My son will enter 6th grade in fall. He will turn 11 within few months of school start. All these years, he has been going to after-school day care center within school premises.
But this year he is saying he will manage to come home after school and will stay alone till one of the parents come home. He also says he hasn't seen too many 6th graders in after-school day care and the rare ones are the kids whose houses are not within walking distance of school. Our home is less than a mile away from his school. Another option is to wait in the school premises (like many kids) for the pickup for 45 mins to 1 hour.
Money to day care center is not the question but his insistence that he will be responsible/safe kid to open door and stay in study for 1 hour. Our neighborhood is quiet but I have not seen how it's during school days when most of the parents are away working..I am insisting to continue in afterschool care.
Suggestions/advices welcome..
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
RBee;465937Suggestions/advices welcome..
We have our kid picked up by the sitter. From 7th grade (next year), he will be biking back home. He is a responsible kid and there are many kids who bike home and stay alone till their parents come home.
Find out if there are other kids from your neighborhood. Perhaps he can ride back home with them. Or work it out with the parents in the neighborhood so that you can collectively hire someone to pick the kids up and drop them off at the homes and the parents can share the cost.
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
I think it depends on the neighborhood where he will be walking. That said, if he is going to be walking all alone and there are not many people around then it might not be a good idea. A kid walking alone at the same time everyday will be noticed by many and since there are all kinds of weirdos lurking around it may not be very safe. If someone can drop him at home and he stays alone for a couple of hours then it should be fine as he seems to be a responsible kid.
Some links:
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/home-alone-or-watching-younger-siblings
http://www.ehow.com/info_8586877_california-unattended-minors-home-alone.html
Some links:
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/home-alone-or-watching-younger-siblings
http://www.ehow.com/info_8586877_california-unattended-minors-home-alone.html
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm
This link shows what is each state's legal permission for allowing kids to stay alone. California-Unknown (I am not surprised; like many unknown on state's future :) ). Many of the friends say they have not tried to interpret what that unknown is and anything above 8 for the kid to be left alone is O.K. if the kid is mature enough; walking alone also they say depends on maturity of the kid and the neighborhood..My neighborhood is not unsafe but that I have seen only during rare vacation days or weekends, hence the apprehension..
Person to pick/drop kids around the neighborhood.. I haven't seen any in my kid's exact age group..So don't know if it's my kid alone but then I have to trust the person if my kid is the only kid..
Are we extra protective than our parents as I used to walk alone to/from school when I was in 4th grade as my siblings were in different school when I was in 4th grade; I even came home to empty house many times till my working dad/mom came home? Or the situation has become dangerous now to warrant such protectionism ?
This link shows what is each state's legal permission for allowing kids to stay alone. California-Unknown (I am not surprised; like many unknown on state's future :) ). Many of the friends say they have not tried to interpret what that unknown is and anything above 8 for the kid to be left alone is O.K. if the kid is mature enough; walking alone also they say depends on maturity of the kid and the neighborhood..My neighborhood is not unsafe but that I have seen only during rare vacation days or weekends, hence the apprehension..
Person to pick/drop kids around the neighborhood.. I haven't seen any in my kid's exact age group..So don't know if it's my kid alone but then I have to trust the person if my kid is the only kid..
Are we extra protective than our parents as I used to walk alone to/from school when I was in 4th grade as my siblings were in different school when I was in 4th grade; I even came home to empty house many times till my working dad/mom came home? Or the situation has become dangerous now to warrant such protectionism ?
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
RBee;465983
Are we extra protective than our parents as I used to walk alone to/from school when I was in 4th grade ? Or the situation has become dangerous now to warrant such protectionism ?
Neither.
First of all you are in a different country and you know there are child abusers near the route from the Megans database. Secondly, it is always better to err in the side of caution considering the stake is very high.
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
Like layman said , its better to err in the side of caution. One of the kids in my daughter's school got run over by a car which took a left turn when the kid was on the cross walk (and the walk sign was on).
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
RBee;465983
Are we extra protective than our parents as I used to walk alone to/from school when I was in 4th grade as my siblings were in different school when I was in 4th grade; I even came home to empty house many times till my working dad/mom came home? Or the situation has become dangerous now to warrant such protectionism ?
Even in India, these days, lots of parents do not allow kids to bike/walk from school especially due to the road conditions. i personally know of a fmly member (kid in 11th grade) who met with an accident with city bus while biking back from school.
So i would say, its a combination of the changing times and people's personalities..
In my school district i have seen older kids gather around and ride together in a van picked up my someone hired by their parents and get dropped off at home...
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
Have y noticed one thing. In spite of US being what it is a country of law & order, no one is recommending it is OK.
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
srinpo;466071Have y noticed one thing. In spite of US being what it is a country of law & order, no one is recommending it is OK.
Difference is (with India) that In US ,the culprit will be caught and get punished but the damage will be already done for our kids.
I used to go to school walking alone even in primary grade but our Indian roads are crowded and both sides of the road are full of shops and we know most of them.We were kind of protected by the public eyes.
In US neighborhood, imagine at 3 PM , roads are deserted, if some bad guy come by truck and pick up the kid, no one will notice it.
As a parent, I will not have peace of mind letting them walk and stay alone in US.
Rbee, Can't you work from home or take early release and work rest 2-3 hours from home?
Would you let 6th grade kid to come from school alone in the afternoon?
Rbee - My Indian landlord in Fremont sent both his kids to Harker. The main reason for his decision as he put it.
1. The time between when school ends and both parents get home is free and unstructured time for kids, which if not properly managed, is an opportunity for kids to get in trouble. I work from coffee shops and many times I get to listen to really interesting stuff when a bunch of kids gather with their favorite drinks right after the school.
2. Harker solved the problem for him since the school lasts until 6:00PM (I believe). No hassle of hauling them to after-school and multiple extra-curricular activities. A school like Harker will take care of all that.
My kid is only in elementary and for now I send her to a good after-school program. No first-hand experience.
1. The time between when school ends and both parents get home is free and unstructured time for kids, which if not properly managed, is an opportunity for kids to get in trouble. I work from coffee shops and many times I get to listen to really interesting stuff when a bunch of kids gather with their favorite drinks right after the school.
2. Harker solved the problem for him since the school lasts until 6:00PM (I believe). No hassle of hauling them to after-school and multiple extra-curricular activities. A school like Harker will take care of all that.
My kid is only in elementary and for now I send her to a good after-school program. No first-hand experience.