Chidren growing up...WAY too fast.

I agree with the others. If you aren't comfortable leaving her alone then don't do it. I don't have a problem with it. I used to spend a lot of time alone when I was a kid. My mom would run to the store and leave me and my brother at home. We were 8 and 6. Nothing ever happened. We would just sit and watch TV then make sandwiches for lunch if she wasn't back. But my gramma lived downstairs and if my mom was gone more then an hour or two she would check on us and we knew if anything went wrong to get her. My kids have been left alone for about 10 minutes at a time while I took my oldest to the corner for the school bus. It made more sense them bundling them all up and making them stand in subzero weather while they had the flu. They were much younger. I feel no guilt. I had to do what I had to do.

If you are uncomfortable with it you don;t have to do it just because it is legal to do so. I had older brothers that never stayed home when my parents were out so at 9 I spent time at home alone, but that was 20 years ago. Times have changed.

If your not comfortable with then just dont do it. Or start out slow. Leave her home alone while you run to the store for milk and bread. Then the next time make it a few minutes longer. Un til you are both comfortable with it. In our state even though it's legal to stay alone at ten, you can still claim child-care until they are 12. Good Luck...Our daughter will be 10 in November then we will be in your shoes.