Young kids left alone in house ?
Discussion
Very Mumsnet !
Simple event facts
2 x kids . One roughly 4 the other 6.
Left at home by mother who wanted to go to college course .
Teenage relative due to baby sit .But turns up about a hour late . The mother has gone to college .Teenager has forgotten keys and cannot access property . Kids under the fear of not doing what the mother told them to do etc .Will not answer door. Kids alone about 2 hours .
Mother of teenager rocks up with keys .
Mother of boys rocks up annoyed she has to leave her class .I sent her a message .
I get the “Nothing happened to them”
I just reply “just as well etc”
Now been asked to apologies . Told her she can f right off . (Neighbour )
Now the law is clear that unless “danger “ can be proved etc .Its not illegal to leave kids of this age. I think kinda “old Skool” and just don’t get it . I don’t think its right . The mother Blames the teenager . I blame the mother as she left the house with no idea when the teenager would arrive . So in effect the mother was the one who put the kids life in danger “should anything have happened “
Simple event facts
2 x kids . One roughly 4 the other 6.
Left at home by mother who wanted to go to college course .
Teenage relative due to baby sit .But turns up about a hour late . The mother has gone to college .Teenager has forgotten keys and cannot access property . Kids under the fear of not doing what the mother told them to do etc .Will not answer door. Kids alone about 2 hours .
Mother of teenager rocks up with keys .
Mother of boys rocks up annoyed she has to leave her class .I sent her a message .
I get the “Nothing happened to them”
I just reply “just as well etc”
Now been asked to apologies . Told her she can f right off . (Neighbour )
Now the law is clear that unless “danger “ can be proved etc .Its not illegal to leave kids of this age. I think kinda “old Skool” and just don’t get it . I don’t think its right . The mother Blames the teenager . I blame the mother as she left the house with no idea when the teenager would arrive . So in effect the mother was the one who put the kids life in danger “should anything have happened “
Cantaloupe said:
God save us from the pathetic lives of nosey neighbours.
F*** sake, why don't you mind your own business ?
Because the teenager panicked and knocked on my door .Now I am involved . Mother would not return message at first . And you offered your opinion . Mind your own business and read another thread .All I did was wait and made it clear she was well and truly wrong . Now this makes me far more of a man than your boyfriend is .F*** sake, why don't you mind your own business ?
I didn't realise there wasn't a specific law that defines this, I'd always been of the belief it is 12 but that is NSPCC guidelines.
https://www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-...
Mother is definitely at fault here.
It definitely makes me glad that I get on well with most of my neighbours, and whilst I don't envisage the situation ever being necessary, I know that should there ever be an emergency where it was, I could confidently ask them to watch my daughter for a short period whilst someone else actually comes to watch them.
but that reason is never "because of pre-made plans being disrupted by someone else being late". If a babysitter is running late, that means that whatever event I am going to, I am going to be late for.
https://www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-...
Mother is definitely at fault here.
It definitely makes me glad that I get on well with most of my neighbours, and whilst I don't envisage the situation ever being necessary, I know that should there ever be an emergency where it was, I could confidently ask them to watch my daughter for a short period whilst someone else actually comes to watch them.
but that reason is never "because of pre-made plans being disrupted by someone else being late". If a babysitter is running late, that means that whatever event I am going to, I am going to be late for.
Shuvi McTupya said:
Isn't it nice to live in a society where we consider this to be such a major issue.
I used to go out on my own at 6yrs old, so why shouldn't I be allowed to be in my house alone?
What would you have done if you'd hurt yourself when you were out? I don't expect you were several miles away, maybe you were at the local play area with your friends? But I suspect that if you got hurt, you'd know you could go home and see your mum if you needed to I used to go out on my own at 6yrs old, so why shouldn't I be allowed to be in my house alone?
But what do you do when you are 6 and responsible for a 4 year old, and one of you gets hurt?
That's the issue. Nothing DID happen, fortunately, but what if it HAD happened, that's the issue and its why, thanks to years of society, "we" believe if is a major issue.
Shuvi McTupya said:
Isn't it nice to live in a society where we consider this to be such a major issue.
I used to go out on my own at 6yrs old, so why shouldn't I be allowed to be in my house alone?
You’re a fully grown adult now - feel free to do what you like I used to go out on my own at 6yrs old, so why shouldn't I be allowed to be in my house alone?
2 kids of 4 and 6 locked in a house panicking doesn’t ring alarm bells with you?
Christ no, my kids are 6 & 8 and definitely not at an age where I'd feel confident of leaving them at home alone even for ten minutes. Only takes one of them to get some crazy idea going about making a cup of tea and knocking a kettle full of boiling water over themselves or something else like that.
Secondary school age is the earliest I'd even think about it and only then because they'd be able to call me if something went wrong.
Secondary school age is the earliest I'd even think about it and only then because they'd be able to call me if something went wrong.
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