Kids at Home Alone
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Kids at Home Alone
August 2010
I have been wondering if California has a legal age for
children to be left alone. My child is 11 1/2 and I know the
general idea is that 12 is a good age (or older depending on
the child).
I was a ''latch key kid'' much earlier than 12. My kid fights
with me all of the time to leave her home if I want to go
the store or step out briefly for errands. I know she is
capable but have not been comfortable since I don't know the
laws around it.
Any answers?
Former Latch-Key-Kid
There is no legal minimum age in California. Latchkey-kid.com is a
good resource for guidance on the issue. I would not have left my
bright 12 y.o. son at home alone, as he is a little short on common
sense and is too focused on what he is doing to notice that the
house is on fire. However, I feel comfortable now leaving my 11.5
y.o. daughter alone for up to a few hours during the day. She is
responsible, competent, level-headed, and safety conscious. We also
have certain rules like ''no baking'' when alone at home.
It's very individual.
You can safely leave most 11 to 13 yr olds home during the day, eg
after school, and also when you run to the store at night. (We had
limits on who they could bring home after school if the house was
empty.)
However, for teens older than 13 you have to think about protecting
the house from the teen! We stopped going out at night if it would
leave an older teen at home, because we know of local teens who will
text 20 of their friends for an impromptu party.
Worse, this summer in Albany some teens going on vacation left their
house keys with friends, to hold parties in the empty houses. Ay yi
yi!
Hang in there
Nov 2007
At what age can you leave your child home alone? I thought there
was a law in CA that said no one under 12 years old, but a
co-worker has been letting his 10 y.o. go home the first hour
after school alone & he doesn't think he's breaking the law.
Before I tell him he's wrong, I want to make sure I'm right.
Thanks
Concerned Mom
I don't know the legal age, but our laws can't address maturity
or situation. Put yourself in the working parents shoes. A
babysitter for 1 hour?? Maybe a mature 10 year old?? Maybe a
neighbor is around that is keeping an eye out?? I know many 10
year olds that are more mature than 15 year olds. You obviously
are feeling their is an endangerment situation and concerned
for the child, but think of it from the parents vantage before
you get involved.
A 10 year old who lets themselves in safely, locks the door,
calls the parent to let them know they are there and spends an
hour getting a snack and starting homework doesn't sound bad to
me. I've never done it with my kids, but it happens all the
time.
Anon
If you google it looks like there is no law in CA about when to
leave kids home alone. My 11 yo son walks home alone 2 days per
week and stays home for an hour or two. He knows the rules and we
check in by phone. Also I work very close by. He has friends in
middle school who are allowed to go over to other kids houses
afterschool when there are no parents there. I'm not comfortable
with that though I have allowed my son to have one other kid, who
I consider to be very responsible, over.
I wish there were other options with more supervision but none of
the other middle school kids stay in aftercare and I don't know
of any place else for him to go. Also he likes the
independence....I'm curious to hear what others are doing!
middle school mom
As far as I know, it's not illegal to have your 10-year-old walk
home from school and stay by themselves until you get home. From
the way your question is phrased, it's pretty clear that you
think this is a bad idea but I disagree.
My mother lived on a farm in the Central Valley and cared for all
her younger siblings while her mother worked. She was probably
younger than 10 when this started. She grew up to be an
incredibly self-sufficient person who works hard and is very
successful.
My 10-year-old son walks home nearly every day with a friend.
Occasionally, I am at a doctor's appointment or picking his
sister up from an activity so he stays by himself in the house.
He knows I am just a phone call away.
He is one of those hyper-responsible kids who is very capable and
we live in a safe neighborhood.
He is also able to cook breakfast for the entire family, change
the oil in the cars, and program most of the small electronics in
the household.
When it comes to matters of parental judgement, I hope you will
live and let live and mind your own business.
proud mom of great kid
I don't know what the law is but somewhere between 10 and 11
most parents start letting their child be home alone for an hour
or two. We started leaving our child alone at 11, which was
later than most families we knew. I was very reluctant because
of my child's personality, but realized I could cause my child
as many problems by overprotectiveness, as by excessive freedom.
That was six months ago, and we haven't gotten past the 1.5 hour
mark.
