10 year Old Home Alone?

[SnowAngel]

What are opinions of a 10 yo being home alone for couple hours? She can reach Mom by phone at anytime, Mom calling her every 45 minuites. And Mom works 2 1/2 minutes away.

just a question because I got a complaint for letting 10 yo stay home yesterday sick for a little while. Someone on my street got a school complaint about something with their child and then complained to the school my daughter was home alone?!?! Daughter will get in trouble for answering the door and didn't tell me the school had stopped by. She has lost my confidence in her since she knows she's not supposed to answer the door or phone (unless my number comes up).. If she doesn't do what I told her then I don't trust her to stay home by herself for any amount of time.

I really need to move.

It's been one of those weeks. I've got in arguments with my supervisor one day and just lost a cap on one of my teeth... daughter and I both being sick

I really, really need my vacation. -- 10 more days.



Hope everyone is having a great Friday.

 

[meuseman]

I stayed home alone when I was 7 - by the time I was 10, I set my own alarm in the morning and cooked myself oatmeal.

DW cannot believe. She thinks that's why I'm 25 and act 75.

 

[Keggy]

My sister let's my nephew (10) stay home alone and I think he is too young to be doing that. However, I am not a parent. I think every kid is different, so it depends.

Kelly

 

[Crankyshank]

It really depends on the child.

I started staying home alone after school for a few hours when I was 6. I was also making my own lunch then and crossing a busy street by myself to get to and from the bus stop. I was very old for my age, though.

 

[poohandwendy]

Daughter will get in trouble for answering the door and didn't tell me the school had stopped by. She has lost my confidence in her since she knows she's not supposed to answer the door or phone (unless my number comes up).. If she doesn't do what I told her then I don't trust her to stay home by herself for any amount of time.

You answered your own question, she has proven that she is not mature enough to handle the responsibility. I hope you can find alternate arrangements.

I am sorry you had a bad week...hopefully next week will be better.

 

[NMAmy]

DD stayed home after school alone when she was about 11. She was very responsible, we lived in a townhouse and the manager (a very nice lady) lived next door in case there was a major emergency and I was reachable by telephone.

It's a hard age...the options are so limited. They're getting too old for daycare and latchkey but it varies by child whether or not they're responsible enough. I wish more middle schools offered after school options.

I'm not sure why your neighbor felt compelled to complain to the school about it. I'd be wanting to move, too.

 

[snoopy]

I stayed home alone when I was 7 - by the time I was 10, I set my own alarm in the morning and cooked myself oatmeal.

DW cannot believe. She thinks that's why I'm 25 and act 75.

LOL! I guess I must act about 100 because I was not only taking care of myself at 10, I was taking care of 5 younger siblings.

Times have changed, though. Today a parent could get arrested for leaving their 10 year old at home.

For the record, I have a 10 year old too. He's a boy, and was not raised with the same sense of responsibility that I was, so there is no way I'd leave him at home. Perhaps when he is 13 I might consider it.

to you, snowangel. Its so hard when you have to work and a child is sick. I am so fortunate in that my employers have always been so flexible when it comes to my children.

 

[airhead]

when I was 10,my father was stationed in Alaska and my mother was an OR nurse. I took care of my 6 year old brother,was reponsible for laundry and some house work along with getting everything prepared for dinner making,no cooking. It made me a very self sufficient 10 year old. Not for all 10 year olds,but I was able to handle the responsibility.

 

[Cebhfhionn]

My DS is nearly 10 and he stays home from school alone. He calls me as soon as he gets in and is allowed to go over a friends house to play(parent is home there.) I am in constant contact with him.

The stupid aftercare programs are only open until 6:00 and I work until 5:30. This is how this came to be but he is very mature for his age(in most respects.)

As far as your neighbor is concerned, why doesn't she mind her own business?! What a jerk!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Sorry you had a tough week!

My only issue with not answering the door or phone is that sometimes someone wanting to break in will come to the door first or even call. When our house was broken into several years ago the person did knock first and when no one was home they went around back and broke in.

I've told my kids to go to the door and, without opening the door, tell the person on the other side of the door that I'm taking a shower, etc.

I can't even imagine someone from our school stopping by to see if a 10yo is home alone. First of all, it's legal in MD for a 10yo to be home alone. Second of all, how do they have the time or staffing to check on a child? What's with the neighbor, too?

