Staying Home Alone...What Age?

[Anonymous]

There is a great online course out there that helps to prepare kids to stay home alone for short periods of time. It is really good, interactive and uses games, digital media, videos and real-life situations to educate kids about safety. https://homealonecourse.com. It's pretty reasonably priced too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

By “biomom” you mean “mom.” Be kinder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know the legal age in DC? My son is about to turn 8 and I could imagine leaving him for 30 minutes while I ran out to CVS. He knows how to call 911 in an emergency or an (adult) friend if something happened to me and I didn't come home.

There is no "legal age" in DC, MD, or VA.

CPS in the various jurisdictions has recommendations. Usually ~8 for short periods.

Legally, it's up to the parents, though some jurisdictions have bureaucrats that are pretty invasive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know the legal age in DC? My son is about to turn 8 and I could imagine leaving him for 30 minutes while I ran out to CVS. He knows how to call 911 in an emergency or an (adult) friend if something happened to me and I didn't come home.

There is no "legal age" in DC, MD, or VA.

CPS in the various jurisdictions has recommendations. Usually ~8 for short periods.

Legally, it's up to the parents, though some jurisdictions have bureaucrats that are pretty invasive.

Oh for the love... this comes up so often here.
DC and VA have recommendations.

Maryland does, in fact, have a law.

https://dhr.maryland.gov/documents/Child%20Protective%20Services/Brochures/Unattended-Childre-Brochure-2016.pdf

Maryland Family Law §5-801 states that it is a
CRIME to leave a child younger than 8 years
old unattended, locked or confined to a home,
car, building or other enclosure without proper
supervision.

You may remember the case where parents were charged with neglect for letting their under 8 year old walk home from a park. Turns out, that is NOT illegal, as they were not confined in an enclosure, and several county CPSs specifically sent out guidelines stating that there were recommendations for being alone outside, but that the law applied to b eing home alone or in a car alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know the legal age in DC? My son is about to turn 8 and I could imagine leaving him for 30 minutes while I ran out to CVS. He knows how to call 911 in an emergency or an (adult) friend if something happened to me and I didn't come home.

There is no "legal age" in DC, MD, or VA.

CPS in the various jurisdictions has recommendations. Usually ~8 for short periods.

Legally, it's up to the parents, though some jurisdictions have bureaucrats that are pretty invasive.

Oh for the love... this comes up so often here.
DC and VA have recommendations.

Maryland does, in fact, have a law.

https://dhr.maryland.gov/documents/Child%20Protective%20Services/Brochures/Unattended-Childre-Brochure-2016.pdf

Maryland Family Law §5-801 states that it is a
CRIME to leave a child younger than 8 years
old unattended, locked or confined to a home,
car, building or other enclosure without proper
supervision.

You may remember the case where parents were charged with neglect for letting their under 8 year old walk home from a park. Turns out, that is NOT illegal, as they were not confined in an enclosure, and several county CPSs specifically sent out guidelines stating that there were recommendations for being alone outside, but that the law applied to being home alone or in a car alone.

So you can walk home, you just don't go indoors? Do these fools realize how silly they are?