What age to stay not need babysitter?

[krcit]

I know someone who won't let her twin 7th graders stay home alone for more than maybe an hour. They get a sitter(family only, they don't pay for one) to even go out to dinner 5 minutes away. I know it's none of my business but I'm bored waiting to go out so I'm putting this out there for opinions. BTW, they are typical kids...no special issues.


Ooops. meant to post this on the community board.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd14 was babysitting other children at that age! Ds12 started staying home at 9 for smaller periods of time, and I'd let dd9 and dd7 alone for a short period (but NOT ds7).

 

[Smile&Nod]

I found child protection guidelines on my county website when my kids were younger - but certainly a 7th grader should be allowed to stay home alone however, it may be that the 2 7th grader's together don't get along well when alone so the relative is to keep the peace or it could be that they are not comfortable staying alone. My daughter (now 21) had a friend that was not comfortable staying alone until she was much older. It may not even be the parents who insist on it .... anyway, consider checking out your county website to see what guidance they give -

 

[4forMe]

I know someone who won't let her twin 7th graders stay home alone for more than maybe an hour. They get a sitter(family only, they don't pay for one) to even go out to dinner 5 minutes away. I know it's none of my business but I'm bored waiting to go out so I'm putting this out there for opinions. BTW, they are typical kids...no special issues.


Ooops. meant to post this on the community board.

Are they twins boys? I only ask this because my twin boys fight constantly when I'm home and I can't imagine how it would be if they were home alone. Also, one of my boys is extremely immature and even when he is a 7th grader, I don't envision leaving him home alone for long periods of time if he is still showing extreme immaturity.

In our state, it would be illegal to leave my 7th grader home alone. Personally, I find it ridiculous since I was a latch key kid from the time I was in 6th grade and survived just fine.

I guess it depends on the maturity of the child. My oldest is in 6th grade and he would be fine if I left him home alone; however, there is no way I would do that with his sibling.

 

[princessmom29]

I didn't know it was illegal in any state to leave a 12-13 year old home alone. I do think that is excessive. I was babysitting the neighbor's 3 kids 4,2, and a newborn at that age. I think they would certianly be able to handle a couple of hours.

eta: Where did the thunbs down come from??? I didn't do that.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

Ds13 has been staying home alone since he was 11 1/2 or so. I started leaving dd with him when she was 9 (he was 12). Here, 13 is the legal babysitting age, so I've started leaving one of the younger ones with ds (my youngest boys are 7 and 5). Dd is my mature one, so I'm totally comfortable leaving the whole crew if she is here with them.

I do wonder if maybe the kids get a little wild when alone together??? That does seem a little old to not be allowed to be home for short periods of time.

 

[Fyrefly]

I started staying home alone around 6th grade, so I was 11. Your mileage may vary between 9, 10, 11, I think any age there was good. The main thing for me was I switched to middle school which meant I would be home on the bus before some of my mom's substitute teacher jobs ended.

It was just easy to say "Now you're in middle school so you can stay home alone, etc." It's a nice landmark.

It's important to teach them never to answer a phone and say they are home alone. Say something like "Parent can't take the call right now, may I take a message and have them call you back?" And also teach them not to come to the door if the doorbell rings, stuff like that.

Any kid who is sensible and mature enough to take care of the house and themselves while home alone is fine, imho. Now I do think one should be 13 or 14 before having to look after a much younger sibling, or if there are issues with them arguing, but others have more experience with that.

 

[v.t.]

I just started letting my twins (11) stay home alone but only for an hour or so. Occasionally I let DS9 stay with them, but not for that long.

 

[StitchBuddy]

Okay, I realize I am dating myself, but I was a latch key child at the age of 8 living in White Plains, New York, of course that was 40 years ago. I stayed by myself for 2 hours until my mom got home from work and all day in the summers. It was lonely. I would never have let my own child do it at that age. But, I think it depends on the child. My DD started staying by herself in the 6th grade after school for 30 min to an hour until I got home. She is very responsible though. I think people are more cautious these days, because we hear so much about terrible things that happen due to the media.

 

[2littleprincesses]

In our county you have to be 8 to stay home for short periods and 11 to watch other children. You need to be mid teens to stay for longer periods such as all day. Within discretion of the child's maturity, etc.

 

[design_mom]

I'm pretty sure around here you have to be 12 to stay home alone. My DS will probably be able to handle it just fine, but I don't think I'd leave DD with him unless things change a lot between now and then. I can see her pulling "you're not the boss of me!" and him trying to use his power to the fullest. (roll eyes). It'll be easier to get a sitter. (we also have plenty of family and have never had to hire a sitter.)

 

[MSSANDRA]

So many things to consider. Do you have close neighbors that would help in an emergency?? How far away will you be?? What are the laws in your county/state?? The maturity and security of the kids???

