saw Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Would you leave a responsible 10 year old home alone with an irresponsible 7 year old? For two hours in late afternoon (as in, dark outside)? No nearby neighbors to be helpful. I'm inclined to say no way, but maybe I'm being over-protective. Thanks. SAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumbledeb Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I'd be fine about the responsible 10 year old, but not with an irresponsible 7 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 "Things" can happen in the blink of an eye. I would say no. But, I would start preparing for the day that I could do this... I would start with going for a walk, giving the children very specific instructions and following through with seeing how that went and re-instructing and doing this over and over... They could get practice being alone in the home with you getting exercise... or running a quick errand... something where you are gone from 5 minutes and working up to 20 minutes, but never far away and having a cell phone and the child knowing how to reach you. Set some goals and work towards a longer errand in years to come. I think 10 is too young to be responsible for another child's well being and to know the correct emergency responses. Like I said, start training for that in the future, like when the oldest is 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 No. That's not fair to the 10 year old. When my then-four-year-old was going through a challenging phase, I would not leave him home with my then-13-year old, even though I had no problems with her watching my then-five-year old. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Would you leave a responsible 10 year old home alone with an irresponsible 7 year old? For two hours in late afternoon (as in, dark outside)? No nearby neighbors to be helpful. I'm inclined to say no way, but maybe I'm being over-protective. Thanks. SAW I would take the seven year old with me. An irresponsible 7 year old should not the be the responsibility of his or her 10 year old sibling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 "Things" can happen in the blink of an eye. I would say no. But, I would start preparing for the day that I could do this... I would start with going for a walk, giving the children very specific instructions and following through with seeing how that went and re-instructing and doing this over and over... They could get practice being alone in the home with you getting exercise... or running a quick errand... something where you are gone from 5 minutes and working up to 20 minutes, but never far away and having a cell phone and the child knowing how to reach you. Set some goals and work towards a longer errand in years to come. I think 10 is too young to be responsible for another child's well being and to know the correct emergency responses. Like I said, start training for that in the future, like when the oldest is 12. Excellent advice. Although I would be comfortable leaving an 11yo home with an 8yo for a couple of hours if the 7yo takes a leap in maturity between now and then. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 2 hours - no. Maybe for 20 min. with extensive training on how to behave (for the 7 year old) and with them having one walkie talkie and me having the other walkie talkie or a cell phone (ie. they can instantly get ahold of me even if it is for solving a little spat). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I wouldn't leave them home alone until the eldest is at least 12 or 13 and not in charge of a younger that won't behave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 and No How. I think that kids get into trouble together that they wouldn't necessarily have apart. Knowing that the younger one is already a handful just makes it worse. Seems like a pretty bad risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I really agree with everyone else on this in every aspect mentioned. HOWEVER, I have a friend who leaves her kids home alone very frequently. Her daughter is 10, the son will be 8 next week and she has been doing this since her daughter was 8. Yes, I said 8 (well, I typed 8, but you know what I mean). In her opinion, her daughter is mature enough to handle babysitting. This summer, she began leaving her son at home alone for about an hour or so while she picked up her daughter from gymnastics. Not only that, she is an overnight nurse, so she sleeps during the daytime and even when her kids are off from school, she will be sleeping in her room (with her door shut so they dont wake her up). So I would not, but there are people who do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkpan Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Take the 7yo with you. I recently put my 11yo through the Red Cross babysitter training so that we can lead up to him watching some of his younger siblings. But not yet. I think I want him to be closer to 13yo before he watches his brothers or sister. But I'll leave him alone now for 2 hrs or less during the day. HTH Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Nope. I think 10 is too young. And I think the whole babysitting thing is a lot worse if they're siblings. My dh has awfully bad memories of being babysat by his older sister. I'd hire an older fun teen to stay with both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confuzzled Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 No way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Nope! I don't let my 10 yr olds stay home alone for more than hour, and not after dark at all. I would never leave a 7 yo with a 10 yr old for that long. Heck, I don't even let my 12 yr old stay home alone after dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 (edited) I am not a fan of children babysitting siblings at all really, so maybe my opinion is skewed. I was responsible for my then one year old sister when I was 13. All day, five days a week, while on summer vacation, and frequently in the evenings and on weekends during the school year. It is VERY stressful for a child to be so responsible for their sibling. Ironically, my now 19 year old sister lives with me, dh, and our family. Funny how I'm responsible for her again after all these years. But I digress... I don't even have my very mature 14 year old stepdaughter babysit my 3yo and 5yo boys. She will play with them and occupy them while there is another adult home, but never without an adult here in case of an emergency. I know she could, she is absolutely wonderful with them. Very patient, thoughtful, loves them to pieces. But I just can't bring myself to put that responsibility on her. I'm sure that has much to do with my childhood, and very little to do with reality. But that's how I feel. Edited December 16, 2008 by bethanyniez grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Another 'no way' here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBH Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 No. That's not fair to the 10 year old. No. bad things can happen in a hurry. Don't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 (edited) No, no, no and absolutely not. My kids are 9 and 5 and they will NEVER be home alone together...ever! LOL How is the relationship between the two. Do they fight a lot? If they do, then No. And really just no because they are young, it is after dark, and a lot can happen in 2 hours. Edited December 16, 2008 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmomtutu Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Nope...not fair to the 10 year old...what if something did go wrong? I am not big on leaving kids alone for hours anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Nope. Would you leave a responsible 10 year old home alone with an irresponsible 7 year old? For two hours in late afternoon (as in, dark outside)? No nearby neighbors to be helpful. I'm inclined to say no way, but maybe I'm being over-protective. Thanks. SAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 No, no, and no. I have never left a more difficult child with my olders. You aren't being overprotective. You're being smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I have to say no also. I don't even think I would leave the 10 year old home alone. Too many things could go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I'd at least see if it's "legal" in your state. Here in OR, it seems that it's ok for a 10 year old to stay at home alone, 11 with siblings, and 12 with other people's kids. That being said, I plan to leave my 11 yr old with my 6 yr old, starting next year, to drive half a mile for dropping off items at the Post Office, run to get a gallon of milk...or something like that. (We live in a small town where everything is within 1 mile.) I wouldn't run to Salem....which is 15 miles. I would be gone a max of 1/2 hour...and make sure a neighbor is home in case of problems. Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saw Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 for the reassurance that I'm not nuts. This actually happened to me this afternoon; I was at work and found out that the two of them had been left alone at home by someone who shall remain nameless. I couldn't leave work (no transport) and by the time I found out I had half an hour to go before I could get home. I did manage the reach the kids, they were fine. Fortunately the ten year-old didn't start throwing up until AFTER I'd arrived home. This will (obviously) be discussed with the person involved once I've calmed down a bit. I tend to be overprotective, so I thought maybe I was letting that cloud my judgment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 by law in NZ we can't leave dc home alone unsupervised until age 14. Even at that age I would be reluctant to leave a dc in charge of a younger, challenging dc. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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