Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 17:58     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
I did this in 6th grade but I hated it.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 17:56     Subject: Re:6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Both my husband and I worked in the office when my son was in 6th grade. He walked home and I adjusted my schedule to work earlier hours so he was home an hour to 1.5 hours. We did allow a phone with the rule that he keeps location on. This was also how he coordinated with friends to walk together.

For us, the independence was a good thing. I think he was nervous for a day or two, then was fine.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 17:44     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I hated being a latch key kid at that age. Three hours felt SO long. I didn’t want my kids to suffer. I pay for SACC through 6th grade.


In most jurisdictions in the DMV, middle school starts in 6th grade so afterschool care provided by the school isn't a real option. You obviously live in Fairfax. Some have an afterschool program but literally a handful of kids attend and it's not anything robust or real.

Our middle school has after care but it's only used by kids with significant intellectual disabilities.


I doubt that.


Why do you doubt it? I don’t doubt it at all. None of the middle schools here have after care, I’ve never heard of that. After care at the grade school my kids went to - very few 5th graders went. It was mainly k-3rd.

I do think a lot of people have one parent working at home and older kids occupy themselves better. My kids came home on their own in 3rd and 5th grade together, and then the next year 4th grader was home 45m-1 hour before her sister got off the bus. My husband worked nights and was home sleeping (so available for emergencies I guess) so it was a little different but it worked out just fine and went well


APS has middle school after care. And for some schools kids can also go to programs at the attached community center.


Im not in the DC area anymore. I’ve never heard of that anywhere at any school here - maybe a weird helicopter DC thing.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 07:18     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I hated being a latch key kid at that age. Three hours felt SO long. I didn’t want my kids to suffer. I pay for SACC through 6th grade.


In most jurisdictions in the DMV, middle school starts in 6th grade so afterschool care provided by the school isn't a real option. You obviously live in Fairfax. Some have an afterschool program but literally a handful of kids attend and it's not anything robust or real.

Our middle school has after care but it's only used by kids with significant intellectual disabilities.


I doubt that.


Why do you doubt it? I don’t doubt it at all. None of the middle schools here have after care, I’ve never heard of that. After care at the grade school my kids went to - very few 5th graders went. It was mainly k-3rd.

I do think a lot of people have one parent working at home and older kids occupy themselves better. My kids came home on their own in 3rd and 5th grade together, and then the next year 4th grader was home 45m-1 hour before her sister got off the bus. My husband worked nights and was home sleeping (so available for emergencies I guess) so it was a little different but it worked out just fine and went well


APS has middle school after care. And for some schools kids can also go to programs at the attached community center.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 07:03     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:Mom of a rising 6th grade DD here (only child). DH and I both work full-time and are now back in the office. DD is in aftercare at her elementary school, so she’s never had to walk home alone and spend 3 hrs unsupervised after school before.

What do most middle school kids, especially 6th graders at age 11, do afterschool? I know there are clubs some days w/ an activity bus, but I think that returns around 4:30(?) and drops off at an elementary school about .75 miles from our house.

Are 6th grade girls coming home alone? Do most families work remotely or have a SAH parent? Or are people still hiring nannies or sitters at this age?

DH thinks I’m overreacting and that she’ll be fine if we get her a phone. But I remain uncomfortable with an 11-year old girl in this circumstance.


Many sixth grade girls are latchkey kids.

The phone creates more problems than it solves though. Do a watch or a dumb phone. You’ll thank me.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 07:01     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Being a latchkey kid is fun
She gets to have free time at home
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 02:53     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I hated being a latch key kid at that age. Three hours felt SO long. I didn’t want my kids to suffer. I pay for SACC through 6th grade.


In most jurisdictions in the DMV, middle school starts in 6th grade so afterschool care provided by the school isn't a real option. You obviously live in Fairfax. Some have an afterschool program but literally a handful of kids attend and it's not anything robust or real.

Our middle school has after care but it's only used by kids with significant intellectual disabilities.


I doubt that.


Why do you doubt it? I don’t doubt it at all. None of the middle schools here have after care, I’ve never heard of that. After care at the grade school my kids went to - very few 5th graders went. It was mainly k-3rd.

I do think a lot of people have one parent working at home and older kids occupy themselves better. My kids came home on their own in 3rd and 5th grade together, and then the next year 4th grader was home 45m-1 hour before her sister got off the bus. My husband worked nights and was home sleeping (so available for emergencies I guess) so it was a little different but it worked out just fine and went well
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 22:22     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
We are planning to get an electronic (not wifi!!) keypad on our front door for DD next year (who will be in 7th) to avoid having her stress out about a key. She already has an Apple Watch, so no worries about communication.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 20:10     Subject: Re:6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
PP - adding per seeing other comments, absolutely NO FRIENDS over if parents aren't home. That would be a huge mistake imo. Also I would not want my child at a mother's kids house without adults.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 20:07     Subject: Re:6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Yes mine comes home alone also 6th grade. When I was 6th grade, I was along with my 2 little brothers. It's fine. Make sure she gets around and knows the route well etc for walking home.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2025 19:33     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
At this point, I would get her a dumb phone with SmS. I also would create a protocol with her. She sends SMS just before leaving school, goes straight home with no stops, then sends another SMS when she is in the house and doors are locked.

Also, we do not answer our doorbell unless we are expecting a visitor and always look to verify who before opening it n
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2025 16:26     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:I mean my 4th grader comes home alone since i went back to the office..its been fine. I did get a house phone just in case, but no issues. I would have zero qualms about a 6 grader.


Not all 4th graders are responsible enough to do that. Sadly, or 6th graders.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2025 16:19     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
I mean my 4th grader comes home alone since i went back to the office..its been fine. I did get a house phone just in case, but no issues. I would have zero qualms about a 6 grader.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2025 16:01     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A lot of posts about independence and how they did it. I’d worry more about her quality of life. Go home alone every day. Sit in the house every day alone for three hours. Parents come home. Eat dinner. Get ready for bed. In the meantime kids are going to fun activities or riding bikes or hanging out with family.

I wouldn’t do that to a child.



There in sixth grade, if they have neighborhood friends, it should be ok for them to go outside. If you trust them to be home alone, they should be trusted to go outside. At least that's what my parents did for me.


When you live in a neighborhood with houses in acre lots and no sidewalks kids aren’t running around. They are usually doing activities or mothers are driving them around.


This is why we deliberately did not move to a neighborhood like that.

Anonymous
Post 05/01/2025 09:21     Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Anonymous wrote:Our DS was latchkey starting in 6th grade. He loved it. He’d come home and have a snack and do homework, and sometimes have a neighborhood friend over or play video games on line with them. One of us was usually home within a couple hours of him.


The kids being together in school all day and the kids hanging out after school are two very different things, both being important. Playing video games are more of a social activity with a friend next to you than being online.