Okay Staying Home Alone

I suggest you call your local police department or Child Protective Services and ask them what the law says.
If there is no law, only a suggested age, then do what you feel is best.
I left my son home alone for about 1 1/2 hours a couple times a week when he was 9 years old. He called me at work as soon as he got home. We got caller ID on the phone so he could see who was calling and would only answer if it was me or my husband. Also, he wasn't to go to the door unless the person on the other side said the password. If someone came to the door, he just stayed still and quiet until they left. The password worked wonderfully too. Only one person outside of family knew the word and it was something no one would ever say in conversation; had to have a specific reason to say it.
Anyway, hope this helps. Remember no one knows your child as well as you do so trust your own judgement.

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Well the law says that a child cannot stay home by their self until they are 12. hope that helps. have a blessed day.

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Hi there!! Well, I actually just started this 3 weeks ago, and it is working out great!! This is what I've done.. (I have twin boys- age 10).. They get home, and get their snack I laid out for them (never use microwave/toaster). Then do homework.. I try and do a load of their laundy or have a chore for them to do in their room, and then they can watch TV or play video games. We went to the hardware store and got keys made- they picked out their key.. and then we have another one hidden just in case. They loved watching having "their" keys made. The school told my not to let them hang the keys around their neck (as I have seen other kids do) -- because it brings attention that they are going to an empty house.. So they have their keys in their backpacks-- I have the boys go straight to the backyard and go in through the back door-- so they aren't messing with the door, finding keys, etc in the front yard. Good luck on your decision !! (PS.. one of my sons missed the bus home this week, so I had to leave work early to get him-- so be prepared for stuff like that)

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There is no actual "age" to leave them alone. I read in the Red Cross news letter that it is up to the parent knowing how mature their child is. Really no good answer just do some of your own research with the Red Cross. Do some research and make sure you explain with your child the do's and don'ts when he is home alone.

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I think it really depends on the individual child and how mature they are. You know your child best to know when they can handle it being by themselves. If it is only for an hour, I would think a ten year old would probably be ok. Just remind him/her to make sure the doors stay locked and don't open for anybody (normal security things like that). I personally stayed by myself after school when I was 8, but I was also a very mature for my age and did just fine. If you wanted to feel better about it, you could give your child a cell phone when he's at home that is only for him to call you or you to call him. That way he doesn't have to answer the home phone when he's alone, but you can still get in touch with him to check on him. Good luck!

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ok after reading the other responses I feel like a bad mom.
Our daughter is 11 and our son is 6 and yes we have left tem home alone for an hour or so while we went to the store.
Our daughter is very responsible and our son is a ding dong.( so they balance each other out.)
You are the only one who knows if your daughter cah handle it.
If you do decide to do it, check with a neighbor who you trust to see if they will be home and ask them to keep an eye (or ear out).
It's hard when our babies grow up in a world that isn't perfect.
Good Luck.

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I think it depends on the child and how responsible and obedient they are when you're not around. Legally, it is the parent's choice from what I understand (unless you are somewhere like Leon Valley that might have special ordinances). I do know that the police only get involved when there is trouble. My neighbor had the same question and asked a couple of policemen what they thought. They said, they would only come if someone called. If they were called, they would watch the house until the parent showed up. They would only take action if the child was alone for several hours and they felt the need to act.

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ok, so I researched this and it is crazy that there isn't a law governing a specific age. The age for babysitting is 12, so it stands to reason that is the minimum age of responsibility. Here are some guidelines.

http://www.texaschildrens.org/Parents/TipsArticles/Articl...

If you decide that your son is too young, talk with a classmate's parent and see if he can go home with that child for an hour. Some of us Moms do that on a regular basis. Good Luck.

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If you live in Texas, this may help you.

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/About_Child...

P.

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Like preparing for that first day of school. each child and family will handle this differently, and it is a measure of a child's growing sense of self and responsibility that should guide you, not a desire to have more free time yourself or cut back on day care costs (I have seen and heard it all, believe me). While CPS, police, and fire departments have no firm age rule regarding this in Texas, you would be well-advised to begin to check in with and strengthen your child's emergency response skills (for fire, storms with power outage, stranger dangers, home invasion, crank phone calls, etc.), see how he or she manages the tasks practically and emotionally---and you as well.

