Another Door Key Question.

[Traci66]

This weekend grandson aged nine, (well son in laws son from a previous relationship) turned up with a box and asked me where he could put it so it wouldn't get lost, I asked what was in it to be told it was his house key so he could let himself in if he came back from playing out and his mum was out. I think he is far too young for his own door key, and his mum shouldn't be going out for him to come back to an empty house. What are your thoughts on this?

[murraymints]

Agree and quite illegal...

[anneasquith]

too young :(

[marval]

I agree it is too young.

[Eve]

I always feel a bit of a fraud answering on family threads as I don't have children but it sounds too young for me. I guess some 9 year olds may be quite mature but they are unlikely to have the lifeskills and experience to cope if something went wrong.

I was only given a key in sixth form, and only then when on a random occasion my mum was out I ended up having to sit on the doorstep for ages. I wouldn't have used it to let myself in though I always had a very strict curfew and someone would have to wait up for me to let me in. I haven't had a key since I left home after college at 18.

[Traci66]

He is definitely a young nine year old.

[Peter Pedant]

well nothing was locked when I was a child

but the idea of locking a child out.....

[kendra20]

He is far too young to be left without supervision anyway, anything could happen to him. Have a word with his dad about it his mother should be in for him or have someone to look after him.

[Traci66]

His dad has spoken to his ex about it, she doesn't seem to think she is doing anything wrong!

[sherrardk]

Too young in my opinion. I wouldn't let my nine year stay in the house on his own.

[society]

My opinion, this is an irresponsible decision. She has probably done this before.

[ummmm]

Surely it's for short trips out to shops and stuff?

[pixie373]

I agree too young. My ten-year-old isn't responsible enough for that. Although, i don't think it is illegal. I knew someone who let her 5year old son ride his bike around unsupervised and often didn't know where he was. Would have scared the life out of me!

[B00]

If it was his idea to bring you a key, I think he's more mature than you give him credit for.

If the mum being out is a case of his mum just nipping to shops for example, I see nothing wrong with it personally.

We do tend to mollycoddle our children far more than we seemed to be at that age, something of which im guilty of too, but I distinctly remember coming home every day from middle primary school onwards every day to an empty house with my own key as my mum was at work and there simply wasn't any other choice.

[Old_Geezer]

I believe I would have been old enough at 5. Not that my parents would have contemplated it. If i got back from playing and no one was home I had to hang around in the garden until they turned up. Got a key at 18 since my parents felt it was there house, kids didn't get keys. Adult offspring could have one. But I think it depends on the individual. The problem is that it's his parents' choice. I think leaving it with granny is not so controversial as having the child hold on to it permanently. May be seen as a more responsible solution if there are times when the house will be empty.

[ummmm]

And Murray, it's not illegal.

[loulou111]

i think ummmm is right . There is no legal age with leaving children on their own. However if anything should happen to the child such as a fire or an accident whist unsupervised, and police / fire service etc called, then action could be taken against parents or carers.

[coccinelle]

I had a couple of friends in primary school who let themselves in into empty houses after school, the key was on the end of a piece of string which was attached to the letterbox. As a kid I found it eary to walk into an empty house with them but they were quite used to it. So long as he isn't frightened on his own and knows not to touch certain things and has a neighbour to call this might not be a problem. This might just be a 'just in case' problem which may never happen.

[Old_Geezer]

"their house"
LIKE I TYPED !!! >:-(