DD is 11, going into 6th, and has a watch phone for emergencies. OK to be home alone sometimes?

Absolutely fine

Started in 3rd grade occasionally for short periods (if I had a meeting or appointment that would run over he was fine letting himself in and alone for 30min or so) and worked up from there.

By 5th grade it was routine

If it is stopping school aftercare I’d say 4th or 5th grade is what most seem to do

Is your child comfortable entering an empty house?

I would trust my 4th grader alone for an hour after school and I would trust my fourth and 7th grader alone for 3 to 4 hours after school

What state are you in? In MD, a kid has to be 8 before they can be left home for short amounts of time. They can’t be left with a sibling unless the sibling is at least 13.

I’d have no problem with this at 11. My kids left after me/came home before at 8 and 10. It was just one day a week though for 30min-1hr and lots of trusted neighbors around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please clarify if this student is coming home to an empty house and will be alone for an hour or kid home with a parent and that parent needs run out for an hour.

OP here. Empty house some days until parent can drive home early from work. Most days, either DH or I would be there, WFH, but this won't be possible every single day. DD is 11, going into 6th, and has a watch phone for emergencies. OK to be home alone sometimes?

Yes, as long as your daughter is comfortable with this. I had the kids home alone during virtual school. We got an old fashioned land line and still have it for back up emergencies even through they are older teens now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please clarify if this student is coming home to an empty house and will be alone for an hour or kid home with a parent and that parent needs run out for an hour.

OP here. Empty house some days until parent can drive home early from work. Most days, either DH or I would be there, WFH, but this won't be possible every single day. DD is 11, going into 6th, and has a watch phone for emergencies. OK to be home alone sometimes?

Yes. I'd discuss with your child rules and expectations for that time. And start practicing now. Leave while you go to the store or do quick errands. 11 is definitely old enough to be alone during daylight hours for a little bit.

My oldest is 10 and going into 5th grade and she'd be fine for a little after school if needed. Her little brother, no. Since they go to the same school they do extended day.

Anonymous wrote:Please clarify if this student is coming home to an empty house and will be alone for an hour or kid home with a parent and that parent needs run out for an hour.

OP here. Empty house some days until parent can drive home early from work. Most days, either DH or I would be there, WFH, but this won't be possible every single day. DD is 11, going into 6th, and has a watch phone for emergencies. OK to be home alone sometimes?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't remember, probably first or second grade? But really depends on the kid. One of ours was scared to be home alone.

Um...WHAT? Are you trolling? It's not funny.

NP. When I worked as a classroom monitor during Covid one of the 2nd graders in the classroom I was assigned would walk himself home every day. The school was told his parent was there working from home, but I don't think that was ever verified. At least in FCPS they can walk home alone as young as first.

These were different times. My 4th and 6th grader were alone for virtual school that partial year most days. DH and I had to work in person and there was an extreme lack of daycare options for parents who worked in person. In normal times, I would not suggest leaving kids home alone at those ages daily.

Back to OP, after school went back in person, both of my kids walked home and stayed home alone. I never would have thought I would have been okay with this in 4th grade but it was fine.

Third grade for short stints (it was covid and I needed to go to the store for example) we stopped extended day after 4th grade. He came home for about 1-1:30 hours

Anonymous wrote:One child, 9th grade
Other child, 3rd grade

Depends on the kid.

I'm going to text my husband to see if he wrote this. Otherwise, same.

Please clarify if this student is coming home to an empty house and will be alone for an hour or kid home with a parent and that parent needs run out for an hour.

On a regular basis, probably 5th grade.