I hear a lot of arguments about "overprotection" from parents whose child-rearing style is more relaxed than mine and, these days, it goes in one ear and out the other. In the end, no one has to live with the consequences dh and I make for our children like our children and we do. That said, my 11 y.o. will be starting secondary school in the Autumn and will have to take a commuter train (above ground) into the city each day. I don't like it one bit and if there was any other way, I'd do it, but there isn't. She is riding with at least a friend or two (and there will be a lot of other school children on the train as well), however, and she's smart, capable and mature for age. If this were my son, I'd probably be far more concerned. As to staying home alone, we've always lived in apartment buildings so I've been comfortable leaving my oldest child home for very short periods since she was seven (after making sure a trusted neighbour was home). Recently, I've even been letting both my oldest and middle child stay at home for short periods because they know how to behave at home alone (again, making sure a neighbour is around). I would never leave my middle child, who is now 7, home alone under any circumstances though, even if I did his sister. He's a completely different child. It's not just age that matters! Yes, bigger children, bigger problems. I recognized this even when mine were babies. The job goes from being physically taxing when they are small to mentally taxing when they get older and I've been bracing myself for what is to come since they were infants!