I would have done the same thing. My ten year old doesn't always make the best decisions but he NEVER gets lost. I need him to help me find my way sometimes! When I was nine I babysat for a neighbor. For three days and two nights! Four kids!!! It seemed perfectly fine back then although now I can't imagine those parents leaving my with their four kids that long and my Mother letting me do it! I let my eight year old stay home for a few minutes at a time and I let my ten year old stay home longer. They are perfectly fine with it but we live in the country. If we lived in town or the city it might be a different story.