Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t do it until my child was well into adulthood.

I was left alone at 15/16 overnight. I was very mature and very independent and always had been for my age, no parties planned or anything like that.

We lived in a super safe suburban neighborhood with no crime in a large single family home. Honestly I was scared out of my mind being alone in the house overnight by myself. Every single little noise that never would have bothered me freaked me out. I was surprised myself at how scared I was considering I stayed alone many times later at night. Overnight it was just a different ballgame. I was too embarrassed to admit how freaked out and scared I was to stay alone overnight to anyone bc my mom was always bragging about how mature and independent I was and
didn’t want anyone to think less of me. And I was mature and independent for a teen but I was still a teen and not an adult.

Anonymous wrote:Land the helicopters! Do you know how much confidence this gives your child? Knowing they can be home by themself?

As long as you are not worried about your child having a party (and can verify with ring or whatever), and your child is comfortable being home alone, this is fine at 13/14. I was doing it much younger and we've done it with ours.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, very surprised by all the helicopters on here. I am a pretty laid back parent, and my gut was that it was fine at 14, depending on the kid. I asked my 13YO DD yesterday (thinking about this thread) how she would feel about being left alone with her 11 YO sister overnight, and she said no problem at all, they would be fine. I tend to agree with her, and would do it.