At what age do you believe it is acceptable to leave a child home alone?

35 or never… I was left alone at 18 for one month and I almost died from loneliness, I missed college and ran out of money.

@talljasperman Uh, what? If an adult can’t be left alone, it’s way beyond a parenting problem. Or perhaps you’re joking.

@livelaughlove21 I had a bad experience… being alone as a young adult. In Canada the limit is 12 years old to be left alone. But It was too much of a shock to me.

It depends heavily on the maturity and trustworthiness of the child. There’s no universal chart or set age.

My daughter is eleven. We left her home alone for the first time for about an hour and a half while we attended a wake. The funeral home was a mile up the street. She and her dog watched tv and read a book. Worked out well, we’ll go from here.

I was left alone to watch over the house at the age of 5. I took charge of the shopping at the age of 8. I was free to tag along with friends at the age of 15 and right now I’m free to go whenever I want (provided that I give my parents a good reason for leaving the house).

From a CPS standpoint, they tell you (or should I say “we tell you”) that it depends on the child and the length of time. Some 16 year olds you wouldn’t leave home alone. Some 10 year olds, you might.

I recall a time once, a long time ago – and you’ll have to recall that the late 50s in suburban Massachusetts was a whole different world from what it is today – when I woke up from a nap early one evening when I was around 6 or 7 years old. (My mom swore until her dying day that this never happened.) I was alone in the house, and wandered around in complete wonder that this could be so. I wasn’t afraid or particularly bothered, but felt like the ruler of a tiny empire.

So I went outside (looking for my subjects, you know), and walked down the street and around the corner and down a few more houses to some people that I didn’t know, but my parents did. It must have been a walk of less than a quarter-mile, all in twilight and in front of the houses of neighbors that we knew well and liked. And there was the family, gathered for a cookout at the neighbors’. So I sat down, enjoyed the food – and have remembered that day until now.

Mom was completely aghast that I should recall (or imagine) that such a thing could ever have happened.

It depends on the kid.

When I was a kid, probably 8. If it was an hour.

Sure, there are many variables, not to mention the age or maturity of the child, the neighborhood in which they lived, how many pets and what kind, younger children, etc. If I were up in the mountains and I had to make a quick run and my kid was responsible enough, I would feel comfortable leaving them in the house. If I lived in the inner city where there was high crime, I would not want to leave my 14yr old home alone unless I could trust them to get to the .22 and shoot straight enough to drop any intruder that came through the front door or a window. There are too many combinations to have an all-inclusive number.

@CWOTUS Sounds like a good time was had by all.

My mother never even denied the story that she was so engrossed in her soap operas she didn’t notice I had packed up the younger two kids, ages five and one, and myself aged seven, and walked a block down and three over to my mother’s friend’s house (a walk we’d done more than a few times with parental chaperonage) to play with her kids. Mom remained oblivious until she got a phone call asking why the kids had come over.

By that point, me being left home with them was a fairly regular occurrance, so I never even thought it wouldn’t be allowed. I knew how to cross the street, for crying out loud. Always at the corner – never jaywalk.

This was 1991–92 in a New York borough.

But my mother is insane, so I have no logical point of reference as to what normal people do with their kids.

There are other variables, like the safety of the neighborhood and how close any other supportive adults might be. My son was allowed to be home for an hour or two after school at the age of 10, but we were in a close-knit neighborhood and folks watched out for each others’ kids.

I trust my 8 year old to be alone 100x more than I trust my 25 year old step brother to be alone in the house.

When I was a kid from about 3–7 years old my older brother was responsible for me during summer break, all day long. He was only 5 years older than me.

I think it depends on the maturity level of a kid rather than there being a distinct line.

It was common for me to be left alone when I was as young as seven, but I was mature and humble for my young age, and I would spend a great deal of my time reading, drawing, painting and playing with electronics. I could cook at that age too.

On the other hand my nephew just turned thirteen, and it’s still questionable when deciding whether to leave him alone or not. I’m of the opinion that some eight year old kids could be left home alone, and that some eighteen year old ‘kids’ may actually need a babysitter.

It depends on the kid and the circumstances. As the child of a single mother with multiple jobs and a social life, I was left home alone as young as 7. However, I knew how to cook, had an upstairs neighbor that was like a grandfather, and had the numbers for emergency services if required (this was before the 911 system). Never got hurt, never starved.

Then there are those like @talljasperman who really can’t be left alone at any age.

So there’s no magic number.

I babysat four younger siblings from the age of 9 on. Getting oneself off to school alone in the morning with meal cooking and all that should wait for junior high age I would think.

If the child is a delinquent, then not until they are old enough to leave home or never.
If it is a good kid who is very responsible, has a good understanding of possible dangers and how to avert them then I would say by 12— 13 years of age is pretty good to let them go to school on their own and come home.