When satisfied (soon or several years from now), if there are one or two at-home in the day neighbors you completely trust within sight of your home, be sure to let them know when you are going to do "trials" of a couple of hours leaving your child home while you go to the grocery store, pet shop, etc. Set clear and firm guidelines with your child for acceptable and not-acceptable activities and people, preferably in writing posted on the fridge or board with neighbor numbers, your cell, local law enforcement #s, relatives' #s. Increase the time trials until you all are comfortable. Just know that if your child calls 911, when they come and find your child alone they will call CPS and likely remove your child, if under age 16.
For a list of at-home-alone guidelines, activities to get prepared, and questions to ask your child and self, call Collaborative for Children at ###-###-####.

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I had to check with CPS on this one as I have three children, and they told me that the age they can stay alone is 12, assuming they are mature enough for it. At that age, they can also babysit their younger siblings.

Hope that helps.

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The legal age is 13. Lawmakers are looking into raising it to 14 at this time. This is why child care providers take children 12 and under.
Though I feel my 11 year old is ready to stay home alone during a school holiday while I'm at work, the others are right: It is considered child endangerment, and is punishable by law.
Strange, considering all of us 'latch key' kids were at home alone around the age of 7 or 8, right? Just remember that laws change to keep us safe in our ever changing world. You have to admit that it's not as safe out there as it used to be.

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I think the age is between 13 and 14 years old but you shouldn't leave a 10 year old at home alone.Most kids like to get into things even after you told them not to mess with anything.As they were saying on the news most of the fires that are happening are being started by children.Give your child a couple of more years then they can be home alone.

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I most certainly wouldn't leave a child home alone at 10. My son is 10 and I know it seems like they could stay home alone, but I just wouldn't risk it yet. I am going to wait until junior high. I do leave him home for 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there when I go down the street to get the mail, etc., but no more than 15 minutes.

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I know this feeling very well. My kids' dad and I spoke about this just recently with my youngest...actually last night!! This is the age that we began to let my oldest stay home alone individually for small amounts of time. The main concerns we had were: will she be afraid and God forbid if there is a problem such as a gas leak or fire, will she search for her 2 cats before leaving. At first, we gave her some test runs.
As far as afterschool, this is a big responsibility for a kid this age but many kids do it. If she doesn't have a cell phone, then now is the time for it. Hopefully your child can find a walking home partner or another mom to drive her/him to your house. Getting in the house safely would be my main concern. I have given my kids a whistle in the past. Then tell your receptionist at work that all phone calls from your child need immediate priority.

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Simplest answer is to go by what the law suggest.. 12 yrs old. Now there are exceptions , like if you have a family member living right next door. 10 is just to young to be mature enough to trust it.

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Its probably diffrent state to state but in Texas you need to be 13 , otherwise CPS can come get the kids . I do think a 10 year old you should be able to run to the store. Its up to you and your husband and do look into the LAWS.

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I agree that it's not about age, it's about maturity. Do your trust your child not to open the door to strangers or get into dangerous items? If so, he/she's probably going to be okay for an hour. If it helps, and there's one available, have your child check in with a neighbor you trust who's home when he/she gets there, or have him/her give you a call.

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The law says that a child needs to be 12 or 13 (not 100% sure which age it is, but I do know it is one of those) to stay home alone. Otherwise it is considered child abandonment and neglect. You certainly don't want that. Once your child is the legal age to stay home alone, I agree with many of the other moms that say you need to consider if your child is mature enough for the responsibility of staying home. I also like their suggestions about getting caller ID so that your child only answers the phone if it is you or your husband calling. And the suggestion about creating a password that needs to be said when someone comes to the door is great also. But most importantly is to wait until your child is the legal age to stay home alone.

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I think legally it's age 12. I'm not 100% sure about the age in texas, but I know Massachusetts it's 12, so it's probably that or more.

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K.,
I would call the police staion (not 911) and ask what the legal age is. A friend of mine was trying to get custody of his child, so they were watching the mother pretty close. So, their lawyer actually told them there was a certain amount of hours a child can stay alone after work. It may be 2 hours around 10 years old, but I would call to find out. #1 for the safety of your child and #2 so you are not doing something illegal.
L

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My boys are teenagers now, but they stayed at home a little early. It is going to depend on the child himself. One of my boys was able and dependable enough to stay alone at 10 and the other I waited till he was 11.

Hi K.,

I had this question a while back also so I called Child Protective Services to get an answer. There is no legal age that you are allowed to leave your child home alone. You have to base your desicion on the child's maturity level and your comfort level.
I came across this website a while back
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/About_Child...

I have a 13 year old, 12 year old and a 9 year old. They are mature enough to stay home alone together for 45 minutes each day. I am 15 minutes away and grandma is 2 blocks down.

I hope this helps,
A.