It depends on the child, and how responsible they are. Also, an
hour or two is very different than the whole evening. Remember,
when we were kids, it was usual for elementary school children
to walk home alone, and then play outside until nightfall with
no supervision, as far as I can recall (unless they damaged
someone's window... :)
mom of a sixth grader
Not to beat around the bush- mind your own business. Even if you
have some reason to think that he's a somewhat neglectful parent
overall (which you didn't say), you are a co-worker of his and
not a personal friend. You don't know the whole story. Let his
friends tell him if he's asking too much of his kid.
BTW, I was home alone not infrequently as a 10 year old girl,
enjoyed having a bit of completely private time, and knew very
well what wasn't safe to do by myself.
anon
It is my understanding that California law does not specify a
specific age at which a child may be legally left unsupervised.
THere are, however, laws about child neglect and negligence,
typically judged on a case-by-case basis when/if something
actually happens. There is a pretty good discussion of this
(with links to California Code) at
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=134504.
Practically speaking, you will find a wide range of ages at which
parents feel it's o.k. to leave their child/children home alone
(or with each other). Of course, it depends a lot on the
particular child, how far away and accessible the parent (or
other responsible adult) is, the time of day, etc. My two kids
were quite different ages before they felt comfortable staying
alone, and it was even longer before I would leave them alone
together. At the very least, the child should have the cognitive
capacity/maturity to recognize an emergency, take basic
self-protection steps, and contact an adult.
R.K.
I'm pretty sure he's not breaking the law. I found the following
discussion on ''google
answers'' to be very informative :
http://www.answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=134504
hope this helps.
anon
It completely depends on the child (and to some degree the neighborhood
in which
they live). I'm not sure what the CA law is, but many years ago, I
stayed home alone
after school for a few hours. I was eight and very mature. Other than
watch tv and eat
too many Oreos, I was perfectly fine.
anon
I'm not sure if there is a law on the books regarding this issue.
However, I think it
depends on the child. I have an 11 year old who I leave at home alone
for short
periods of time. He is an extremely responsible and mature kid -- he
knows the rules
(don't answer the door, don't let strangers know you're alone, he has
the neighbor's
phone number handy) and I feel pretty comfortable when he is at home
alone. I would
feel it was OK for him to be alone for 1 hour between school and my
arrival home. But
it really depends on the kid. My son has a number of friends the same
age who I
would never dream of leaving alone for that length of time. I think you
need to trust
your friend's judgement on this one.
Kim
Hi,
I don't think there any laws (none that I have heard of). I have
heard 10 years old is about the age when people start being able
to leave their kids alone for a short amounts of time. An hour
ect... Obviously, it's going to depend on the child. I think a 10
year old spending 1 hour alone after school is reasonable.
Not that long ago most of us were probably babysitting by the
time we were 12.
anon
There is no law in California about age. The Child Abuse
Prevention Council of Sacramento has a pretty good handout on
this issue: ''How Old is Old Enough to Leave a Child Home Alone?''
at http://www.sierrasaccoalition.org/homealone.pdf
I leave my 5th grader home for up to 30 minutes if I have a quick
errand. He is a responsible kid. I quiz him on phone numbers
(cell etc), ask him what would he do if (fire/phone call/doorbell
rings/hurts himself accidentally) and I feel comfortable leaving
him for that period of time.
anon
I can't answer your question about the law, but it seems staying
home alone is more a matter of maturity than age. I can
recommend a *great* resource for anyone trying to decide if a
child is ready to be left home alone. When my daughter insisted
she was old enough (I think she was 11 or 12 I don't remember) I
found a book called ''Staying Home Alone'' by Dottie Raymer and
Lauren Scheuer. It's geared toward girls but the information
applies to boys as well. It starts with a quiz to help assess
readiness. Then it goes over *everything* you'd need to think
about if your child will be home alone or has to come home before
an adult gets there. It includes emergency reference cards,
things to do if you get bored, what to do in case of scary
situations or emergencies (including how to Heimlich yourself if
you're choking and there's no one there to help.) Thinking
through all the issues in the book helped both of us feel more
comfortable with her being here by herself. I got my copy at
Cody's but you can also find it on Amazon or the American Girl
website. I appreciate your concern for your co-worker's child,
but more than the law, you might turn the focus to whether the
child is safe and comfortable in the situation - and whether the
father actually has any choice here.
