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

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 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?

4th grade.

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.

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

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.

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.)

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.

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.

10

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

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.

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.

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