It's a gut choice, and only one you can make, based on your child's maturity. My son stayed home from 9 yrs old and on, my daughter, no way! Try going to the corner store for 10 minutes, or go for a walk for 30 minutes and take your cell phone with you. Work yours and your childs courage up, especially now that school is about to be out. This gives you a lot of chances to ease both of you into this.
And instead of dreading it or stressing out over it, remember how old you were when you stayed home alone? Remember how cool and liberating and grown up you felt? Kids are so micromanaged today that we forget that they need that independence, and so do we! There's nothing like running to the store for milk and NOT having to load up the whole family!! Enjoy!

I believe that the LEGAL age is 12. I could be mistaken, but I work in Child Care and we cut off at 11 and I was told it was because 12 is the legal age that a child can stay home alone. Hope that helps.

Hi there K.,

This is a tough one. I believe the legal age, in Texas, is 12 years old. We had a similar situation not too long ago. My daughter was only 10 (almost 11) when she went into middle school. Sadly I quickly discovered that there were no afterschool activities for my child as team sports were for the 7th and 8th graders as were most of the clubs at her school. I phoned the counselor to inquire about how other parents handled this situation. I was rudely told, "Those parents that feel their middle school children need adult supervision will sometimes opt to enroll them in the YMCA afterschool program at the nearby elementary school." That was a blow! I didn't feel my daughter was ready to stay home by herself for almost 3 hours each day plus having to walk home. Anyhow, I know there aren't many options for working parents whose children fall in the same category as my daughter. For safety reasons, you may want to enlist the help of a friend, neighbor, or another parent if your child is unable to participate in afterschool activities. My biggest concern was the possibility of someone seeing my daughter walk home and then know that she was alone until after 6:00 (since we park in the driveway). Perhaps someone may be willing to drive your child home. I think children mature at different times, so it really just depends on your child's maturity level. Talk to your child about expectations and how to handle a variety of situations. I'm sure whatever decision you make will be the correct one.

Best of luck!

It really depends on the maturity of the child. My son stayed home at 10, but my daughter continued in daycare. You could start out letting him stay home a few hours at a time and seeing how he handles things. He will also need a posted phone number of a neighbor or adult nearby for him to call in cases of emergency. He should also check in with you when he walks in the door to let you know he made it home OK.

I would check with your state CPS department for final ruling...but generals rule of thumb is 12...

I am the Mom of two grown sons, but I think the answer to your question isn't "cut and dried". To some degree it depends on the maturity level of the child and what "supports" you have in your neighborhood. I allowed my oldest to stay home alone after school until his Dad or I got home from work when he was 12. He was a very "responsible" kid and I had a stay at home neighbor across the street so if he needed something or got scared before I could get home, he had someone he could rely on.

I don't think it is an age thing so much as a maturity thing. You know your kid the best, you have to try it out when you are sure she is ready.

I believe it all depends on the child, are they mature enough to be responsable? Maybe try letting him/her stay home for a few minutes at first while you run to the corner store or next door to visit the neighbor. That may build his/her confidence and your trust. I believe there is a age chart on any DHS web site that lets you know by law how old they need to be. I have a 12 year old and we live outside of town with few neighbors and will not stay at home alone. So each situation is based of what your child willing to do. Hope this helps.

I let my son say home alone when he was ten for two hours. You need to check with athourties to make sure it is ok because a lot of people who have nothing better to do might try to get in your business about leaving a child alone. When i asked they told me as long as the child is responsable. I made sure my son knew not to answer the door or the telephone for any reason unless my name was on the caller id. I programed my work number and my cell number under mom so he knew it was ok to answer that call only, and i would test him to make sure he didnt answer any other calls. He was not to go outside with his friends or even open the blinds. He was to pretend that no one was home. Even if i rang the door bell he was not to answer the door because i had a key and would let myself in. It may sound strict but that was the way that i felt comfortable knowing that he was home and not in the street getting in trouble. My daughter went to daycare and i told him that if he were to break the rules i would send him to daycare with the babies and he thought that was the most horriable thing so i had no problems with him at all.

I think it's ok as long as you tell her or leave her a note. Tell her to lock the doors, set the alarm and call you when she gets home. Also, tell her not to answer the phone for anybody at all unless she knows who it is.

depending on the neighborhood, how your child gets home, and his/her level of maturity and responsibility, I would recommend 12 as a good age to start with a short time (like 1 hour after school.) you should make sure that your child phones you as soon as he/she arrives home, and has a close neighbor that is usually home in case something happens.