Staying Home Alone...What Age?

[Anonymous]

At what age would you feel comfortable leaving your child at home for 1-2 hours? Safe neighborhood, two dogs, well-behaved, responsible kid.

[Anonymous]

For short periods of time, I was fine with my oldest at age 8. My middle one is almost 10 and I'm just starting with him and even then, it depends on the day. I think it just depends on the kid.

[Anonymous]

8 is allowed in Maryland. I didn't feel my son was mature enough at that point. So pretty solidly 9 and only for very short periods.

[Anonymous]

We started leaving DD home alone for 1/2 hr when she was 8, at nine, more like 1 hr, but not that often.

[Anonymous]

10

[Anonymous]

8-10 depending on the kid. My first two stayed home at 8, the third one probably not until 10 at the earliest as he isn't very responsible...we will see.

[Anonymous]

My kid? Ten or eleven. When he was eight I began allowing him to stay home while I ran to the nearby store for 15-30 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I expected the ages listed here to be much older. I think the first time I stayed home alone was 10. I have a DSC who is nearly 14 and bio-mom still won't leave DSC alone at home even for a short time. (We have done it when DSC is at our house- they are plenty old enough.)

[Anonymous]

1st child, very short periods, 8, a little longer, 9, now at 10, up to about 2 hours, but I'm in the neighborhood and he can call me (and does, just to check in). He's totally fine with it.

2nd child; I can't imagine doing it anytime soon bc she's terrified at the thought and therefore I don't feel comfortable.

[Anonymous]

10 for 2/4 hours, 14 for a whole day

[Anonymous]

For an hour or two? 10, if we know a neighbor is home and on call if help is needed.

For 15 minutes or so while I was in the neighborhood -- we started at age 8.

[Anonymous]

4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I expected the ages listed here to be much older. I think the first time I stayed home alone was 10. I have a DSC who is nearly 14 and bio-mom still won't leave DSC alone at home even for a short time. (We have done it when DSC is at our house- they are plenty old enough.)

Huh. 12 is old enough to babysit other people's children! maybe biomom shoudl enroll your stepchild in a Red Cross babysitting program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I expected the ages listed here to be much older. I think the first time I stayed home alone was 10. I have a DSC who is nearly 14 and bio-mom still won't leave DSC alone at home even for a short time. (We have done it when DSC is at our house- they are plenty old enough.)

Huh. 12 is old enough to babysit other people's children! maybe biomom shoudl enroll your stepchild in a Red Cross babysitting program?

I, personally, think that would be a great idea. But DSC is only child of biomom and biomom is a little... overbearing. DSC rode home from a family trip recently with my mom- my mother later told me biomom called DSC every 30 minutes to "check in" and make sure DSC had eaten and didn't need to stop and use the restroom. Not sure what tragedy biomom thought would befall DSC on a 5 hour car trip with my mom... but this is normal behavior for her. I reckon DSC will be allowed to stay home alone when DSC goes off to college without biomom.

[Anonymous]

Well, that's unfortunate. maybe you could at least innocently pass the information along and she could see the age range for babysitting

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=5ced914124dbe110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD