My son is 11 and his school is less then half a mile away from our house, What Id like to know is he old enough to walk home from school by himself and be at the house for an hour on his own until I get off work? I have a cop who lives two houses down from me he is also a part time realtor who I work with. I cant afford after care child care anymore and Im just courious to know if he is old enough to be home alone from school for an hour, he has a phone so he can call and check in with me. Thank you for you responses.
2006-08-24 03:05:41 · 17 answers · asked by landscaperschick73 3 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
you should walk to the school and meet him or bike with him...
thing is even 12 year olds get abducted so is it worth the risk???
I have heard of kids abducted walking only 1 block away.. I have heard of kids abducted from their front yards.. is it worth the risk??
just because a cop lives near by doesnt mean anything to a passing pedophile...
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everybody thinks their area is safe.. until something happens
2006-08-24 03:13:32 · answer #1 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
When i was a kid, i was always home with my sister alone. Around 8 or so, someone called the cops for some reason and said that we were home alone. My sister and I didnt even let the cops into the house.
So bottomline, depends on your neighborhood. 11 would be 5th or 6th grade? thats not bad, see if he can walk home with a friend or something and teach him the basics; dont open the door for anyone and dont talk to strangers on the way home. I dont believe its too bad ... maybe find a day or two to walk with him and give him the feel of what it is like.
Or tell him to go to the school library and wait there for 1.5 hrs until you pick him up and he can do HW. you can tell the librarian that he should be there everyday. Schools often open for 1 more hour after kids get out.
2006-08-24 03:15:26 · answer #2 · answered by leikevy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My 11 year old walks home with her friends and is home for 1 - 1 1/2 hours by herself. I have 2 neighbors that she can go to if she needs it. She also has a cell phone so that she can call on the way home and in case of emergency.
The state is pretty vauge on the age that a child can stay home alone. DSFS will not give a specific age, but I've heard that 10 is the legal age. Where I live, babysitting classes start at age 10 and the police department offers workshops to teach kids how to stay home alone, for kids that are as young as 9.
2006-08-24 07:50:59 · answer #3 · answered by sammie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think he is age wise but of course you know your better than anyone. So when considering this think of things like, how responsible he is when it comes to following directions for instance if you says to him I am going to the store don't open the door for anyone, don't go outside, if someone calls don't answer the phone. You really have to lay down the rules and make sure he is clear on it. But if for one second you don't think he can handle the rules don't do it. And have someone look out for him or see if other children walk home that way or if a parent could see to it that he gets in the house safe. Work things like signals if something is wrong and of course when he gets in the house he is to call you. I know how it is so just make sure you cover everything you can with him. Good luck.
2006-08-24 03:14:15 · answer #4 · answered by mother5 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on how you feel about his maturity. Have you left him alone at home while you went shopping, and came found that he was able to handle the situation well? Also, do you live in a good neighborhood where walking will not be a safety concern? I am a teacher, and I teach 11 year olds, many of who do walk to school and home. They seem to do great, especially since they walk with friends who may live nearby.
2006-08-24 03:10:29 · answer #5 · answered by Susana T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well on a normal basis, I would say yes, but only if he listens and does what he needs to do, but knowing the kind of mom that you are I know that he will be fine!
You have taught him right from wrong and he will keep your trust! I am sure he is a great id and will do his best to make you proud of him!
You are a lucky woman and he is an even luckier boy to have such a great mom!
I only have one suggestion, are their other kids in the neighborhood that could walk with him? I am sure that you know there is safety in numbers!
Hope this helps, good luck and God bless!
2006-08-24 06:45:25 · answer #6 · answered by iLoveDawnDawn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i was walking that far from school since i was in first grade, so yes he would be fine walking that distance. and yes, if it is only an hour he should be fine with being home alone too. just tell him to lock the door after he goes in, stay in the house until you are home, and not open the door for anyone until you get home.
2006-08-24 03:12:07 · answer #7 · answered by george 2 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well, i think he's old enough to be on his own for a couple of hours...and an 11 years old definitely find his way home if the school is not far from home.. don't worry, he's big enough to take care of himself...
2006-08-24 03:12:29 · answer #8 · answered by Foreigner 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was walking to school that was more than a half mile away when I was 7 so I don't see why not, as long as you live in a safe area, and you trust him.
2006-08-24 03:13:26 · answer #9 · answered by gamemanual 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i received my own keys when i was 8, but I'm a girl..
still, I'm sure 11 years old boy is able to come back from school and take care of himself for some time - give him a chance!!
2006-08-24 03:21:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