At what age would you leave your child/children home alone? And for how long?
My kids are 9 and 10 years old and both very responsible. I’ve been wondering about this recently and curious to know what age others consider this ok?
I remember being left at home for a few hours here and there probably from around 11?
9 Replies
Yes I would leave them in the daytime for short times, not a full day. I think it’s good for their development as long as they’re ready and willing and can be responsible, it’s great to start to build that.
If you feel are old enough and responsible
Then they be fine. Trial is by distance & leave them
Longer each time. I leave mine home. So much easier now, going to the shops. Leave a phone with them.
I explain that nothing is to be touched. Knives, any cooking. Only thing they can have is water, snacks. If I’m gone longer then I leave sandwiches for them or make sure they are fed well, so they don’t get into things.
It really depends on a few things other than just age:
Their maturity.
Their responsibility.
Their impulse control.
Their compliance.
Their ability to handle emergency situations and I don't just mean knowing how to call 000 but how they'd actually cope in the face of an emergency, ie, panic or stay calm.
What the area you live in is like (I've lived in suburbs that I didn't even feel good about leaving my dog in let alone a child).
Whether you have someone to contact who could get back to the children quickly if God forbid you had an accident or if something happened beyond your control that prevented you from getting home.
From the age of 13, short stints. I'm talking picking up milk from the local store, going to the newsagent to put my lotto on, dropping the car off for a service or tyres. We live in a small town, each of these are within a 5 minute walk.
16, a few hours between getting home from school and me getting home from work. If they wanted the company they could stay at their aunts place and I would pick them up from there instead. This was usually the case so they could hang out with their cousins.
If I wanted to do something that they didn't want to (like grocery shopping etc) I just did it while they were at school, or while dad was home.
Many years ago we lived in the nearest city, a few years after we moved the house we had lived in burnt down. 5 children were there, eldest 15, and no adults. Not all of the children got out. A fire can start from a faulty power point, they don't even have to be doing anything.
For me, convenience has never been a contributing factor. "Easier" just doesn't cut it when the least easy thing you would ever do is bury your kid because it was easier to leave them home alone.
Wow, that's a sad way to live. They can live on their own at 16 and you won't leave them alone for long. Do you drive? I mean you could be in an accident any time you're in the car.
Can and should are two very different things.
Not sure your point about driving? Was there one?
My 10 yr old stays at home by himself for short periods. My nearly 9 year old.doesnt feel comfortable yet so she always comes with me. I just tell my son to keep doors locked and we have a phone at home so he can contact me if he gets scared
9 and 10 is too young for hours in my opinion, 10 minutes ish ok but not hours. When the oldest is 12 plus if they are a responsible child yeah a few hours in the day time. I have an only child I feel that's different then siblings I think with siblings like if you have a 10 and 14 that would be ok if they are together.
My girls are 12 and 8 and I’ve left them home for an hour here and there, I know my neighbours and my neighbourhood very well they know the drill and always have a phone to contact me if need be,
You know your kids best! Go on your parental gut and what it’s telling you!