What is the legal age for letting a child stay home alone?

Question

I have stayed home alone since I was 9 years old. During the summer time when my parents were at work, and during the school year until my parents came home from work.

But I hear many people saying that there is a legal age something like 12 years to stay home alone.

So I always thought that staying home alone was normal for kids my age, so if kids cant stay home alone, then where do they stay, I havent seen kids older than 7 years old at the daycare.

Answer 1

depends on the state in Ohio there is no legal age it is up to the parent and how they feel the child is some states it is 12 other states have different ages

Answer 2

Well, I heard it was 13 years old.

Answer 3

Hi in the State of Washington the legal age is 12.

i just stopped watching this 12 yr old (i have been babysitting him since he was 4) because the law is 12. which i can't say i totally agree with that. i feel this particular 12 yr old needs supervision , still, so i wish the law in my State had a bit more added to that law.

Answer 4

Depends where you are... in Albeta - there is no law.  It is up to the parent's discretion.

Answer 5

i think it's 13 years old, so the babysitters of that age are plentiful, and at that age, they ask for very little pay

Answer 6

I think it's 12 and most daycares take kids up to age 12. If there parents don't send them to daycare they probably go to a summer day camp or stay with friends or a neighborhood babysitter. Or they do what your parents did and let them stay home alone. I think a lot of people don't realize there's a law.

Answer 7

I live in DC and 13 is the legal age here

Answer 8

13

Answer 9

I think it is 13, I will consider letting my children stay home alone when they turn 13

Answer 10

I'm the mom of an 11 year old, and I have asked that question too...but if you go to your county or state website you will be able to find the legal answer to your question, it is different for every state.

Try the boys and girls clubs-they are wonderful places to leave any child!

Answer 11

it differs from each state- some have actual laws of a certain age limit and some are more lenient. my state says it depnds on time alone, weather conditions, maturity level. and the time of day is crucial. anotherwards, if you work 3rd shift anything before the age of 15 is a no no-i left mine at home alone when they were 12, the older ones watch the 8 year old. and in the summer they have strict rules. as far as daycare-yes the cut off is usually 7, but during the winter after school is called latch-key, most every elementary school has it. and in the summer they call it day-camp. i felt comfortable when my 2 were 10, they were well behaved and very mature. it also depends on how they treat each other if there are siblings. it isn't good to leave an older with the younger, if the older one antagonizes them while you are there. it will only worsen when you are not. -i do know that most babysitting classes are offered at the age of 12. so that i would think means that a 12 year old, can take classes and babysit on their own. i personally, would think 9 is too young. but that is based on my children the way they acted at 9. i have seen alot of mature 9 years olds, and still wouldn't leave them alone.i also know that if a storm takes place, a bad one, while you are gone, you can get in a lot of trouble. that was the main stipulation on illinois regulatations. if you need to know-get on the web and pull up your state and put in "your state" regulations for being home alone. that is what i did and a bunch of sites for my state came up.

Answer 12

I believe it is 12 or 13. May depend on the state.