HOW OLD WAS YOUR TEEN WHEN

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2004
HOW OLD WAS YOUR TEEN WHEN
19
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 4:44pm
you started leaving them by themselves? Short periods of time?
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Avatar for mrslove2000
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 5:16pm
If memory serves me correctly (which is questionable since I'm so OLD according to my tween) she was about 8 when we would leave her at home for 10-15 minutes by herself. We started first with going to neighbors, then to the convenience store-short periods of time. Now, at 11 she can stay home for a couple of hours-by herself. We don't allow her to be unsupervised with friends over.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 5:27pm

I'd say about 9 for the 10-15 min. thing. She started coming home from school by herself when she was 10.5. She was home for 2 hours before I got here. Then this year at just past 11 she had to start getting herself out of the house in the mornings (never missed the buss once in 8 months) because I had to be at work a half hour earlier (before we left at the same time) and she's home for about 1.5 hours before I get back. She stays alone in the evening for a couple of hours if I have parent council or something, but not late at night.


She is allowed to go out and play with friends as long as she tells me, but no friends in the house. With the computer that is asking for trouble. We have tons of kids on the street and many parents are checking on the "gang" regularly so I figure she's probably safer playing out with 10 other kids than home alone.

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Avatar for bradleyteach
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2001
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 5:46pm

I think short periods of time ( like 15 minutes) at the 2nd half of 9 years old, not watching her brother though.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-26-2003
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 11:19pm
Gosh it has been a long time!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2004
Wed, 04-25-2007 - 9:56am
wow thanks you guys........ I am far behind the loop here. but under our circumstances its okay and I am thinking about starting to let her stay home. She usually freaks but maybe If i ease into it a little then she might be willing.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 04-25-2007 - 3:44pm

My son was around 10 when I began leaving him home alone for up to 15 minutes or so. His twin sister was 11. She wasn't comfortable being alone in the home prior to that. LOL, now she loves being home alone and having the house to herself :).

Lynn

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Wed, 04-25-2007 - 6:14pm
Evan was almost 10. He also took a "Home Alone" class through our park district before he did. We did the 15 - 20 minutes at first and now at 10.5 we let him stay by himself for up to an hour and he always has a list of things he has to get done while we're gone (homework, etc. but not major chores). Our rules are 1) no stove 2) noone else in the house 3) only answer the phone if caller id says it's Mom, Dad, or grandparents. 3) door must be locked once he's taken the dog out (first thing he does when he gets home).
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 7:32am

Connor was 9 years old and had to stay home by himself for about an hour and a half afterschool until I got home from work.

stacy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2004
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 10:27am
I spoke to Jackie about it a little the other day, I told her she would be able to sleep in on Saturday while I go to work. She asked if she could come with instead. Or if she could spend the night at a friends house instead. Its weird she goes out of her way to get out of being alone. I do not know what to do.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2007
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 11:11am

To Missy bee:
Being alone can be a scary thing.
I was left alone often when I was a kid,
from 8 years old on, and I have huge
issues about being alone today because of it.

Give her another year or two, she will want
to be alone all the time then! LOL

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