When did you let your kids stay at home for short periods of time?

[Anonymous]

With summer here, my husband thinks we can start letting my 10 and 6.5 year old stay home for small chunks of time (1-1.5 hours). It would be no more than a couple miles away and could be home within 5-10 minutes. I told him I’d be more comfortable next summer. FWIW, I trust them to not answer the door and think they would make good decisions, I just think they are still too young.

[Anonymous]

I think 6.5 is too young. We didn’t start until ages 8 and 11.

[Anonymous]

Check the law in your state. In MD they’re too young. They have to be 8 to be left alone and 13 to be responsible for another child.
Even if you’re not in MD it’s a good guide, then use your kids as a guide, time of day, maturity level, are they anxious, and SN etc….
I wouldn’t leave a 10yo responsible for a 6yo for more than about 5 mins.
I have an only and she is sometimes alone for upto 2 hours, but not very often.

[Anonymous]

Above PP, sorry, she just turned 11. We started at 8 with 15 mins. We have dogs so that helps with comfort level I think.

[Anonymous]

Around 8. He is an only, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

When the youngest turned 8.

[Anonymous]

9 for both kids. When the youngest was < 9 I’d take her with me and leave the oldest at home.

[Anonymous]

8 years old starting at 15-20 min. We won't let her care for her younger brother (6 years old) yet.

[Anonymous]

11 for boy but he's particularly irresponsible

[Anonymous]

8 in general, but I think 6.5 is fine for very short time (e.g., go for a jog in neighborhood and park kid in front of tv).

[Anonymous]

My 7.5 year old is asking if she can stay home alone. I told her once she turns 8 we can start practicing. For us, the hang up is that we don’t have a home phone (though she could FaceTime on the iPad through wifi) and that our emergency neighbors are about 3 blocks away. We have plenty of neighbors she could run to in a true emergency, but none closer (that don’t have secure privacy fences) that I would want to ask to be designated in regular circumstances.

[Anonymous]

At 7 but not watching younger siblings.

[Anonymous]

Too young!!!

Covid forced my kids to have to be alone for short stints and they were 9 and 11. I’m talking 1hr bursts.

[Anonymous]

I sometimes leave my 9yr old home for 20-30 min. to pick up takeout or drop off his brother somewhere. I take my 6 yr old with me.

We have cameras on the doors. He can use an iPad to call or text us or grandparents. We live on a cul de sac full of families with young kids and there is usually an adult outside watching kids play. He has rules about not heating up food, using a knife, etc.

[Anonymous]

8.75 for my youngest when I drove the older one to school. 20 minutes. NO way would I leave a 6.5 year old home alone for 1.5 hours!