At age 10 is ok to go shopping and leave them alone so long as you have a good neighbor or family near by who they can call in an emergency and they can be over in a few seconds.

Now for a parent to go on a date. I would say if it is going to be a few hours at night, you should get a sitter until they are at least 16. If overnight, they should stay over at a friends/ family members home.
It isn’t always about how or what the kid can or will do. It also depends on how dangerous is the area you live. Do people know your schedule and know what time the kid will be alone and for how long? What happens if they are careless and leave the gas on after cooking something? Or there is a fire.
Of course these things can happen when a parent is present, but there are necessary risks and unnecessary ones.

Didn’t read the other responses sorry.

Ignoring legal culpability I think it is not age dependent rather maturity dependent.

Also the length of time gone, how long the child is alone, and whether you have outlined clear procedures. Emergency contacts and check ins. Heavy with those initially until they earn your trust, or make it clear they need more supervision. Negative behavioral changes and red flags should be looked for. Discussing how they feel whether they want more latitude or feel lonely or scared…. This could be applied to children with or without younger siblings.

Despite maturity they should be capable of reading reaching and handling light kitchen duties. They will invariably run into a time they want a snack even if you are present for meals and know how to stop bloody noses or cuts. If they are sickly they almost need to prove to themselves they are up to the challenge. It gives them confidence and will help them feel a degree of normalcy. Unless it is a mental health issue, in which case much more care should be taken to maintain their safety..

For me and my kids, it was leave them home while I ran to the store or on a quick errand at age 10. But not for the afternoon or a couple hours until age 13. And not where they would have to get their own meal while I was out for the evening until the youngest was 14.

My parents left me home alone with my younger brother when I was 12 and he was 4; my grandfather lived with us but he was deaf as a post and didn’t come down stairs until someone got him for dinner. Then he’d go back to his room.

My parents left me home while they went on trips when I was 16.

The first time my parents left me home alone was when I was 11. All kids are different though.

Age/maturity dependent. There’s no set age for anything.

I was left alone from about the age of 9 or 10, at which age I was already very independent; regularly cycling for miles and miles on my own or with a friend, spending whole days on my friend’s family farm, walking alone 1.5 miles to school, etc. I could already cook a hot meal for myself at that age and there were neighbours I could go to if there was any problem.

It would not have been an unusual occurrence for my parents to leave me alone for the day and I decide to pack up a picnic and go out on my bike. They knew where I’d leave the door key, and I’d leave them a note to say where I’d gone.

But rural England in the 1970s was not the same as a modern American city, or even a British town.

…to get himself off to school via bus? 
Ten, if there is someone nearby – in case of emergencies – and the kid calls when he’s safely at school.

…to walk or bike to school? 
Six, in safe areas.

…while parent(s) make a quick run to the grocery? 
Five, if a neighbour knows.

…while the parent(s) go on a date?
Twelve, and only if the child is comfortable.

There is no set age, depends entirely on the kids level of maturity & if they’ve proven themselves to be capable.
Bewildering to me why so many place target ages on their kids, stop it.

@longgone May I ask why a child should be 10 before they walk to the corner or bus stop alone but they only need to be six to make their way to school alone without the bus?

When it knows how to get food from the fridge.

@livelaughlove21 I think getting up by themselves is a lot to ask of small children. Don’t know, just my opinion. I’m comatose the first hour after waking up, maybe that’s why I feel that way.

I have had to leave my little guy home alone for a couple hours at a time this past year out of sheer necessity. He turned 9 in November, but he was getting himself out the door and on the bus in the morning after I would have to leave early for work. This was OK, but our version of CYPS doesn’t like that he is home alone after school for a few hours before I get home. They have put pressure on me to quit my job, even. Little man has only ever done one really dumb thing and that was the first week of school vacation last year when he decided to re.create an experiment he had learned at Science School that first week. I have a burn spot on my picnic table. At least he didn’t try it inside.

@longgone Gotcha. I wasn’t thinking that item included getting themselves up and ready.

Now when I was a kid (cue harp music) … I became a latchkey kid at age ten, taking myself to and from school (only four blocks away). I was home alone after school to do my homework, eat a snack, watch tv — from about 2PM to 6PM each day. Nobody ever checked on me. No phone calls, no neighbor stopping by. After a while, I started leaving the house and exploring around on my bike. Eventually, I started taking the train into the city for the afternoon. So long as I got home by 6, my parents never had a clue.

If that were today, I would have been nabbed by a cop and my folks would have been investigated by child services.

When my daughter was 5 I needed to run to the store. She was watching a show and didn’t want to stop. I called my sister up, told her what the deal was, and gave my daughter the phone. She was on an open line with my sister until I got back. It was fine, but I only did it that one time.

@livelaughlove21 Okay, yes. I see your point there.

Around 14 and I mean alone…no friends. In the states that I have a reason to know, the age to legally leave a child alone (not overnight) is 12.