Home Alone: Do You Ever Leave The Kids Unattended?

I have done this, but I also have a 13 and 12 yr old at home with them. They are mature enough to know the rules, do not answer door, have all emergancy #'s listed in phone. And it is only if I run errands in town, so that I am a phone call away.  When I was there age, my Mom worked 2nd shift, and I was a Latch Key kid. No adult home from time I got out of school until almost 2 am. I would not put my kids in that situation, like I was, but for a short time I feel it is fine.

I answered no, never. But, once while my daughter was 9, I left her home so I could drive my kindergartner to the bus stop (1.5 blocks down the street). She was sick and didn't want to get up, but I never really left the street.

No, I haven't. But I've considered it. She's mature enough that I think she could stay by herself for a couple hours. The reason I haven't yet is my younger son. He'd want to stay with her, and she's not old enough to have that responsibility yet.

I voted yes all the time because Koresha is home for about 10 or so minutes by herself during soccer season.  I work in another town and with money being so tight I need every minute I'm on the clock.  Soccer practice starts at 4.  So when Koresha was 9 (10 now) I had her walk home from school (the school is near our house).  She was trained to lock the door behind her and then call me the minute she had that done so I knew she was home.  She would put me on speaker phone and get her gear on.  And we would talk until I got there.  She would have probably been fine and not had to talk to me the whole time but it made her feel better :)

Not yet. If they don't want to come with me to do erands then I send them to the neighbours.

My kids are 9 and 6. I have left them in the bed (I told them what I was doing) in the morning when I had to take my DH to work less than half a mile from our house. I have also left them playing for a minute so I could run and pay a bill about a mile away. I have never left for longer than 30 minutes. I'm confident that my 9 year old could supervise his little brother for longer, but I'm not ready to do that. LOL.

Yes when my mom is out of town and cant pick my daughter up at the bus stop my daughter walks home with the neighbors daughter and she stays home alone for about 30-60 minutes till i get home from work. Now most of the time i am on the phone with her from the time she walks in the door until i get home but sometimes she calls me when she gets home and i walk her though the reminder list of things she can do and cannot do ...this only happens 2 or 3 days every 6 months or so

At 8 years old, I was left home alone to babysit my 5 year old brother. But I grew up fast, so I was mature enough to stay home.

My mom started letting me stay at home alone and/or with my little brother (he's 4 1/2 years younger than me) when I was in 4th grade.  It wasn't a big deal.  For my son when he gets to that age, it will depend on maturity and where we live.  At that age, though, I wouldn't leave him for more than an hour or so.