Re: When to leave them?

[Guest guest]

<<<and

then looking after her until my parents got home from work having picked up the

2 younger girls from the child minder. I was 11 (max.)>>>>

I used to baby-sit my cousin from when he was born (age 11) there is NO WAY I

would leave a 11 year old in charge of my own children.. But looking back it was

not uncommon to have girls and goys of that age looking after younger children.

Lonnie Phoebe & Eloisa's mama

& expecting a Christmas delivery...

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what you

start.

So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a Chocolate cake.

I feel better already.

[Guest guest]

> Yes, but what happens if *you* have an accident having left baby at home for

only " a minute " ; you are unconscious and noone knows about the baby?

But I am invincible. Or in other words, oh yes, I never thought of that ;-))

Lynda

SAHM to (8), (6), Fraser (3), Callum (15/5/00)

Newsletter editor, Mid-Northumberland Branch

Area Rep, Region 7

www.familygarland.co.uk

[Guest guest]

This is a really interesting thread. It is a hard decision and I

don't think I would leave mine alone until DS3 is about 10 which

would then make DS1 18! I think they would wind each other up too

much.

However I have left DS1 (8 today) alone at my mums whilst I nipped

across to the Supermarket (2 mins walk) as she lives in a warden

controlled flat and has a buzzer system. So I think that he would be

able to summon help immediately if he had a problem (probably not

quite what the buzzers are for!).

I would not leave them at home.

The other thing I worry about is giving the children freedom - say to

go to the post box or to the shop or out on their bikes by themselves.

DS1+2 go to the postbox by themselves, which involves crossing a

small road, and they have gone to the supermarket from my mums

together but when do I let them go further? I don't want to

mollycoddle them but on the other hand......!

Trisha

SAHM to 3 boys

[Guest guest]

> This is a really interesting thread. It is a hard decision and I

> don't think I would leave mine alone until DS3 is about 10 which

> would then make DS1 18! I think they would wind each other up too

> much.

Did anyone confirm what the legal limit is? Is there one?

I've always been afraid of leaving the babies even for a minute,

mostly because of the fire issue, but I must admit there were times

when they were very little and I felt so isolated and it was so cold

outside and they were soundly asleep in their cots that I did pop to

the postbox (about 50 yards). Is this illegal I wonder? Am I really

terrible?

Being home alone seems a bit different to me. A 6-year old can be

instructed to not open the door to anyone can't he? Is the world

really that much more dangerous than before, or are we just all

obsessed with safety? Or is it just the fire risk again we worry

about?

I walked to school on my own when I was 6 (1 mile each way) and both

my parents being at work I let myself back into the house afterwards.

It was perfectly normal then, it didn't worry me in the slightest. My

mum was always worried - but no more than she is now nearly 30 years

later... We had rules - I could either go home or go home with one of

the other girls in the class, and then make sure to be back for

dinner.

Similarly we'd always play in the forest behind our house for hours,

go for walks, explore etc. I just can't see how my kids are going to

grow up if they're not allowed to do anything on their own until they

are 12!

Karina