Leaving Kids? (Not for Vegas trip!)

[Mariposa]

Okay, so, after reading the thread about the special parents that left their 9 and 5 year olds to fend for themselves while they went to Vegas, I got to wonderin'...

How old should kids be before you leave them at home alone? Even for a run to the store? I know all kids are different, but I was just wondering about everyone's opinion. How old should they be before you leave them alone overnight?

DD is 8, we don't leave her alone except to run to the mailbox. DFiance was saying the other day that he'd almost trust her to stay here while he ran to a convenince store, and I agree that I'd trust she'd be good as well... but 8 just seems soooooooo young. (This is, in all fairness, when my DParents began leaving me alone.. but I'm not sure that was a great idea, even though I behaved myself.) Also, running to the convenience store here takes less than 10 minutes. (I'm still not planning on leaving her, just wouldn't feel right- even if I trust her behavior.)

Now, my ex's DMom ( ) used to let him walk the 5 or 6 blocks home from kindergarten and be alone for about half an hour to an hour every afternoon. At 5 years old. Seriously. Maybe I'm just weird, but that just seems wrong.


So, anyway, opinions on age?

 

[tiggerlover]

I know this topic has been addressed before and the answers varied as people vary. For me personally, I would not leave an elementary school age or younger child home alone. (Running to the mailbox or to the neighbors house for a few minutes (for me) doesn't count). When my son (9) gets closer to middle school age (11) then we will start allowing him to stay home alone for short periods of time, but until then he won't. JM2CENTS

 

[Beth76]

I think 10 or 11 for running to the store. I was 11 when I started babysitting. Now for a trip. That would totally depend on maturity and trust level that I couldn't possibly answer as my kids aren't even 5 yet.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I think I started short trips when my DD was 8 and in 3rd grade.I know by 5th grade she was a "latch key kid" where she walked home from school and was in an empty house for 90-120 minutes until I got home from work.

 

[RadioNate]

I walked to and from school alone (or with other kids, not adults) starting in kindergarten.

I was in 4th or 5th grade when I started going home to an empty house with a boy that was 2 years older than me. I know for sure in 5th grade, he was in 7th at the elementry school and I'd walk to their house and wait on the porch for him, he had the key and we'd be home alone about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Our elementry school didn't have bus service and I lived too far to walk.

In 6th grade when I went to middle school, which was much closer to my house I went home alone until my mom got home. She was a teacher so she was home 4-430ish. That continued throughout HS

She started leaving me home alone over night when I was 16ish. My dad lived near by but truthfully I was probablly better off alone than at my dad's.

My SIL was in Jr high before they'd leave her just to run to the store. Maybe 11 or 12. The worst thing she did was watcch the PG 13 movies she wasn't allowed to see.

I think with DS we will wait until Jr high. I had friends who started babysitting in 6th grade. I'm still nervous about using our regular sitter's 14 year old sister during the day.

 

[Chris2597]

I left my kids home alone while I ran to the grocery or corner store when they were about 9-10.....usually no more than 30-45 min and I was right up the street....at about 11 we would run to the mall, go grocery shopping and be gone for a couple of hours....Of course we always had our cell phone on and were never too far away.....we also had neighbors and family that lived nearby. I think it is important to start out slowly and add to the time and level of responsiblity. My oldest dd started babysitting her younger sibs for very short periods when she was 12.5 and started babysitting for neighbors when she was 13.

 

[pixiemomma]

Definatly depends on the child's maturity level. I don't think there is any set answer but Chris2597 answer seems reasonable to me. It is similar to the what I was allowed to do at those ages.

 

[MoniqueU]

My son is 12 almost 13 and is allowed to stay home alone and has been for about a year. I trust him and he seems to do ok. As far as overnights I think I would wait until someone was 18 until I let that happen.

 

[kilee]

My son was 11 when we started leaving him for 1-2 hours. He's just days shy of 13- and I still don't leave him for more than 6 or so hours. We have to be home before evening because he still has a fear of the dark. I don't know when I'd leave him alone overnight-- it will most likely be closer to 17 or 18 though.

I know I was allowed to be home to babysit my sister around 11. My mom left me for a few time overnight when I was 16.

 

[Partridge4ever]

I've wondered, too. DD will be ten soon. Sometimes when I have to take or pick up my younger DD at dance class, she begs to get to stay home. It only takes 15 minutes round trip. What worries me is if something unexpected happened like car trouble.