What age is appropriate to leave kids home alone?

[slayer202]

12 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 38 minutes and 54 seconds.

no earlier

 

[Scarpozzi]

Just make sure you turn the internet off or they'll start chatting with strangers online while you're away.

 

[LookBehindYou]

I think it depends on maturity. For us, our son is 9 and he hasn't been left alone in the house, but if something came up and we absolutely had to, I would feel comfortable. He's in 4th grade now, when he starts 6th he will be going home after school instead of day care for about 2 hours.

 

[JBT]

I don't remember when I was officially left alone. I lived in a VERY rural area growing up. I pretty much got home then went out into the woods or played Nintendo. My grandmother lived next door and that's where I was suppose to "be" but I was never there.

 

[TheUnk]

Just 1? Girl or boy? Huge difference!

 

[tfinch2]

I had Super Mario Bros 3, so my parents left at times and I didn't even know they were gone. This was when I was 7 or 8.

 

[Red Storm]

13?? What the flip. Helicopter parents geez. That's ridiculous.

I was walking to and from school at 5. I'd then run around all day at the park and neighborhoods until my parents got home from work. Found food fine, crossed the street fine, could call 911 or go to a neighbor if I needed to. You guys are raising helpless babies that need their parents for everything. I see this on my facebooks friends page all the time. Feel bad for the kids.

There are a lot more crazies out there than in the good old days. Some things we did back then just wouldn't work in this day and age.

 

[CountZero]

I would consult your fellow neighbors, coworkers, etc., and keep in mind that leaving them alone may be illegal where you live.

What will you say if they accidentally burn the home down and die? Kids are not luggage.

I was left home alone at 9 or maybe even younger but I did recently learn there are laws on the books about what age a kid can be left home alone so you should consult them to see if you have any surprises waiting for you.

 

[CZroe]

I had Super Mario Bros 3, so my parents left at times and I didn't even know they were gone. This was when I was 7 or 8.

This. Same game kept me occupied for years. I was left alone with it even during school hours thanks to being homeschooled and my mother having classes herself.

I know it inside and out.

 

[Midwayman]

Depends if you're planning on crating them or letting them have free run of the house.

 

[JulesMaximus]

2-3 hours is nothing. What do you think they're going to do in that time, burn the house down? I'd regularly be at home myself that long after school until my parents got home from work.

As long as they know how to call 911, don't answer the door when you're not home, and don't play with the oven they should be ok for 2-3 hours.

It certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility. I'd say that is probably a worst case scenario.

 

[DrPizza]

There are a lot more crazies out there than in the good old days. Some things we did back then just wouldn't work in this day and age.

Unless I'm mistaken, you're suffering from (oh, what's that fallacy called again?) - it's where you think something is more common because you hear about it more often. The truth is, children are less likely now to be abducted, etc.

13?? What the flip. Helicopter parents geez. That's ridiculous.

I was walking to and from school at 5. I'd then run around all day at the park and neighborhoods until my parents got home from work. Found food fine, crossed the street fine, could call 911 or go to a neighbor if I needed to. You guys are raising helpless babies that need their parents for everything. I see this on my facebooks friends page all the time. Feel bad for the kids.

This.

Hell, I've gone down to one of the Amish farms down the road. It was obvious the parents weren't home, because usually one or the other comes out to the greenhouse when you're shopping. Instead, I was greeted by a kid who couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 years old. He did the math to ring me up, I paid, he gave me the correct change.

 

[tynopik]

i think there might be legal standards in some areas where kids have to be a certain age or you go to jail for 'child abuse'

edit: http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm

hey Illinois, you crazy . . .

But not as crazy as Florida . . .