It depends on the child!
I'd never have dreamt of going out & leaving mine, before they were teenagers.
But my Eldest was sensible enough at 9 to walk home from school, and be alone in the house til I got home from work 30ish minutes later.
My youngest is now 15, he's home alone for a couple of hours on the evenings while I work, which is less than 2 minutes from home, but I've only felt comfortable to do that on the last year |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Depends on the child.
My sister left her daughter on her own for very short periods of time from about 13 but her son was nearly 16 before he was left alone. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"18
Really? I have a 16 year old babysitter at times  "
Twas a joke 
Mines 15 and i leave him home alone whilst i go and do the weekly shopping as its cheaper for me if i do |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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It all depends on the child. I was extremely sensible so I could be left when I was ten. So was my youngest sister, she had a house key by the time she turned 9, she was home from school half an hour before anyone else (but my grandad lives around the corner from my parents). My little brother is autistic, so it wasn’t until he was about 14 he was left alone.
Totally dependent on the child. |
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I had to get myself to and from school at 11 so I was alone for short periods of time. I don't think my parents would have left me alone for a whole evening though until I was about 13. By that age I was out with my friends most evenings anyway. |
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By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago
Shrewsbury |
There is now actua law on what age a child can be left, most child care agencies say 14 and no child under 16 should be left alone over night.
Personally I am happy to leave my 14 year old for a few hours he's a sensible lad. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Really have to judge it by the child. I'm one of four and it was different for all of us. My eldest is 10. I will leave her for 5 mins to go to the local shop (opposite my house) and she walks half way of a 30min walk home from school. She starts secondary school in September so I have to get her used to doing these things. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I had to get myself to and from school at 11 so I was alone for short periods of time. I don't think my parents would have left me alone for a whole evening though until I was about 13. By that age I was out with my friends most evenings anyway."
Same here but I went to school alone and back and all over our town when I was 7-11  |
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It really does depend on the child. I know some 10 years olds are perfectly capable yet some 14/15 year olds should always be supervised. My friend had an issue with her 10 year old not wanting to go to a childminder and she asked the police for advice and that’s what they said. This was 25 years ago though! |
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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago
Peterborough |
In the absence of a legal age: then common sense prevails.
Can they fend for themselves, keep the front door locked?
Do they know how to not burn the house down? Can they feed themselves and not leave a mess?
That sort of thing.
Mind you, there are some grown ups in their 20's and 30's who struggle with these tasks.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My 17 year old has been left overnight the odd one or two times when I’ve had to do a night shift cos he hates going to his dads or his nans.
My 15 year old often gets left alone whilst I’m at work but never overnight |
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