What is the minimum age that you would allow your child to stay at home alone for the day?
c_crum asked:
Your kid has come down with a cold and needs to stay home from school. What is the minimum (youngest) age you would consider allowing your kid to stay at home alone while you go to work?
CARY
Your kid has come down with a cold and needs to stay home from school. What is the minimum (youngest) age you would consider allowing your kid to stay at home alone while you go to work?
CARY
December 30th, 2008 at 5:29 am
not at all… we live in the hood!!!!
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Of course it depends on the maturity of the kid, but I would say around 11 years old.
January 4th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
jr or senior in high school
January 7th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
tough to say, but I would the minimum would be 12-13, but its totally dependent on the individual child and many other factors.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I t depends on the child, really. My oldest wasn’t ready until she was about 14… and I still couldn’t really trust her due to risky decision-making. But my youngest was mature enough to stay home all day by age 12.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:33 am
depends on the maturity of the child. most states don’t even have a minimum age. if the child is mature i would say 12 good luck
January 31st, 2009 at 9:24 pm
i would say 13
my nephew knows the rules and to never answer the door unless u know them
its all on how u feel and how much u trust our child
good luck
February 1st, 2009 at 7:42 am
16 yrs old,but my mum let me stay at home when i was 13 but these days you dont trust anyone especially leaving you child at home with the sick twisted people these days,you just want to keep them with you,
like that poor 16 yr old give that was doused in petrol and set alight in her own garage and left to die i would not advise them to be left at home under 17
February 4th, 2009 at 12:23 am
12 if the child wasn’t mentally challenged or too physically ill to take care him/herself.
February 6th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I would say that 10 is OK, maybe a bit younger when you have good neighbours and a mature for their age child
Sam R; the age is NOT 16. There is no set age, it is at a parents discretion depending on what they feel is OK, and the maturity of the child
February 7th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I would say depending on their maturity level 14-16.
My mom couldn’t afford daycare for me so I stayed at home alone all day starting at 7 (unless I was at school) but I don’t feel that it was an age where a child should be left alone especially actually going through it there is just too much that can go wrong.
February 8th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Depends how mature they are for their age. 12 years old should be fine, but check in often and make sure they aren’t more sick than you think they are. Also give rules and instructions, numbers to call if need anything. And of course not to answer door for anyone!
February 13th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
it would depend on the child. some 10 yo’s are more mature than some 13 yo’s. if you work close to home and they can be trusted not to open the door or answer the phone i would say 11 or 12.
i was babysitting by the time i was 13
February 15th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Whatever my state allows. I live in Florida and I don’t think parents can leave their child home alone until they are 12. Check with your local state laws to find out what age is okay because the last thing you need is for some neighbor to call the police and report a child home alone.
February 16th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
wow, people are answering these questions with very high ages. I am thinking that I was babysitting the neighbor kids at 12, and I’m sure I was left home alone from age 10 or so atleast! So I guess it would depend on how I felt about my child around those ages, and their maturity.
February 19th, 2009 at 3:25 am
I would say age 10 but I’m not a parent. I am a stepmom part-time. I would think that it would depend on the child, how mature they are.
February 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) advises that:
children under the age of thirteen are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time, children under the age of sixteen should not be left alone overnight ,babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone
February 21st, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Well, in my state it is illegal to leave a child under 12 years of age home alone without a sitter, but I wouldn’t leave my kids home alone until at least 15.
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:56 am
It depends on the laws regarding it where you live. I wouldn’t consider allowing a child under 13 or 14 to stay at home alone during the day, regardless of what the law said, however.
February 27th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Are they able to get up and feed themselves?. Do they know how to call 911 in case the house starts fire or someone tries to break in? Are they a scardy cat? All this will play a part in that decision. If they are sick can they function and take their medicine ( fever reducer) without parents being there to remind them. I would say 10 if they can do all those things above. If they are a scardy cat and don’t want to stay home alone then definately don’t let them.
March 1st, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I would probably let them stay home alone at the age of 13 but I would definetly come home early .
March 9th, 2009 at 8:37 am
13
I would give the SPEECH , 911, don’t answer the door, etc etc
and call him constantly from work to check
March 12th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I’ll be comfortable when they are over 16 years of age. Any younger they would have to spend their sick days at grandmas.
March 15th, 2009 at 4:43 am
Well it depends on the maturity of the child but I’d say from 10 onwards
March 16th, 2009 at 6:32 am
14 years old.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
When they are atleast 13 AND RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH. That is the big key. Children mature differently.