How old?

[Cass72]

• Walk to school alone or with friend/s (one block or less)
• Walk to school alone or with friend/s (more than one block)
• Catch public transport alone or with friend/s

DS1 started catching the bus to and from school in year 6 (he was 10 turning 11). In the mornings he would walk with my next door neighbour and her son to the bus stop (at the end of the street) and in the afternoon the teachers waited with the kids to put them on the busses (he walked home with the neighbours)

• Stay home alone, during the day

Due to our circumstances DS1 was at home in the afternoons by himself. My work was literally a 7 minute drive away. He had to call me when he got in and I spoke to him as he locked the door. He was on his own for 2 hours each afternoon and 25 minutes each morning. We were living in Central West NSW.

• Stay home alone at night

DS1 was 14 when he caught a cab home from the hospital when I was admitted (pregnant) while DH was away. The lovely nurses waited with him downstairs at the taxi rank and he called me the minute he got in. It was nearly midnight by time he got home and I was beside myself. I told him to let the dog sleep inside (we have a bullmastiff!). Last year he babysat DS2 while DH and I went out.

• Leave them to their own devices at home, while you sleep or whatever

He's nearly 17 now and I can quite honestly say that I would be comfortable leaving him at home to his own devices while we weren't there - a weekend is probably long enough. Actually, we've been comfortable leaving him to his own devices for quite some time (actually since he caught a cab home from the hospital). He's very sensible, even tempered and has loads of common sense (goodness, sounds like I'm selling you a horse!)

In so far as leaving him to his own devices while I sleep or whatever..... we'll he knew how to operate the television and VCR when he was 2 & half!! I often woke up to the Lion King or Bananas in Pyjamas. Ah, what a wonderful day it was that he discovered he could get his own weetbix!

I think it depends on the child and, where you live. I see little ones on their scooters going to school in the morning and it just sends shivers up my spine. Okay, there's always the risk of some weirdo lurking about, which scares the bejesus out of me, but some of these kids just don't seem to have an awareness of what's going on around them which is equally scary when you consider how much of a hurry everyone seems to be in at that time of the morning.