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What age is it okay to leave kids home alone?

  • 14-08-2013 03:28PM
    #1
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭


    Hi, looking for answers from experienced parents here.I would like to know at what age it's ok to leave your child at home alone. My daughter is nearly 10 now and I definitely wouldn't leave her home alone at the moment - I can barely let her out to play in our cul de sac 10 mins without checking on her. My question is, when is it ok to nip out for a pint of milk or even a walk without having to drag your child along, when they don't want to come.I'm not asking about leaving a child so I can go out on the tear or anything, just at what age did you feel your child was responsible enough to stay behind?


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Comments

  • #2
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,424 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    My folks had no real issue with leaving me at home from around aged 10 or so.

    Might get more advice on it in the parenting forum:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=251


  • #3
    iPearly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 246 ✭✭iPearly


    MiddleOne wrote: »
    Hi, looking for answers from experienced parents here.I would like to know at what age it's ok to leave your child at home alone. My daughter is nearly 10 now and I definitely wouldn't leave her home alone at the moment - I can barely let her out to play in our cul de sac 10 mins without checking on her. My question is, when is it ok to nip out for a pint of milk or even a walk without having to drag your child along, when they don't want to come.I'm not asking about leaving a child so I can go out on the tear or anything, just at what age did you feel your child was responsible enough to stay behind?

    Depends on the child and area you live.. unfortunately.


  • #4
    FatherLen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭FatherLen


    I don't have any kids.





    thank fuck!


  • #5
    princess-lala
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30,731 ✭✭✭✭princess-lala


    Play Harry Potter with them and leave them in the cupboard under the stairs!

    You can go get your pint of milk in peace :D


  • #6
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    iPearly wrote: »
    Depends on the child and area you live.. unfortunately.

    We live what i'd consider a very safe estate in Co Clare. It's a cul de sac and it's pretty much entirely owner occupied with families etc. I suppose if she objects to being left then she's too young.


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  • #7
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,605 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Give them an x box they'll never notice you're gone.


  • #8
    JOSman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭JOSman


    It's generally up to the child. I've an eleven year old and when he doesn't want to come to the shop with me, I lock the doors, set the alarm and tell him not to answer the door.

    Good luck


  • #9
    desbrook
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,847 ✭✭✭desbrook


    In the UK it's ILLEGAL to leave kids under 12 home alone . A good guideline I reckon.


  • #10
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,433 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Should be fine from 2 weeks after their 12th birthday.


  • #11
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    princess-lala wrote: »
    Play Harry Potter with them and leave them in the cupboard under the stairs!

    You can go get your pint of milk in peace :D


    Lol! She'd prob call the guards. I know it sounds trivial but I can't walk the dog without having to drag a child with me moaning and whinging. I work during the day so most of the time I can't get these things done until the evening. Can't wait for her to be old enough to say "i'm heading out"!!


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  • #12
    cabledude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 842 ✭✭✭cabledude


    I would have thought 12/13.


    My mum never left us home alone until we were in our 20's. Then again we did burn the house down on her......


  • #13
    mattjack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    desbrook wrote: »
    In the UK it's ILLEGAL to leave kids under 12 home alone . A good guideline I reckon.

    I'm hardly going to leave them here and go to the UK , am I ?
    Anyway there's four of them and they know how to use the shotgun and the car is an automatic , so if they're cool with it , its fine.


  • #14
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    desbrook wrote: »
    In the UK it's ILLEGAL to leave kids under 12 home alone . A good guideline I reckon.

    Sounds about right although I remember my mother heading to town and leaving me at home a lot younger than that....and i'd be thrilled. Times have changed.


  • #15
    whiskeyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,564 ✭✭✭✭whiskeyman


    As long as they're old enough to outwit 2 clumsy burglers with slap stick comedy outcomes...


  • #16
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    My folks had no real issue with leaving me at home from around aged 10 or so.

    Might get more advice on it in the parenting forum:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=251

    Thanks, was looking for the parents' forum but couldn't find it.


  • #17
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    whiskeyman wrote: »
    As long as they're old enough to outwit 2 clumsy burglers with slap stick comedy outcomes...

    Yeah she is. :D


  • #18
    Dolbert
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,154 ✭✭✭Dolbert


    Depends on the child really, I was left at home for brief periods from around 10 but I was quite sensible. Conversely I know plenty of kids that age who couldn't be left alone for five minutes let alone a few hours.


