This was a phrase used back in the late 1950s/1960s to described very young children (some as young as 8/9) who had a door key hung around their necks and came home from school to let themselves into an empty house.
I was a "latchkey" kid from the age of 12 as my mother worked pat time at Vernon's Pools until 5pm. I had to come straight home, wash any dishes, set the table, and prepare the vegatables ready for when my mother got homs. Later I had to also put them on the stove and light the gas.
I was not allowed to stay on at school for choir or drama practice as my father considered those "sissy". However when I mentioned "sports" practice he relented because sport (even if it wasnt football) was good. My parents never found out that I wasnt staying for netball or hockey. I HATED sport with a passion and was never good enough to be in any team.
Later I had a young sister who had to be let into the house when she got in from school. Fortunately there was an aunt nearby where she stayed on my "sports" evenings.
I never really minded being a latch key kid as it gave me a feeling of responsibility.
SunshineSally re your comment about sitting the pop and crisps outside a pub...........one of my AC, now in their fifties actually told me recently that when they were younger she and her siblings used to be so envious of some of their friends who used to experience this. Never for them!!!. Hubbie and I never went to a pub unless we had babysitters at home.
Lol Franbern ? we’d be so bored locked in the car - and there was nothing to do in the dark!
Obviously something I never dreamt of doing with my AC at any age.
Yes. My mother was out playing golf!
Yes though can't remember how old I was. My sister was supposed to look after me but when she started secondary school I would get home before her. I didn't have a key round my neck but on a keyring which I sometimes lost and had to wait on the doorstep until someone came home.
No, but sometimes I wished I was. I only entered the front door and I was told to get my homework done before I got my tea.
I wasn’t but my eldest two children were from the ages of 12 and 14. They were quite grown up by then and I trusted them besides it was for only half an hour before I got in from work.
My mother worked full time from when I was about eight. She had arranged for me to go to the infants' school where my sister was staying on in what would now be called an after school club but I felt I was much too old for that. So, I had a key, let myself in, read or watched telly until she got home (was supposed to do my homework but I loathed it!)
From about eleven I started cooking the family dinner several nights a week too. She must have missed me when I went to boarding school three years later!
My mum was a school cleaner, so I went from school to her place of work school, and then home with her.
My mum didn't work but would be out sometimes when I got home. She would leave the back door open for me. One day I was greeted by black smoke coming out of the kitchen. I ran to a neighbour and she ran into the kitchen and lifted a pot off the stove. She threw it in the garden and switched off the stove. Poor mum was horrified. It took a week to clean the black walls.
My mum was a stay at home mum, she used to collect me from village school and something was always cooking for tea when we got in, very comforting and I can still almost taste her home made fish cakes! I worked p/t when mine were little, but was always home in time for them to come out of school. Things have changed sadly, I can't imagine my children or grandchildren having to be latchkey kids.
Yes I was and I LOVED IT.
Yes and loved it. Both parents out at work. We did chores and paper rounds before school so did homework before parents got in. I always got up really early!
No but it would have been nice. My granny who I lived with was always there, and waited on me completely. She saw this as her duty and did everything for me, cooked, cleaned, made all my drinks and snack etc until I left at 14. I was allowed out to play after lunch until teatime sometimes in the fields half a mile away with the dog and other kids.
Definitely had a culture shock when I moved back with mum at 14. She was ill and expected me to help a lot with paying bills at gas and electricity shops, taking younger siblings to doctors, dentists and hairdresser, taking laundry to the launderette, getting shopping etc. She always lit the fire and did the cooking though.
I left home at 16 and moved into a bedsit. Took a job in a Wimpy Bar as meals were provided before I taught myself to cook.
I was on my own after school for about two hours at a very young age. In the winter it was very cold in the house and I used to get the coal fire started. I even used to hold newspaper against the fire place to make the coal catch light. Frightens me now to think what could have happened. We had a shilling slot machine for electric and the lights often used to go out. I used to have to go to neighbours to beg for the loan of a shilling to put in the meter. We also had old newspapers stored in the under stairs cupboard where the meters were and I could hear mice scurrying about amongst them. In the dark trying to get the shilling in the slot was terrifying. How times have changed.
Me too. I also had chores, one of which was lighting the fire which I hated. I didn’t mind coming into a empty house it made me feel grown up
Yes but the key was either under the mat or in the shed, there were 4 of us, I was the youngest and my school was closest to home so I'd be first one in & have about 20 minutes before the rest rolled in. There was always a list of chores left on the table with who had to do what and no arguing about it, mine was mostly picking veg from the garden, peeling spuds laying the table, pegging washing out in Summer etc My jammy toad brother never had to do very much because he was a boy!
Although my DM worked as an accountant, my lovely Granny lived with us so I never came home to an empty house. I don't ever remember having to do any 'chores' either.
I was one too but I had the key around my neck on a piece of string for all to see!!! used to embarrass me and I was also frightened to be alone indoors. Both my parents worked, my mother wanted to more than had to and my brother was rarely there as he was much older. I could have been no more than 6 when it started.
I was but it was in the 80s had a key round my neck to let myself in. I used to pick up my younger brother from school as well. I didn't have to make tea we waited till my mum got in or my dad whoever was first
I was the same as nanna8 an apple left for me in the shed ,no key to get indoors I thought nothing of it at the time .
I was sent to boarding school at the age of 8. That’s really getting you out of the way!
Yes, quite often . Mum worked various jobs with different hours so wasnt always at home come end of school. Father worked shifts so was at home some weeks. Never a key anywhere, door always unlocked. Had very basic cores to do after homework and relished trust and independence. Own chikdren once at secondary were often latchkey kids. They loved it apparently.
My two children were. Ages 5 and 7. I wish they had never had to be. I ignored their fears, but they were brilliant in supporting me so that I could work to put food on the table, pay utilities and buy essential shoes and clothes. They never complained. But the Shelley, Huddersfield, school teachers and headmaster should be ashamed 45 years later. They were bullies to single parent children of working mothers No benefits in those days. So very sorry Andrew and Caroline. But you have turned into compassionate and fine adults despite me. X
My mum did sewing for the local factory at home so was always in when I came home from school.
In Secondary School at 12ish I let myself in from school. I walked over a mile to get the bus home the 45 mins on the bus home. I was given responsibility at about 12 till then I was very protected.
There were just as scary things going on then as we have now. I was told if there was a problem go to a Policeman or to a lady.
Having the key to our home was a responsibility and being trusted was wonderful although made me initially a little nervous.
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