Poll- How old will your child be when you let them stay alone?

Christakim · January 2011

There was an article in my Parenting magazine a couple of months ago about when you should let your child stay home alone or to babysit a sibling.

I say it's case by case, but probably around 11 or 12 if they are responsible. And I'm putting on a flame retardant suit, I think that girls are usually more mature and able to handle babysitting responsibilities earlier than boys are.

Soooo what do you think?

ETA: The example would be if you were to run out for an hour or two to do groceries or errands around town.

lrrb · January 2011

My guess is 12 or 13. But like you said its a case by case situation....

Nicole. · January 2011

I'd say 14 for girls (only going off of a cousin who is recently allowed to stay home alone with her younger brother)

And boys probably 15 or so depending on their maturity.

OrangeSmoke · January 2011

I think 10.

By staying alone I mean I'm running to the grocery store and will be back in a few hours and they know how to reach me. Not staying overnight alone!

schmoodle · January 2011

I would say probably 11 or 12 as well. I was left alone as young as 8 and while nothing dangerous ever happened, my brother and I (he was 4 years older but certainly not more mature and I could be alone without him there too) tore $hit up so I don't want my kids doing the same!

krissyh21 · January 2011

I think 14. I was 14 when I used to watch my sister while my mother went out and handled it fine. I remember me at 12 and am not sure I would have handled watching her then, I was a pretty immature kid though.

laura&dan05 · January 2011

Am I being unreasonable if I say 18? Lol. I guess between 11 - 12 depending on the maturity level of the kid and what I was going to do, how long I'd be gone, and how far I was traveling.

DavezWife · January 2011

it depends, can I put them on a leash?

(ya think I'm gonna beat this one to death? lol)

Germanwife2b · January 2011

I think there are actually laws about this. I know my neighbor said that her daughter was allowed a maximum of 2 hours a year or two ago based on the laws but that she was not allowed to have anyone in her care. This is Virginia, so maybe there are different laws in different states?

I was allowed to start babysitting on my own at 13 (but had been babysitting before then with a parent still at home but working).

And i agree- girls tend to be more mature than boys!

TheSkimmy · January 2011

I say 11ish. In their own home for an hour or 2.

I started babysitting for kids down the street when I was 10. I couldn't imagine hiring a 10 year old to watch my kids!!!

hannah&ben · January 2011

My daughter was about 11 and a half when I started letting her stay home alone (for short periods off time, <1 hour. Just by herself, never responsible for her younger brother or anyone else. And never at night, daylight hours only).

Over time we've become more relaxed about it. I'll let her stay home for a couple hours alone but still only during the day. A few times I've run an errand or 2 while she stayed home with Henry while he napped (gone only 30/45 minutes), so technically she was babysitting but, he was asleep in his crib the whole time. She's never done it for real. Since she turned 13 a week ago we've talked about having her do the Red Cross babysitting/CPR class. And, I have been letting her 'babysit' the boys while I'm still in the house (doing laundry, checking email, etc) for about an hour here and there.. just to test the waters. She does really well and it's nice to get a little time to myself here and there

I imagine I'd probably let her babysit for real in another 6 months to a year. And in about the same time frame I'll be comfortable leaving her on her own for longer periods of time and/or at night (not overnight, just after dark).

dundasgirl · January 2011

I agree with 11 or 12. I was baby-sitting at 13. Totally depends on lots of factors like responsibility, where I am going, for how long, where we are living at the time too.

SeaSoul · January 2011

Is it bad that I am feeling panicky just thinking about this?? Ugh...I have no idea, to be honest.

charmcitygirl · January 2011

my brother and I used to come home from school together and stay alone until my mom got home from work. he was 12/13 and I was 8/9. I don't see anything wrong with that. my brother was much more mature than I was. But I started babysitting at 13 and used to regularly watch 3 under 3. What the hell was that mom thinking?

BeccaLandes · January 2011

I started babysitting other people's kids when I was about 11 or 12... so if I felt my child were mature enough, I would be ok with letting them be home alone at that point. I had also taken a babysitting class, even though I am not sure that prepares you for the real thing!

CMM05 · January 2011

I'm a 6th grade teacher (11 and 12 year olds!) and there are VERY few that I could see leaving alone.

Times have changed people. Kids are more immature and more distracted than ever, in my opinion.

