How old was your child when you started leaving them home alone?

[Hannathy]

My DD did this occasionally at this age, She walked home from school and let herself in, she loved it as long as it wasn't too long (over an hour). We found having a keypad entry for the garage was easier than having her carry a key-no losing it. She also had explicit orders to not share the code with anyone and if anyone was close to her she had to have them step back.

 

[JrChurch]

Since I am a SAHM (we homeschool) I am the designated mom to run to when there is trouble. All I can say is try to cover all contingencies. We have lived in this neighborhood 10 years and the strange, unexpected things that have happened to a variety of kids has amazed me.

The latest: 14-year-old neighborhood boy usually gets home 45 minutes before 8-year-old brother. We see 8-year-old walking toward our house in tears...no older brother in sight. Older brother carries the house key and his school bus had a flat tire. So, the younger brother waited a very scary half hour on front steps before coming to find us. Fortunately, we live in a neighborhood with trustworthy people. I have parents cell phone and work numbers if I need to contact them.

As far as allowing a child to use the garage door key pad for entrance, that is a good idea, usually. Of course, we were recently locked out because our electricity was off. Do you have a back-up if your electricity is out?

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Last year my 5th grade DD didn't want to go to the after school program.
She is reliable so I let her come home. My other DD was in the 8th,
but she stays after school for sports. (She use to babysit on saturdays afternoons at 11.)
It worked out fine. I have 2 neighbors that have our key for emergencies.

It all depends on the child. My friend has a 12 yo son who just started to leave him alone for very short erronds. He said he doesn't want to be left alone for more than 45 minutes.

 

[tiggerlover]

I think it is a personal decision based on circumstance and the child. But with that said, I have a child who is turning 10 in June and I would not leave him home alone. I personally feel 12 is a safer age, but that is just my opinion.

 

[disykat]

As far as allowing a child to use the garage door key pad for entrance, that is a good idea, usually. Of course, we were recently locked out because our electricity was off. Do you have a back-up if your electricity is out?

You have a great point! A few weeks ago, I was volunteering at the elementary school when the power went out. It took about 20 minutes before I remembered that my junior high son was going to use the keypad to get in the house. I called home to check before running home and fortunately the power was on at our house! I hadn't thought of this problem before it happened to us.

For us, 11 was a good age to start leaving them for short periods. I probably wouldn't have done it before then. I could maybe see doing it if I had close neighbors that were home at that time though.

 

[sweet angel]

I started with DS toward the end of 4th grade. It was actually his 4th grade teacher who convinced me to start making short runs without him, and let him work into being by himself.

I have two dogs, and good neighbors, so safety was not really an issue.

Now that he's almost 15, I'm tempted sometimes to leave and never come back!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Depends on the kid. I don't think 10 is too young.

You'll make the right call!

 

[Nancy]

I think you would have to base it on the childs maturity level. I have been working FT days now for almost 5 years, which means my youngest was 8 when I started and my oldest was 13. Youngest got home before the 2 older ones did so I know she was home by herself for a bit and she loved it. (maybe 1/2 hour) She does have to call me as soon as she walks in the door though...even now that she is older. She is very mature and independent and she loves to be left by herself. Now at 13 she is probably more responsible than her 2 older sisters.

 

[DVC-Don]

You gotta make the call on this one. Next door neighbor let his 13 yo daughter come home by herself last fall. Then one day he made an unexpected visit home and found a 14 yo boy there with her. Her grandma is at the house now after school when she gets home.

 

[Lil_Tink]

I think that that is about the age when I was home alone for 15-30 minutes at a time. But, it really depends on the child

 

[TiggerPiglet]

We just started to let DD 10 stay home alone for short periods of time, usually 15 -30 minutes. I'll usually let her stay here while I drop off her younger sister at a playdate or religious instruction. The other day we needed to go somewhere that was 45 minutes away and would be gone for a few hours and she wanted to stay home alone and I said no way, I wasn't ready to leave her alone that long, especially with us so far away.

Here is a link that discusses leaving children home alone. Most states do not have an age requirement: http://www.nccic.org/poptopics/homealone.html

 

[Pollito916]

I was 9 when my mom started letting me stay alone for a short time, but everyone tells my I acted 30 when I was only 4. Our next door neighbor even let me babysit her 4 year-old when I was 9. Granted, my mom was home right next door, and it was only 2 hours, but I still felt very grown-up!

But all kids are different, and only you can make the decision if your son is ready. You tested him once, and the worst thing he did is watch TV when he should have been sleeping. He probably just wasn't tired; it's not like he was up and causing trouble.

 

[snowwite]

I let my daughter come home on the bus and be alone for two hours when she was 12.My son is almost 14 but he still attends an afterschool program until I get out of work. He will have to come home this year because he is too old to keep going. It all depends upon the maturity level of the child.Some kids are really responsible and some are not. I worry that y son will get huty because he tends to be reckless and forgetful (ADHD) but my daughter was always very responsible. I dont think there is a magic number I thi nk every kid is different. If you think he is ready review the rules,what to do in an emergency and give it a shot.

 

[clh2]

You really are the best judge of what will work for your child. Let me tell you what we did with ours:

At 9.5 years old, our DD started coming home alone after school. She would immediately call me at work on the cell phone. It has worked out very,very well.

We told the school principal and her 4th grade teacher that she was doing this, (so that DD didn't lie to them - although she was not supposed to tell anyone else.)

We had a set of rules that were not to be broken. Period. Or it would have been back to the sitter's house. No 2nd chances, period.

DD is able to get into our hosue with no keys. We also have a neighbor's house she goes to if something happened to the keyless entry things, also if anyone is in our driveway, (i.e. UPS, fedex etc). DD also knows that if the neighbor, for any reason says she is to go to their house, then that is what she is to do - no questions asked- but then call me.

DD loved the independence. She always tried to get her homework done before we came home, which was about an hour later.