What age can kids be home alone?

[Anonymous]

When my oldest was 8, I would leave him home for 10-30 minutes.
When he was 9, 1-2 hours.
He is now 10.5 and I will leave him home for 3-4 hours.

My middle child is 8. I leave him home with 10yo older brother for 1-2 hours. I let them have iPad time so they don’t fight.

I also have a 2yo. I think MAYBE next year if she is 3.5 and he is 12, I would leave home for 30 min to drop off or pick up middle child. I left napping 2yo with 10.5 yo for 15 minutes once this summer to pick up middle child at school. Toddler was still napping when I got home but it was unnecessary stress.

[Anonymous]

My son is 12, and I leave him home all day when I have to work and he doesn't have camp/school. He seems fine, but I have to leave a list of tasks or he'll be on his computer all day.

[Anonymous]

Mine is 9, loves staying home alone and I would leave him for 4 hrs easily but am scared that CPS will come get me...

[Anonymous]

In Maryland, we ran into an issue where a second grader was old enough at 7 to walk home from the bus stop alone, but not old enough to stay at home alone. I didn't come home from work until 20 minutes after her bus came home.

So I had her walk around the block for 20 minutes until I came home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Maryland, we ran into an issue where a second grader was old enough at 7 to walk home from the bus stop alone, but not old enough to stay at home alone. I didn't come home from work until 20 minutes after her bus came home.

So I had her walk around the block for 20 minutes until I came home.

This is why this law is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Maryland, we ran into an issue where a second grader was old enough at 7 to walk home from the bus stop alone, but not old enough to stay at home alone. I didn't come home from work until 20 minutes after her bus came home.

So I had her walk around the block for 20 minutes until I came home.

This seems far fetched. Every day she had to walk 20 minutes alone in whatever weather, rain or shine? What if it was thunderstorming when she came off the bus? What if it was 90 degrees? What if she came off the bus and threw up? Couldn’t you just have her go with a neighbor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Maryland, we ran into an issue where a second grader was old enough at 7 to walk home from the bus stop alone, but not old enough to stay at home alone. I didn't come home from work until 20 minutes after her bus came home.

So I had her walk around the block for 20 minutes until I came home.

This seems far fetched. Every day she had to walk 20 minutes alone in whatever weather, rain or shine? What if it was thunderstorming when she came off the bus? What if it was 90 degrees? What if she came off the bus and threw up? Couldn’t you just have her go with a neighbor?

I have had all these 3 scenarios happen last year with my kid. I would never let my 7 year old come off the bus alone or walk around 20 minutes unsupervised.

[Anonymous]

We are also in MoCo. There is mandatory reporting required by school employees of suspected neglect or abuse. If under age 8 DC says to lunch room staff something like "I forgot my lunch, parent left for work 15 mins before I left for school" expect to meet with a county sicial worker. Btdt. I have been told the age 8 was selected as fire dept thinks thats the youngest age that could be safe aline in case of fire.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with two teenagers (14 and 16) who are never allowed to be home alone. She drags them everywhere, which sounds exhausting to me.

[Anonymous]

I started at 8 for no more than an hour. Still at about that time length at 9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Maryland, we ran into an issue where a second grader was old enough at 7 to walk home from the bus stop alone, but not old enough to stay at home alone. I didn't come home from work until 20 minutes after her bus came home.

So I had her walk around the block for 20 minutes until I came home.

This seems far fetched. Every day she had to walk 20 minutes alone in whatever weather, rain or shine? What if it was thunderstorming when she came off the bus? What if it was 90 degrees? What if she came off the bus and threw up? Couldn’t you just have her go with a neighbor?

I have had all these 3 scenarios happen last year with my kid. I would never let my 7 year old come off the bus alone or walk around 20 minutes unsupervised.

Right! Or you get in a car accident on the way home, or the road is closed for an accident..This is crazy.