I babysat all the time for young kids when I was 11. I cannot imagine leaving my two children with an 11 year old right now.

Again, yes, there are some that could stay by themself, but when I look at the 150 students I see every week in my classroom, I cannot imagine leaving many of them by themselves yet.

bmf8140 · January 2011

A friend of mine and her husband leave their daughters home alone while they go out drinking (He doesn't drink (recovering alcoholic), so I guess that makes a tiny bit of a difference in this situation). The oldest is 5th grade and the youngest is 5 years old. I can't imagine doing that! Especially knowing the area they live in. Not the best...

BUT, I think maybe during the day I wouldn't be so opposed to it. I just can't imagine being in 5th grade and being responsible for my 5 year old sister overnight! I've always been a major weenie and STILL don't like being home alone at night.

howleyshell · January 2011

In our state the legal answer is 12. (you know these things when you have a child with shared custody and you don't DARE break it).

I think my 15 yr old was ready at 10.

I think Dylan will be similar BUT... add in the sibling factor? YIKES!!!

Leaving 1 kid alone at a pre-teen age vs leaving 2 of them together is a HUGE difference.

Dylan alone is a sweetie pie. Add Jace (Mr. Button Pusher/Trouble Maker) to the mix and I'd fear coming home to a house burnt to the ground.

So just Dylan I'd say 10.

Dylan + Jason? God help me. Maybe never.

krissyh21 · January 2011

This jogged a funny memory for me. When I was 12 and my sister was 14, the next door neightbors as us to come over and watch their kids while they drove to get someone from the airport...

The kicker was that their kids were the same age as us, I think one was a year older then my sister.

I was all over it because they had an Atari!

Christakim · January 2011

howleyshell:
In our state the legal answer is 12. (you know these things when you have a child with shared custody and you don't DARE break it).
I think my 15 yr old was ready at 10.
I think Dylan will be similar BUT... add in the sibling factor? YIKES!!!
Leaving 1 kid alone at a pre-teen age vs leaving 2 of them together is a HUGE difference.
Dylan alone is a sweetie pie. Add Jace (Mr. Button Pusher/Trouble Maker) to the mix and I'd fear coming home to a house burnt to the ground.
So just Dylan I'd say 10.
Dylan + Jason? God help me. Maybe never.

Well, I should've asked two completely different questions and not lumped them together because there are different factors. My sister and I got along well enough that when my mom left me alone at 11 (I was a very mature 11) she left my 6 year old sister. But she was only doing errands for about a half an hour. Otherwise, she never would've left me and my brother who was 9 at the time alone with me, we would've wrecked the house.

Mrs.LisaP · January 2011

I think it really really depends on the child.

I'm thinking 11-13 range sounds about right.

howleyshell · January 2011

Christakim:
she never would've left me and my brother who was 9 at the time alone with me, we would've wrecked the house.

This my dear friend is why I will probably be stuck paying for sitters pretty much for the rest of my life.

Oh well... love Jace like there's no tomorrow and even if I didn't it's not like he came with a return policy.

But - if Jace has a game or a birthday party or something I'd be good with Dylan alone at home at some point.

And maybe Jace alone at home at some point if I hid all the combustable chemicals, fire producing things, and sex toys.

Who am I kidding? Nope... it's really looking much more like never.

jds0521 · January 2011

lrrb:
My guess is 12 or 13. But like you said its a case by case situation....

Ditto this.

emmyloustu · January 2011

Totally depends on the kid, but 10ish. I think I was left alone at 8 or 9 for a couple hours after school. I was babysitting by 11, heck, I was the regular babysitter of 5 boys including 2y/o twins and a newborn when I was in 7th grade!!!!!! I was a summer nanny for another family starting at 12 until 19.

somethingchangd · January 2011

emmyloustu:
Totally depends on the kid, but 10ish. I think I was left alone at 8 or 9 for a couple hours after school. I was babysitting by 11, heck, I

Pretty much this. If Oliver keeps the same temperment he has now, I think he'll be ready by 10. Maybe even sooner. That kid is not a boat-rocker, that's for sure!

BoilerSuz · January 2011

Legal age in our state is 12. It just depends on the kid. Most of my students were left alone by age 8!!! DS isn't likely to be left alone until he goes to college Big Smile

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