We all remember the movie “Home Alone” where a little boy is accidentally left behind when his frazzled parents take off on a trip to Paris with the rest of their many children.
My first thought in seeing this film is that this scenario was highly improbable, if not impossible. I mean, really – how on earth could you forget your child? Anyway, that’s not the point of this post: kids home alone, specifically when kids should be left home alone.
We live in a very different day and age from even 20 or 30 years ago. Way back when, many of us were told by our parents to “go out and play and don’t come home until supper.” That may very well have been the norm back then but in no way, shape or form would that philosophy fly now. We’re a lot more protective of our kids and we don’t give them even half as much leeway as we used to. Ah, the good old days.
In a very unscientific poll on my Facebook fan page, I posed the question and got as many varied answers as there were commenters. Not one person agreed with the next in terms of the age and details surrounding how and when a child should and could stay home alone. As you can see, it’s an extremely personal decision and is dependent upon many factors, including the child’s age, maturity level, time period that they will be left alone, time of day or night and more. It is clearly not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition.
We’ve all heard horror stories about what may happen if we’re not there to shield and shelter our children, but how realistic are they, really? It’s likely that nothing will happen if you run out to the store for a few items while your seven, eight or nine-year-old stays by themselves for a while, but why take the chance? That’s the rationale of those who err on the side of caution; for others, the question of picking up some more milk, bread and cookies while our kids stay comfortably situated in front of the TV is not even an issue. The choice of whether or not to trust your child alone is an intensely personal one.
To that end, today’s question is as follows: At what age is it okay to leave your child alone in the house? Leave your thoughts in the comments below
VIDEO: When is it okay for your child to stay home alone?
Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Samantha,
I think it really depends upon the child. I know 20 year olds that shouldn’t be left alone. Sheesh! They are totally irresponsible.
My son who is 8 is very responsible, and is almost ready to be left alone (not with friends, but alone). Almost. Not quite yet. I would say he will be ready in 2-3 years. I would say, when they know how to use the oven, microwave and stove safely (and have demonstrated that) then they are safe to be left alone (not that they will be using those things). They have to know to call 911 and all that…you know?
Yes – I know, Lisa! It’s that perfect combination of skills and responsibility that makes the parent finally feel that their child can handle things. Sometimes it’s an easy call, other times not so much. As you said, it really depends on the child. Thanks for commenting
Samantha recently posted..Monday Musings – At What Age Should Kids Be Left Home Alone?
We can’t pinpoint the age when it is to leave kids’ home alone. There are so many variable reason parents need to consider when leaving kids alone. Parents should need to consider the maturity level of their children, how far they will be going while they are out, the type of neighborhood they live in, and so much more. There are some young children that can be trusted and some are not, it depends how they are trained by their parents to be responsible enough to take care of their siblings. What’s the most important is that parents should also evaluate their children if they are capable of leaving or not and set a solid list of rules to followed by them. I have 2 kids ages 7 and 9 and I used to leave them home alone most of the time because I trained them to be responsible when they are alone. I also provided them this cell-phone based safety service for their protection. Just pressing a button they can notify and alert friends, family and myself. If needed, the call will be routed to the nearest 911 dispatch. We can do better by protecting our children. Check this out: https://login.safekidzone.com/mobilesafety/?a_aid=5130f12a083db&a_bid=37613964&c_id=98e84f07&refcode=RelentlessProtection#
Agree – it really depends on the level of maturity of your child, as well as whether or not the child is trustworthy and responsible. It’s a tough call sometimes as parents get to the point where the child is just on the cusp of being a teen, but still not completely ready. A judgement call for sure and not without a great deal of stress for the parents. Thanks for your comment.