Another Mom
There is no legal age limit for a child being home alone. Your
coworker's ten year old is probably fine alone for an hour if he
has the maturity/wherewithal to go a neighbor for help, call 911,
contact dad, not do anything dangerous (e.g. start a fire, climb
on the roof, open the door for a stranger), etc. If you're still
concerned, call law enforcement and/or Child Protective Services
for more information.
Child welfare professional
I found an article in SF Gate from 2006 that says there is no
minimum age, but presents a good argument for not leaving kids
home alone before 12. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/05/MNGL8GHMCQ1.DTL I have a
friend whose 8 year old regularly is home alone after school
and it has always given me pause, but what can you do?
I don't get it either
Thank you to those who posted links to resources. They were most
informative. I
was recently searching for this info myself and noticed a lot of
confusion between
several very different circumstances in ''leaving a child home alone.''
Each of these
will have a different definition of ''reasonable age'':
1) for a short time (an hour or so) in the afternoon (with or without a
younger
sibling to watch over). We may be living in more dangerous times, but
more likely
we are just more protective. In the 70's in Berkeley my sister and I
came home alone
after school starting from when I was about 9 or so and my sister was 7.
We were
not the only kids who did this, although it was before the term
''latchkey kid'' was
coined (yes we wore our keys on a string around our necks). I don't
remember this
raising any eyebrows at the time.
2) in the evening/after dark: for this I think the key would be whether
the child was
afraid to be home alone after dark, as well as if they were responsible
enough. I
would not presume to judge the maturity of another child or the
judgement of
another parent in this matter, but for myself I don't think I would do
it until my
older child was over 10, probably closer to 12. But my oldest is now 8,
so I don't
know.
3) to babysit (i.e. take responsibility for) younger children. I would
think 12 would
be the lower limit of this (I remember babysitting at 11 or 12), but
then there may
be a difference between a younger sibling in your own home and
babysitting
another child for money.
4) home alone overnight. I have no idea how old my own child will be
when I feel
comfortable with this, but I imagine it will be at least 14.
5) home alone for more than 24 hours (i.e. Friday night to Sunday
afternoon)
As you can see there are a lot of factors and variables and it would be
difficult to
write a law that addressed each situation appropriately. The short
answer to your
question though is that your coworker is not wrong. It is certainly not
illegal and
most likely not any problem whatsoever to leave a 10 year old to spend
an hour
home alone after school.
--trying to find that middle ground between between careless and
overprotective
Nov 2006
My partner and I have been talking about when to begin letting
the kids stay at home alone. They are almost 11, 8 1/2, and
almost 7, and we would not leave the youngest alone at this time,
ever. Ironically it's the middle child that shows the most
ability to handle this responsibility. That said, we're curious
about when and under what circumstances parents start giving
their children a little rope to foster independence and
experience making good judgement calls. Just to forestall calls
about calling CPS, what we're talking about are things like a 10
minute store run during daylight. One of us is comfortable with
this, one of us has all sorts of alarms going off. How have you
handled this situation with your growing children?
Gotta let go some day, but not now!
I've been discussing this with friends since it seems like none of the 5th grade
children at my son's school stay in aftercare and I'm trying to figure out how
long I can leave my son home alone. So far I have only left him home for less than
an hour( he is 10). Every time I go over what I expect him to do, quiz him on my
cell number and write it down, and remind him what not to do (don't turn on the
stove, open the door etc). So far it's gone fine.
On a related note what are parents who both work having their middle school kids
do after school? Especially on Wed when there is a minimum day I just can't
imagine having him walk home and stay alone for 3 hours but it seems like none of
the older kids stay in aftercare at his school wondering too
It totally depends on the kids.
When my 15 yo was 7 or 8 I was leaving him home for quick visits to the store. He
was very independant, sensible and self sufficient. My little one(now 11) could
be left alone with my older son when they were about 8 and 11 but not by himself.
As long as we could be reached via cell phone or a neighbor was close by I felt
pretty comfy...we also have 3 dogs and live in a pretty safe neighborhood.
Now, at 11 and 15 we can go out for an evening and leave them together. If the 11
yo is home alone all evening we check in frequently. They watch TV, play computer
or read.
So, far (maybe we're lucky) there have been no problems.
