I remember getting out of school and going home with my siblings when I was about 6-7 years old. Most of the time went home and sat in front of the TV and made myself a instant noodle sometimes.  when summer came we were all alone most of the day. My parents were working and doing their best  just to survive so i don't blame them. They had to do what they had to do.

Now that i have children of my own I wonder if its healthy to let them be alone by themselves till one of us gets off work.

did you or do you leave your children alone after school?

Would a person be considered a bad parent for doing so.

In my own experience it does not seemed to have affected me,I'm just a normal joe.

We didn't lock the doors.  Nor did anyone in our neighborhood.  The house stayed open all day.  I never heard of anyone who had been burgled.

I guess you can say I was a latch key kid, but that was in rural Arkansas 20 years ago.  We knew all the neighbors and the neighborhood kids.  If anybody did anything wrong our parents would know about it by the time they got home.  I think my parents worried more about one of us getting hurt by doing stupid boy stunts than a BG in the area.  I have an older brother and by the time he was 11 or 12 we were home alone for a full day during the summer with no problems.  With that said, I really think that those were separate times and probably will not do that with my children (when I have them).  

I was.  But our block got turned into a ghetto in the 15 years we've been living there, so we lock the doors now.  I always used to go to my friend's house down the street after I did my homework (more often than not WITHOUT doing my work), and no problem.  Today, though I wouldn't be surprised if my parents made me stay at work with them if I was 8.  My neighborhood has become "tha hood."

The kids I used to babysit for were an 11 and 9 year old boy in one family, and an 11 year old boy and 7 year old girl in another family.  The first family lived out in a rural town just outside San Angelo (which is really freaking small itself), and they still wanted a babysitter.  I guess it's just up to the parents' discretion.  I wouldn't look down on it, I'd probably let my kids take care of themselves and their younger siblings at about 10, depending on their maturity.

Wow! That term brings back memories!

My babysitter (yeah, STFU) was 16 and I was twelve. Never met such a person with so much to teach.

I heard this little tidbit on the radio about 10 years ago. A talk show host was talking about growing up in the 1940's. At the time "Latch Key" kids were called "Door Key" kids. "Door Key" kids usally came from "poor" families where both parents worked to make ends meet.

Say it real fast so the words slur together: Door Key = Dorky

Quoted: I guess you can say I was a latch key kid, but that was in rural Arkansas 20 years ago.  We knew all the neighbors and the neighborhood kids.  If anybody did anything wrong our parents would know about it by the time they got home.  I think my parents worried more about one of us getting hurt by doing stupid boy stunts than a BG in the area.  I have an older brother and by the time he was 11 or 12 we were home alone for a full day during the summer with no problems.  With that said, I really think that those were separate times and probably will not do that with my children (when I have them).

I have a similar background, except it was 30 to 40 years ago and it was rural California.

WAAYY different time.