How old before you can leave your child(ren) home alone? There are laws now, so you have to be careful. I was staying home alone at 8-9. I remember because that was my summer of the arm. But my brother was 6 so if he was home, mom or dad was there.
By 10, we were home alone from 7:30am to 5:30pm, 5 days a week.
My kids, Caitlyn is almost 3 years older than Jesse, and almost 5 years older than Aaron. If she wanted to stay home alone at 8, I let her and took the boys with me. If I was working, I didn't leave her alone with her little brothers, but once Aaron turned 8, they stayed home while I went to work.
Let them sit in the front seat of the car? I had Caitlyn's car seat in the front when she was 2. Then, there wasn't all the laws like now.
Once they met the height and weight requirements, I allowed it.
Jesse was 4 when he came out, but the requirements changed about 5 months later and he had to go back in a car/booster seat.
Ride public transportation alone? We don't have public transportation other than school buses. They each rode a bus off and on from around 5.
Use a public restroom alone? Around 5. When they could go to the restroom without help.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I let the boys ride in the front seat, because there's no law outlawing it. It is recommended they wait until 12, because of air bags, but our car detects whether a passenger is a child, and if so, turns off. They first rode in front at age 8, but now that they are 9, they do it more often.
I let the boys go together into the bathroom. I LMAO'd off over the Target comment.
I cannot imagine letting the boys ride the Metro or a bus other than school buses. I did not grow up with public transportation and had to learn how to follow schedules, routes, etc., when I moved to the DC area. I rode public transportation for about a month before I left Los Angeles, when the gold line and subway was just going in. I had to drive to the gold line station, take the train to Union Station, grab the subway to Wilshire and Alvarado, then hop a bus to Vermont which was a block away from my office. It was a PIA, but I wanted to learn how to do it, particularly since I was applying for jobs in DC. I got on the wrong bus once and ended up in East L.A. Scared me to death. When I moved to the DC area a nice man went over the map system with me and taught me the ropes. I have since used public transportation around the world. There is definitely a lot to learn, IMO, as far as using public transportation.
I would leave one child home alone in a year or so but not two. I'm not sure what the laws are, I suppose I should look them up. They might be ready, but I'm not.
The first few times are nerve-wracking, but then it's easier.
I did trials first.
Getting groceries only takes about an hour.
And I always called to check on them.
I also gave them clear and simple instructions.
And something to do.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Public transportation, I think it's one of those things that if you grow up with it, it doesn't bother you.
Like I grew up playing in the barn with cattle.
There are those who would think that was scary.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
When the YMCA wont take him anymore, which is 13 then he will stay at home on a regular basis by himself. I would rather he go to camp 3 times a week so that he gets exercise and fun games and socialization than to sit at home day after day playing on the tv or computer. I try to get him to go outside, but he doesnt have many friends close enough for him to walk to. There are kids his age, but they are schmucks.
How old before you can leave your child(ren) home alone?
Let them sit in the front seat of the car?
Ride public transportation alone?
Use a public restroom alone?
I think for a quick run to the grocery store, 9 or 10.
(I honestly don't remember, exactly. When Conor and Mere were young, we were a one car family. I would run to do errands, after Wayne got home from work.)
Front seat of the car? The laws were different, back in the day. Maybe 5 or 6?
Ride public transportation. It's not great in Fort Worth. Mine rode the school bus, back in Ohio. I had to walk/drive them to school, once we moved to Texas. We never lived far enough away, to have bussing.
Use a public restroom. Probably 6 or 7 for Conor and Paul. I could always go in with Mere.
We never had a babysitter, after Paul got potty trained. We would pay Conor and Mere to take care of him.
(This was when Conor was 13, Mere was 10, and Paul was 3.) (I would get a sitter, if it was going to be late at night. If it was for 9 holes of golf in the afternoon...the kids would look after Paul.)
-- Edited by Fort Worth Mom on Friday 7th of July 2017 05:20:43 PM
Oh, and back in the day, we went to Disney World, with the children. (Staying on site.)
On our fourth day, we asked Conor and Mere if they wanted to go to a different park.
Wayne and I were going back to the Magic Kingdom, with Paul. (Paul was 3. Conor was 13, Mere was 10, at the time.)
They chose to go back to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
They knew how to ride the bus. They knew they needed to stay together. We had tested them out, in the days before this. We let them go off to ride some rides that Paul was too young for, in the same park. They did great!
Was I a little nervous? Sure. But, we let them off the leash. And they stayed together, and did fine.
It depends on the laws and how mature the child is.
I was allowed to be left alone by age 8. DB was around 13ish. Mind you, DB is 3.5 years older than I am. DSS, well, there was always someone home, we lived with ILs and the schedule was every other weekend with DSS even though we had him alot more.
Front seat, I think by age 7 DSS was in the front seat.
Public Transportation - I'm not sure that DSS31 has done that alone yet. He was more a homebody and there was none available where he went to college.
Restroom - Umm, probably about age 6-7, I don't remember.
Home alone can mean some different things. Home alone for 15 min while i run to get a gallon of milk versus home alone all day or for a weekend, etc. My oldest son seemed more street smart and he was simply a big kid and tall and seemed more capable to handle himself so he did stay home alone, walk alone, etc earlier than my other two kids.
I think I felt comfortable around age 12 when they seem to get a sense of awareness about the world. Till then, maybe something brief like a quick grocery run, etc.
Front seat of the car, my kids were taller than a lot of their peers so i think i felt more comfortable putting them upfront. But, when my oldest was getting bigger, I didnt' have car with airbag sensors to sense weight so he didn't get put in the front seat as early. Once they are the right size, and you have the sensors, I think that is safer.
Public transportation. We have none. And, frankly i really am not sure how to ride a bus in a city, so the answer to that one is no! lol
Restroom. That is a trickier one, esp now that we have heard about kids being assaulted, etc. DD is 15 and now if we are out at restaurant, I may let her go in, but usually I just go in with her. I never sent her by herself. My boys, I would take them i the womens' room but there comes a point where they know the difference and want to use the men's room. So, i would just stand outside while they went in.
Overnight alone for the first time? I was 15. When I turned 16, and had my license, mom and dad would take weekend trips.
They went away for a week for their anniversary. My brother was 14, I was 16, I took us to school and back home every day. We kept the house clean, cooked for ourselves, even had to go run cattle at 3 in morning cause they got in another pasture and pawpaw needed help. Pawpaw lived up in the country. A good 30 minutes away. Bonus of that morning, granny made us breakfast.
Caitlyn began traveling for singing engagements at 16.
They went to Kentucky, her and 5 others her age, for a weekend.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Home alone: Not for a while. DD is 9 and I think I would feel comfortable leaving her home for short trips out, but for one, I think she would rather com with me, and two, we don't have a landline and I don't want to leave her alone without a phone- and since staying home isn't a necessity at this point, I don't feel justified paying for a phone for her.
Front seat: I will let her if it is necessary, like if we have friends over and all the other seats are full, but I really feel the back seat is safest for kids and that will be her main seat until 13 or so. Lots of her friends have been sitting in front since kindergarten, she used to be really offended, but she's used to it now, lol.
Public transportation: We don't have it, so not something I need to consider.
Restroom: Never really an issue since me or her sister usually needs to go too, but I will let her when I feel comfortable with it.
