At what age is it appropriate to leave a child at home alone for a short period of time?

Question

I have a seven year old daughter (eight in three months), and always take her with me on short errands. Sometimes she just wants to stay home. Although only seven, she is quite mature, reads well, and knows how to use the telephone very well. We live in a quiet university town of 26,000, and have good neighbors. I am wondering, at what age is it considered appropriate to leave a child at home alone for a short period (15 min to an hour)? And how do I know she is ready?

Answer 1

For 15 minutes to an hour, in our house, no younger then 10yo and only during the day.  The laws vary from state to state, county to county so you need to check if it is legal to leave your daughter alone at the age of 7 years.

Answer 2

My son is 9 and I only ever leave him home alone when I go to the milk bar which is a block away from my place.. a very short block. I am back in 10 mins.. I wouldn't leave him for an hour .. no way.. anything could happen in that time. The legal age .. in Australia anyway.. is 12 years of age. It doesnt matter how smart your child may be.. 7 is way too young.

Answer 3

I would say at ten you could leave her for awhile. I see that you're trying to be a responsible parent. At times when she doesn't want to go you can just explain to her why she can't be left alone. Absolutely anything can happen.

Keep being the good mother you are. Darn the haters.

Answer 4

At the age of 10, I was walking my brother and myself to and from school (1 mile each way). He was 5. We were latch key kids. I was the responsible one. We were alone from 3:45-5:00. Both my paren'ts worked and my grandmother was unavailable most of the time. So, going from what I went through in the 70's it would be 10. But now.....holy cow, I would say NEVER! lol

Answer 5

i remember my parents used to leave me alone at home from 3pm to 4 pm because of their shift change dad would go mom would come back this was in the 70's and i was about 6 or 7 at the time, but now a days i wouldn't leave my 6 year old child not even a minute, Maybe when they are 14 I'll think about it, I'm too scared someone would kidnap them from home

Answer 6

7 is too young. it usually varies from county to county but, i believe, 12 or 13 is the average age. your daughter may be mature for her age but, when you consider what can happen in the couse of 15 minutes, she isn't even close to being ready.

Answer 7

u say she is mature so when she turns 8 i did when i was 8

Answer 8

I think it depends on the child if they can handle it why not?

I mean if she isn't extra clingy to you then she's probably ready.

Answer 9

I'm 12 and my parents have left me home by myself since I was about 9, but I am pretty responsible so, it depends how responsible she is, but she has a chance of hurting herself... Don't leave her at home for very long, if you're just going to the grocery store for milk or something, you can leave her home...

Answer 10

7 going on 8 is a little young I think 10 years old would be better.

at 8 she is still very young, just think of anything that can happen

I speak from this being 15 and got my house broken into while I was there alone, I had the common sense to grab the phone and lock my self in the bathroom.

at 8 if a stranger came to the door what would she do, would she handle a situation the same if she was a little older, what if you have an older neighbor come over to "play" with her for the short time, I understand she wants to be home, but at that age she hasnt fully grasped situations that can arrise. leaving to run to grab something quick for 15 min would be ok, but not your normal hour trip to the mall or something and make sure she would call you for anything!!

Answer 11

The lowest age is 9 and that is in New York and California.  Leaving a child younger than that alone even for 15 minutes is againt the law.  So wheter you think she is ready or not it can still get you a visit from CPS and her placed into foster care.

Answer 12

I guess people dont see it, but I do...Ever see why these girls are getting pregnant so soon? parents always leaving them home......

Either way, if your going to leave her home, not at 7..I even think thats illegal too do...Better check with state laws. JUst go up to the police station or call. They will tell you. It is normally around 13 or 14.

Answer 13

It depends on where u live.In tn it is against the law to leave a child that is under 13 home alone.If she is that mature at 7 then the year shes about to turn 13 say that u have to run an errand and would it b ok if she waz left alone.Most of the time she would say yes.Good luck.

Answer 14

7 or 8

Answer 15

I wouldn't leave a seven year old for longer than two or three minutes (I used to leave my son for that long while I walked over the road to collect my daughter). Fifteen minutes is long enough for something to go badly wrong and for your child to have to try to handle it alone instead of just waiting until you get back.

Your daughter is ready to be left alone when you trust her to react sensibly to a random disaster. A gas leak, or a burst water pipe, or someone trying to break in, or a fire.

Answer 16

I would say a short period of time 9-10 a longer period of time 11 is old enough for that.

Answer 17

I am 11 and my parenst just started leaving me home for a little les than a hour. I think thats to young. She should at least be 10. I hope this helped.

-Tara