What age to leave children alone in a house?

The Corinthian

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

When is a child (or children) old enough to be left alone in a house for say 30 mins during the day when the parents go for a walk?

I believe the legal age is 13. Beyond that I'd agree with others that it depends upon the character of the child.

aujopimur wrote: »

I'm not being smart, but boys shouldn't be left home alone at any age.

Dreadful, sexist generalization. But you're right, you're not being smart.

cbyrd

I left my 16 year old daughter at home overnight for the first time last week, I came home to a spotless house! She thought it would be so much fun to be home alone! She was bored silly after an hour! So I left her home yesterday when I went to Dublin (I live in Mayo) again.. Spotless house! Woohoo! I'm going to go every week now! Lol

mocha please!

cbyrd wrote: »

I left my 16 year old daughter at home overnight for the first time last week, I came home to a spotless house! She thought it would be so much fun to be home alone! She was bored silly after an hour! So I left her home yesterday when I went to Dublin (I live in Mayo) again.. Spotless house! Woohoo! I'm going to go every week now! Lol

Haha nice one!

Jesus Wept

cbyrd wrote: »

I left my 16 year old daughter at home overnight for the first time last week, I came home to a spotless house! She thought it would be so much fun to be home alone! She was bored silly after an hour! So I left her home yesterday when I went to Dublin (I live in Mayo) again.. Spotless house! Woohoo! I'm going to go every week now! Lol

She clearly had a party.

cbyrd

The Rodgers wrote:

She clearly had a party.

Lol, I don't mind I didn't have to clean up!

anncoates

Depends on the child.

I can remember being left at home from about 10 for maybe an hour or so. Would be usually a scenario where my mum would be going to the shops and I didn't want to go so would stay playing with friends or watching TV in the house.

I can actually remember being allowed to go into town (Dublin City Centre, about 10 or 15 minutes on the bus back then) with my friends on Saturday afternoons at about 11, maybe 12 years old. Albeit under quite strict instructions on how long I could stay.

Also had a paper round after school from about 10/11 years old.

I think, like most parents these days, I too have fallen slightly into the trap where I think my kids are too young to do X and Y but certainly I was fine doing it back then as were all of my friends.

me0w

Most 12 year olds (especially girls ime) are quite mature - they know how to diall 999 in an emergency and would be less trusting of strangers, Of course there are always exceptions to this, some rebellious 12 yr olds might take this opportunity to go out and get up to mischief with their friends

Neyite

anncoates wrote: »

Depends on the child.

I can remember being left at home from about 10 for maybe an hour or so. Would be usually a scenario where my mum would be going to the shops and I didn't want to go so would stay playing with friends or watching TV in the house.

My OH was driving a ton weight of turf back from the bog at that age, with a couple of siblings sitting on top of it bouncing around!

Now I look at my 10 year old nephew and wonder what his auld lad was thinking. But it was pretty common back then.

the_monkey

aujopimur wrote: »

I'm not being smart, but boys shouldn't be left home alone at any age.

Arse ... the best fun I had when I was a kid was home alone, my Mam never found out about all the fires and explosives I constructed in the shed.