When Are They Old Enough

Hi Doranmwin, I was about 9 or 10 when my parents would leave me home for a short while. I did fine. I was babysitting at age 11. Now I believe there is some law that states when it is ok to leave your child alone. You might want to check on that to be sure but I almost think it is age 11. I had 4 kids and they were all so very different that I went by their personality and maturity rather than age when it came to giving them more responsibility and freedom. My oldest daughter was so mature that I think she would have been fine and capable at age 9. Another daughter I hated leaving her to her own at 16 more than when she was 10! I really think it depends on the kid but call the division of children and find out what the laws are in your area.

10 is very very young in my case, my parents never left me alone till i completed 17 years...They will take me with them where ever they go.. They have the fear, that i might get into any trouble if i'm home alone and they never allow me to talk to stranger when i'm alone.. i started staying alone in my home when i was 20(im currently 20). When they have some engagements or marriage functions, my mother would go for the marriage function and my father will be staying with me or my father would go and my mother would stay with me.. They are always concerned with my safety... They started leaving me alone just before a few months, they thought i'm old enough to live in home for 1 day or 1 night..

I believe it varies from child to child. Legally it varies from state to state. In Colorado there is no age so technically you can leave your child alone anytime. I think my daughter was about 10 the first time I left her alone and it was about twenty minutes. She never liked being alone so it happened very rarely. She is 15 now and hardly ever is home alone. I work from home so luckily it isnt an issue. I think you just have to feel out how mature they are and how prepared for emergencies. Now, my daughter will babysit but doesnt like to be alone.

As I recall my Mom started leaving us Alone when my older siblings were about 12. But even before that we were allowed to walk/ride our bikes to school, and weren't required to come straight home. My advice is do whatever seems right in your heart.

First and foremost it depends on their maturity. There are some kids that are 12 and 13 and still very inmature or still somewhat younger in their minds. I think for the most part though a mature 12 and 13 is good to keep home. I never had to really leave them alone because my sister lived above me so she was always around when they came home from school. However, I would have to stick to 12 -13 years old. Ten is still to young especially if alone without any sibilings.

I am a single child. Both of my parents are working. I started to be left alone when I got to the age of 8. but then was in the 1990's. I guess right now the children are intelligent, but becoming less mature, so I would say around 10 years old.

Hi Dorann Ten is the age I started leaving mine alone for short periods of time. As they did okay, I began to stretch the length of times. By the time each was 12, she was allowed to baby-sit. They have courses available to greatly help them learn the ins and outs of that. And even now, I am only a phone call away should my grown daughters need anything. Karen

it is noticed problem i think,although i have no children,but i find that children could not analyse what it is safe or not about something and easy do damaged thing.as for my private opinion,when the children would analyse what it is safe or not about something.they would be permited to stay at home alone.

My three kids (ages 10,8&7) can now be left at home at their own. Its because we have a friendly neighborhood. And most of the times each of us look for each others houses if someone is not at home or only the kids were left. My wife used to worry about it but lately she's been used to it.

I have 3 boys ages 10, 8 and 2. I have left my oldest in charge of the others for a few minutes while I ran a quick errand to the store (maybe 15 minutes). That being said, I have made sure to ask a family friend to keep an eye on them all the while I'm gone. Now I make sure that that 10 year old is capable of being in charge (ie: keeping the others from running out the door, playing with things they shouldn't etc) and he has done quite well that I don't feel as anxious as I used to. Now my 8 year old on the other hand, I probably wouldn't leave him alone at all if I could help it. I think that it is a matter of how mature the child is.

i think you should not leave them alone . their are not in a legal age. they don't know how to manage their selves. you should take care of them. give their needs as a children . don't think them like a old man or woman , that can handle their selves.

Hallo ...I also dont know when is the so called "right age" to leave children alone at home....for me , I never leave my children without any other adults around just like their auntie or uncles. Just say I have to go out and nobody at home,for this moment, I will bring them along with me, cause they still small...one 7years old n 3 years old. And maybe until they are around 11-12years old, I will just dare to leave them alone for a while....I think I will still worry about them.....And I believe by that time I will slowly teach them what should they do during emergency time...how to escape if there's danger...what shouldnt do to avoid...fire,etc...like these things.

To be honest with you I'm not sure when. However, I believe 16 years old will be the best age to leave them alone at home. I have a 4 month old baby right now and he has a Nanny. At first I was hesitant to leave him alone with his full time Nanny. It took me almost two months to feel comfortable leaving him with his Nanny and that is because the Nanny has been with my husband's family for more than 20 years already. She was my husband's Nanny and she also took care of my husbands siblings (total of 9 children)when they were still young. My husband has a big family. :)

I have read a magazine before.A boy ,age 6,he mother let him by car alone and didnt worry about it.and her son thought this experience was very exciting.but most parents think this is a dangerous maneuver.but the boys parents said,we should let our children to creat their own experiences,not to protect him.protect him just equal harm him.so I think let you boy enjoy their their own life.best wishes for you family

My mom was leaving me home alone when I was like 6... but I was very mature and always knew exactly what I could and couldn't do when my mother wasn't home. I never tried to cause trouble. I began leaving my son home alone at around 9 years old. Unfortunately I have 5 kids, and at the time we only had 1 car. When I needed it for errands I'd have to drive my husband to work, and our car did not fit all the children. So the oldest was left home while I brought hubby to and from work. He was given the speech about not answering the phone or door, and making sure no one knew he was home alone, and not leaving the house or using the stove or anything like that. He never had any problems. I don't leave him home often anymore, even though he is now almost 13. Although he's mature enough, I know he spends his time alone watching TV or playing video games, and unfortunately he's usually grounded and not allowed to do such things. But these days we have a car that fits all the kids, so there's no reason to leave him home alone anymore.

Well, we lived in quite a deserted place on a farm and so we were isolated.Our children were never left alone at all. If we did go our in the evenings then they always came with us when they were small and later, when they were older, then our household helper babysat for us. `But that was when the youngest was about 4 or 5 years old. I remember in the U.K. as a child, it was against the law for a child to be left alone under the age on nine years. I was left alone by the age of four - would actually put myself to bed! My father worked at night and my mother would go out with my two older sisters aged then about 9 and 13 years old. They would go to the movies or visiting or something. I did know that Mary was the mother of Jesus so I made her my mother and asked her to love and take care of me. My understanding was of course limited. There is so much more violence now but 10 yearsold seems appropriate for a short period as long as the child is familiar with basic safety rules and does not answer the door etc. Phone contact would be necessary too. Wow! Your posts have really sent me down memory lane!

This is vry relative concept and depends on the economical, social culturel backgorund of person. In most of the developing countries people left their children alone at home even at age of 2,3 and go for their work to get bread .

Well my children are way too young to even think about leaving them alone. I have years to consider it. My oldest is gonna be six in a couple weeks and my other child is 17 months. But I think that it all depends on the child. Some children mature more quickly and can handle being left at home alone for a few minutes and some can not. But I think when your children reach that stage you will know. If you feel comfortable leaving them alone then they are probably old enough. When you decide to try you should just test it out a few times first. Tell them you are leaving and just go sit down the road where you can still see the house for a few minutes. THats what I would do.