Too young to be left alone at home for an hour or two?

[LimeSlice]

I was left home at 8... I personally dont see a problem with it if the child in question is mature enough to handle the situation, is aware how to and how not to behave and has someone to call on should something go wrong (ie neighbours or a family friend or can contact the paretns easily) In my day (lol) we didnt even have mobile phones, so you really were on your own! lol but as I said I have no issue if the child is responsible enough to handle the sitch

[murraysmum]

with having 2 brothers who are both younger and same age ones adopted
they wernt left alone till they were in year 8 and even then one of us was home and still they hate beeing home alone and prefer one of us at home which i think is great like my bro says he likes his privacy but he feels more safe with another person in the house

frankly i wouldnt as 8 is a bit young

[~breeze~]

My twin sister & I were left home alone from around 8yrs old. Mine was due to Mum & Dad running their own business & the shop was open 7am til 9pm every day (7 days a week). Mum or Dad would get home before dinner time though. Its funny how a few of you have said "how things have changed". A bit off subject here but when mum & dad bought their house,it had a swimming pool without a fence. My sister & I were 7yrs old & never learnt to swim. We would come home from school strip off on theback deck & jump in the pool. We tought ourselves how to swim!! Lucky to be alive if you ask me LOL But I could never let my kids do that! (things have certainly changed!)

I cant see me leaving Brianna home alone at 8yrs old, but I wont know until I get to that age. She is very mature for her age & very trustworthy following rules etc so I dont know

I guess it does depend on the child, you said he's not very independant.... on that alone he shouldn't be left on his own. Thats not fair to him.

I hope you can convince your SD it's not right.

[fionas]

No I wouldn't - not for an hour or two. Maybe, possibly in exceptional circumstances if I had to duck out to the shops at the end of my street which is a five minute round-trip (walking).

What's SD doing when he goes out? Is there any reason he can't take your bro with him?

[Shades]

We run a computer-help at home business, he's the technician so he has to go out to people to fix their computers. He also won't take R with him if he has to go shopping because R doesn't like it and whinges.