Anonymous
05/07/2025 20:41
Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
Yes, our kid stopped going to school aftercare in sixth grade and came home. Their school gets out late so they were only home for about an hour. Sometimes on early release days they were home for many more hours. They have an Apple Watch and can call us
Anonymous
05/07/2025 18:00
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.
Calling it after care is misleading. It’s a check in program. I don’t know how it works, exactly.
Anonymous
05/07/2025 17:58
Subject: 6th Grade Girl/ Latchkey?
I did this in 6th grade but I hated it.
Anonymous
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.
For us, the independence was a good thing. I think he was nervous for a day or two, then was fine.
Anonymous
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
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
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.