  • #19
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    kneemos wrote: »
    Give them an x box they'll never notice you're gone.

    She has one, never uses the bleedin' thing. :)


  • #20
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    JOSman wrote: »
    It's generally up to the child. I've an eleven year old and when he doesn't want to come to the shop with me, I lock the doors, set the alarm and tell him not to answer the door.

    Good luck

    Can he get out if there's an Emergency?


  • #21
    emmabrighton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 582 ✭✭✭emmabrighton


    God! I am feeling positively neglected 12 in the UK you say?

    I remember popping over to my friends house at age 6 for a few minutes and coming back to found the house locked and my mothers car gone. Silly bint would go shopping for a couple of hours and leave me wait it out on the doorstep. Once she locked me in and i managed to close the front door behind me before I realised the sliding door was locked. Sat there on my tod for nearly 3 hrs.


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  • #22
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    Dolbert wrote: »
    Depends on the child really, I was left at home for brief periods from around 10 but I was quite sensible. Conversely I know plenty of kids that age who couldn't be left alone for five minutes let alone a few hours.

    She's very responsible in many ways. I know she won't burn the house down or cut her hand open with scissors, but I think she would be nervous being alone. I guess i've at least another year if not two of "Noooooooooo, do we have to..."

    Thanks posters!


  • #23
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,060 ✭✭✭✭biko


    MiddleOne wrote: »
    Hi, looking for answers from experienced parents here.
    Welcome to AH, the best parenting forum on the web :D


    It's ok from any age, just make sure they're well chained to the radiator.


  • #24
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    emmabrighton wrote: »
    God! I am feeling positively neglected 12 in the UK you say?

    I remember popping over to my friends house at age 6 for a few minutes and coming back to found the house locked and my mothers car gone. Silly bint would go shopping for a couple of hours and leave me wait it out on the doorstep. Once she locked me in and i managed to close the front door behind me before I realised the sliding door was locked. Sat there on my tod for nearly 3 hrs.

    Oh please! We'd leave the house after breakfast in the summer and wouldn't appear home til gone 10 or 11 without a word said.You wouldn't be missed.


  • #25
    Vinz Mesrine
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭Vinz Mesrine


    I remember when i was a kid we'd be out from early morning and wouldnt be seen until about 9/10 that night. All we needed was a bike and a football, oh and to check in very briefly every few hours to show you hadnt been stolen or anything mad.

    No mobile phones, paedophiles or anything like that and we are all still alive to this day. Parenting is gone mad and i say that as a parent myself.


  • #26
    MiddleOne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭MiddleOne


    biko wrote: »
    Welcome to AH, the best parenting forum on the web :D


    It's ok from any age, just make sure they're well chained to the radiator.

    Actually, I'm glad I posted here. In the parent's forum i'd probably just get people alerting social services on me.


  • #27
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Vito Corleone wrote: »
    He's an eleven year old. He knows what to do.

    It's just you said you lock the doors. Sounded like you locked them from the outside so he was locked in. Maybe I read it wrong?


  • #28
    Gmol
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Gmol


    If they are older than 3 it is ok to go to Ibiza for 2 weeks and leave them with a pint of milk and the Disney channel


  • #29
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    I'm 35 and it's debatable whether I should be left anywhere alone.


  • #30
    ash23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,791 ✭✭✭ash23


    I've a ten year old and would leave her at home when I go somewhere. Max would be an hour but it's usually only 10 or 15 minutes. She locks the door behind me and knows to ignore the doorbell. We have caller ID on the house phone so she knows if I'm the one ringing. If not she ignores it.

    Hugely depends on the child. I've a 16 year old niece I'd hardly leave upstairs on her own, never mind alone in the house.


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  • #31
    emmabrighton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 582 ✭✭✭emmabrighton


    MiddleOne wrote: »
    Oh please! We'd leave the house after breakfast in the summer and wouldn't appear home til gone 10 or 11 without a word said.You wouldn't be missed.


    Well that too... Its all fine and dandy for YOU being out all day every day getting up to mischief but when you want to pop home for a couple of biscuits at an arbitrary time during the day and yer ma's gone god knows where its very annoying...


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