T&B

 

[SnowAngel]

Thanks all. I live on base and it can sometimes get kind of ornery with people here ..and since I live on base and the school is on base , they think they have more rights.
It is legal for 9 and 10yo to stay by themselves for up to 4 hours with telephone contact. I drive her crazy because she says I call her too much.. sometimes even every 20-30 minuites. I worry too much

 

[DVC-Don]

JMHO but too young. Our 12 year old female neighbor got caught in the house with her boyfriend by her dad after he made an unannounced visit to the home after school. Lets just say there was a lot of yelling at the time and a young fella running away. She is/was home alone for maybe an hour or 45 minutes per day but she was making use of that time.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I think it really depends on your child, and also how you were raised. I was left alone, watching my two younger siblings when I was around 8. That was so normal back then, and I turned out ok. My dd is 9, and we have left her home on several occasions. Not more than an hour at a time, and always during the day. The rules are not to answer the door, or the phone unless it's me or her dad. To feel comfortable, we have tested her a few times by sending a friend or neighbor to knock on the door or call and see if she'd answer. She's always passed the test, so I don't worry about her breaking the rules. We also have an alarm system that she knows how to activate, and a panic button. She's a pretty responsible kid, and I can trust her. I've had some people tell me that she's too young, but you know what? She's my child, and what works for us might not work for other people. I survived being left alone for much longer and under less safe circumstances when I was younger, and I survived. She will too.

 

[crazee4mickey]

It's against the law here for any child under the age of 12 to be left home alone, but everyone does it (I honestly never have)--the law never seems to be followed and everyone seems to be just too busy to enforce it, so why have it?!?

 

[dumboiu]

You answered your own question, she has proven that she is not mature enough to handle the responsibility

BINGO

 

[golfgal]

I have 2 10 year olds and they are fine staying home alone for a while. THey don't like to stay home alone after dark, so we don't leave them at night. It really depends on the child and how responsible they are. Most of my friends leave 10 year olds home alone for a couple hours. I think it is one way to teach responsibility.

There are no laws about kids staying home alone for kids over the age of 6 or so. There are suggestions by the US Clearing House for abused and neglected children (an office of the Federal Government) and their guidelines state that an 8-10 yr old should be able to stay home alone for 1 1/2 hours or so, 11-12 year olds for 3 hours, 13-15 year olds all day, but not over night, and 16-18 up to two consecutive days. These are the guidelines, so 2 hours for a 10 year old isn't way out of bounds.

http://www.nccic.org/poptopics/homealone.html

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I have 2 10 year olds and they are fine staying home alone for a while. THey don't like to stay home alone after dark, so we don't leave them at night. It really depends on the child and how responsible they are. Most of my friends leave 10 year olds home alone for a couple hours. I think it is one way to teach responsibility.

There are no laws about kids staying home alone for kids over the age of 6 or so. There are suggestions by the US Clearing House for abused and neglected children (an office of the Federal Government) and their guidelines state that an 8-10 yr old should be able to stay home alone for 1 1/2 hours or so, 11-12 year olds for 3 hours, 13-15 year olds all day, but not over night, and 16-18 up to two consecutive days. These are the guidelines, so 2 hours for a 10 year old isn't way out of bounds.

http://www.nccic.org/poptopics/homealone.html

Thanks for the link!

 

[Stitchfans]

My daughter is 10 and I feel very uncomfortable about leaving her home alone. Times are so different from when I was younger or even from when her older sister was younger. Even though daycare takes a really big bite out of my paycheck I feel better knowing she is there. When she reaches middle school I willl give her a key and let her come home alone. I will be home within 10 minutes or so. Just one more year we will be able to do that. No matter how mature the child is if a "bad" person wants to hurt them mature or not, they will. I am too much of a worry wart and in many people's eyes no doubt over protective. I have always been that way with her and with her older sister.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

In the state of Florida it is subjective. However, if they see any child 7 and under home alone it will get DCF involved with your life for a few minutes or months.

 

[bobcat]

Both my kids started being left home alone for short periods of time at 10. Rarely for more than 30-45 minutes. They are learning responsibility and self confidence by being able to have some independence at this age. That being said if they were to break one of the rules then that would mean no more staying alone.

I had a situation a couple of weeks ago where I lost my babysitter, she got a "real" job and had to start with only one days notice to me. Now she only watched my 10yo in the mornings before school but I have to leave the house before 7am and couldn't find any place that could take him on such short notice and even that early. Our before school care started at 7am so that was out. Thankfully my sister was able to help out for the rest of the school year but I have to figure out what to do about next year. He would have 1 1/2 hours alone before the bus comes and that is just too much unstructured time for him.