When DS was little DH worked third shift. He was VERY use to being awake in the house alone with DH alseep in the bedroom from an early age. He could always wake DH if needed but RARELY did that happen. He knew the rules and followed them. It was an easy transition to his being alone for short periods of time. I think he was 4th or 5th grade when we started leaving him alone for short periods of time during the day...a little older for longer times and at night. He is a very mature kid that follows the rules. That is the big factor, not just age.

 

[rubato]

I started letting my son stay home alone at the age of 9. It was only for an hour or so. Now, he can stay home (at age 11) for at least 3 or 4 hours. He's an only child, doesn't answer the door, knows where the fire extinguisher is and is smart enough to not answer the phone with "My mom and dad are out and I'm home alone". I was babysitting my brothers at age 8. I do not let him eat or shower when I'm gone because I have fears of falling in the bathtube and choking.

 

[tzolkin]

Where do you find out what ages children are allowed to be left home alone or babysit?

 

[nchulka]

Most places have not set age because the level of maturity varies so widely. There are only 2 states with an actual age, one is Ill. and I can't remember the other. Ill. has a ridiculously high age like 14, the other was younger. Whatever age you decide the important thing is to start out with short trips to the post office and such during the day, and gradually work up to longer periods and eventually nights. I can remember staying alone during the day while my mom ran to the store around 10-11 and I loved it, but I also remember being alone a few times at night when I was about 12 and I was scared to death (watching Unsolved Mysteries didn't help I'd say start around 7-8 and work up to a few hours by 10-11.

 

[Leajess99]

I know someone who won't let her twin 7th graders stay home alone for more than maybe an hour. They get a sitter(family only, they don't pay for one) to even go out to dinner 5 minutes away. I know it's none of my business but I'm bored waiting to go out so I'm putting this out there for opinions. BTW, they are typical kids...no special issues.


Ooops. meant to post this on the community board.

In this case it depends on how they get along. I cannot leave my kids home alone together as they like to fight with each other. I do however leave my 7th grader home alone at times for a quick run to the store or whatever. My almost 8 year old wants to stay home alone but that is so not happening.

 

[Becky2005]

Ill. has a ridiculously high age like 14, the other was younger.

We do??? I have looked into that and there was NO AGE whatsoever listed. It was based on child's maturity, access to bathroom/food, not locked in a room type rules.

For that matter, I knew a detective and actually ASKED him if we had an age since my sister who lives in CT DID. I had never heard of such a thing until she was telling us it was illegal for her to leave her 12 year old home alone...we were baffled and they ended up sending him here for the summer to my parents house.

I wonder if this is a new thing that I know nothing about other than TONS of people I know are breaking the law. OOPS!

Edited: OK just looked (not at the actual CODE) just some google stuff and the added "unreasonable amount of time" added so it's subjective...basically you can't hop a plane to WDW and leave your 13 year old home alone. I'm guessing....as far as I know NOBODY knows about this law...at least not in my neighborhood. Once they hit middle school here, lots of kids get home with a gap time or stay home while a parent picks-up/drops-off another child at an activity and that is NOT 14 years old.

 

[4forMe]

Where do you find out what ages children are allowed to be left home alone or babysit?

Here is a link that shows what ages are allowed per state:

http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm

 

[nchulka]

I just googled laws about leaving kids home alone and everything I have seen says 14 for Ill. and 8 Maryland. The others only give guildlines, if anything, but have no law. I don't know what Ill. is thinking, 14 is CRAZY! What about 14 year olds that have their own kids

 

[Becky2005]

It doesn't look like it's as cut & dry as "age 14" for IL since I did find the statue under abused & neglected kids (I'm wondering if this age is new because it says some of it is effective 8-20-10)... apparently they didn't broadcast this everywhere like they did when they change the car seat law. This thread was the first time I had even HEARD we had a specific age limit & I'm guessing a lot of my neighbors have no clue either.

Here is the paragraph it's calling from and there are 15 items they have to look at to determine if it qualifies as neglect which I could also post.

I know for a fact though that a lot of kids here are left home alone for gap periods of time from the time school gets out until they get home OR from the time they get home from after-school activities until parents get home. It usually starts in Middle school around here so ages 11-12 and especially once they hit 7th grade. Heck, you can get a PERMIT to drive when you are 15 here!! So you go from not being able to stay home alone to operating a car? That's logical! For that matter I know some kids that started doing it in 5th grade because of the weird staggered times we have for our schools to save money on busses. So the younger sibling stayed home by themselves until the older one got off the bus an hour later.

The weirdest part is after school care ENDS at 5th grade....most places I know that have laws, have some sort of camp/care type of thing. I don't know of a single after-school/daycare type of place that houses kids in 6th grade & up.


(d) any minor under the age of 14 years whose parent
or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that minor;