What age to let a child stay at home alone?

HeidiMightyRawr · December 2012

I think it depends on the child and their maturity level.

I think I was 9 when I was first left alone. It wasn't for long, something like half an hour. I was told not to answer the door or the phone etc etc It was about a year later when I did regularly. I used stayed round my friends after school and we'd be alone for an hour or 2 until her mum got back from work.

elenathegreat · December 2012

Mine is 51, and I still hesitate to leave him home alone for very long...

Schnuddelbuddel · December 2012

My eldest will be 9 in January and I've left her alone for short periods (up to 2 hours) - she's quite mature though, so I know I can trust her.

It totally depends on the child though. I know several kids her age and even older that I wouldn't leave alone if they were mine.

ash190489 · December 2012

I just watched the movie Project X last night where a 17 year old boy is left at home alone and turns out he had a huge party. Yes it's a movie, but definitely made me think!! I can't remember an exact age that my parents would leave my brother & I home alone... Teens is all I remember.

robin52077 · December 2012

The law here is 12, and I would not feel comfortable with an 8 year old home alone at all....but then, it does vary greatly with the maturity level of the child, there are probably some 8 year olds I would trust more than some 12 year olds....

majica8 · December 2012

Depends on the child, but I still would say they should be at least 12.

My 11 year old cousin gets left home alone and has done for a few years. I'm not sure if his 9 and 7 year old sisters also get left, I think they do although apparently not for very long at a time. He is not a well behaved child though, and the 3 of really don't get on if they spend time together.

I can't remember when I was left home alone. I was thinking start of secondary school which would make me 12 and my brothers 16 although I think I still went to family after school for a short while at least.

tigersword · December 2012

Whenever the child is comfortable enough to stay home! I always had older sisters but my mom would tell us to only answer the phone if we recognized the number or if it it was her but to NEVER answer the door. Idk it depends, but an 8 or 9 year old should be able to be home alone for a little while. A lot of kids come home after school and wait a couple hours before their parents get home so it's not a rare thing

This. I was a latchkey kid from the time I was about 7. I'd walk home from school and be by myself (sometimes my sister would be there, but she's only a year older than me) until my parents got home from work. I don't see it as a big deal, if the child is ready for it.

Maidofmer · December 2012

I was left alone at 9. but with my baby, yea 25 sounds like a good age. still gonna have nanny cams tho

tami101 · December 2012

When my daughter was 11 she would get home from school 30 minutes before I would get home from work. I would have her go to my Dad's house who only lives a coulple of blocks from us. She had kept asking me to let come home for the 30 minutes instead. The first time I let her, I came home to her outside covering her ears, the smoke alarm is going off, and she's saying "I'm really sorry Mom"! She had decided, in less than 30 minutes, to make candles out of crayons and set my stove on fire!

The plus side is, is was mature enough to grab the fire extinguisher and put the fire out. And yes, I did let her stay home alone after that because I believed she had learned her lesson. Which she had. She is almost 22 now and has not set anything else on fire.

So my answer to your question would be as the others have said, depends on the child.

Mutant13 · December 2012

My sister and I were home alone together from when I was 5-6 and she was 7.

We came from a teeny tiny town in the outback maybe 600 or 700 people, and knew our neighbours well. We also knew our address and phone number/how to call the authorities etc. we got along just fine, and are both very self sufficient now.

It does depend on the kid, and on your neighbourhood

taekwonkenpo · December 2012

Their are LAWS about this. Check your local law first.

victoria4321 · December 2012

Wow 8 seems so young. I don't think I was ever home alone until I was 15 maybe.

sarahrbraun · December 2012

My oldest, now 17 ( who has a mild case of autism) was occasionally alone at 5 or 6 years old. I worked 10 minutes away and sometimes was not able to be home in time for his bus. The rule was that he let himself in and called my cell IMMEDIATELY to let me know that he was home safely. His little sister ( almost 13) has been home alone sometimes when I have to take her brother to doctor appointments. Same rule, but occasionally I will arrange for her to get off the bus down the street at a neighbor's house. My 7 year old has never been home alone.

ABetterLife92 · December 2012

Up until the age of 18 I had to go to my grandma's house after school, and write on the fridge where I was going that day (ie a friends house), their address, and phone number.

I resent them for it up to this day.

And what do you know, my brother is 13 and allowed at home and to go whereever he wants whenever.

keelz2010 · December 2012

I think a child home alone should be around 12...if someone left an 8 year old home alone in the UK they would have social services on their case about it. 8 years old is still a child IMO

dad106 · December 2012

Well I was home alone starting around 5th grade and on.

I always just sat downstairs and watched TV... and then if I was hungry or bored, I'd walk to the local strip malls and look around. If a friend called, then I'd call my mom and say I was going over there or I'd leave a note so she wouldn't worry.

brevislux · December 2012

Depends on the child and the environment... I grew up in the country and I managed fine being alone at home when I was 8. But if I have kids in the city (which I prefer not to do) I'd probably not like to leave them home alone before about age 11.

Spokez70 · December 2012

My older daughter just turned 12 in October and so far we have not left her home alone- although at this point if an emergency came up then I think it would be fine for an hour or so. My 8 year old- not so much.