They know safety things....who to call, what to do if there's a fire, injury, etc.
We know all our neighbors and someone is always around. Good luck. It's nice to
finaly have a bit more freedom when they get older.
anon
The fire department recommends children be at least 12 years old and mature before
being left at home alone Listening to the Firefighters
In this day of cell phones? And for short store runs? I see no problem. My parents
occasionally left me for 30 minutes at age 7 (but then, I was pretty responsible).
Yes, things can go wrong, but you could be in the other roon when the kids do
something awful too. I think there's a limit to how crazy-safe we should be.
People are far too uptight about things these days.
For 10-30 minutes away and with a cell phone? I would definitely risk it if I felt
the kids in question were reasonably responsible and would follow enough rules to
stay safe in that time anon
4th grade--one afternoon a week, 2-3 hrs. At his request.
It was fine! Similar age with my younger daughter who is 11 now but she is not as
comfortable staying alone and we do it more occasionally.
lots of setting of ground rules: phone/door/cooking I'm sometimes less comfortable
leaving the two siblings alone bc of squabbling/power trips... Usually I say the
older one is babysitting and will be paid but only if it is peaceful!
Deborah
i bet you are getting hordes of mail saying never do it, ever...however depnding
on your home I'd leave them for a quick(15 minute) store run-I'd carry my
cell-write it down by the phone, lock the door and set the alarm for staying in-go
thru your rules.
Really nervous? Leave one parent at home on the sidewalk(out of eyesight) just in
case.
anon
Jan 2005
When is it ok to leave kids home alone? My daughters are
14, 12, & 9yrs old. They are responsible and obedient. I
have never left them home alone. My friends leave their
kids home alone all the time and think I am being overly
protective. The stories on the news about fires breaking
out and killing the kids scare me. What should I do?
Worried Mom
If your kids are 14, 12 and 9, your job as parent is
rapidly changing from watching over them constantly to
teaching them to take care of themselves. When and how to
leave older kids alone at home depends a lot on the kids.
Do they get along well, or is one terrified of being left
alone or with bullying sibs? Are you afraid of particular
misbehaviors (drinking alcohol, leaving the house) while
you're gone? Are they generally responsible and reliable,
or totally scattered? Does the 14 year old lead the others
well, or does she resent being the babysitter? Have you
instructed them in emergency responses?
I never leave my 10 year old alone in the house for more
than an hour in the day, and never at night. I always lock
the doors and turn off appliances like dryer and stove. I
remind her to stay inside, not to answer the phone unless
it's my special ring, not to answer the door, and call 911
if someone outside is trying to get inside or frightening
her. I remind her to go to the neighbors next door if
there is a fire. The idea is not to alarm her, but to
review constructive responses to unlikely emergencies.
Staying home successfully by herself is a step towards
growing up and handling her life with confidence. She is
also relieved to get out of being dragged along on my
boring errands. So far we have left our 14 year old boy
home alone for an evening, but only by himself, never with
a friend (or his sister to look after), and always
reminding him of his grandmother's phone number-- she
lives just a few blocks away and could always advise him
or give him shelter in an emergency. However, when offered
the choice, he much prefers to spend the evening at a
friend's house than alone. I have friends who will
occasionally leave two daughters, 14 and 11, home in the
early evening while they go out to dinner nearby-- they
are comfortable with this because they have cell phones
and confidence in their children. Knowing these kids, this
seems pretty reasonable to me. While teen judgment is
sometimes lacking, a 14-year-old is an adult in training
and should be given appropriate responsibilities.
concerned parent
If you're not comfortable leaving your kids home alone,
then you probably should not do it yet.
My two boys (now, 14 and 9 1/2) have been staying home
alone together for several years.
My older son is very independant and responsible. When he
was 9 or 10 I would leave him home alone for short periods
(15 minutes while I went to pick up his brother, etc).
I never left him alone with ''the baby''.
But as they've gotten older, it works for us.
Truthfully, the TV is the babysitter, so I pretty much know
they are not going anywhere or getting into trouble.
If I'm nearby, me and my husband are reachable by cell
phone. We have neighbors all around that they can call.
If we are going away for an evening, or are unreachable
(theatre, etc) there is usually one or two neighbors who
know we are gone who will be home and the boys can call
them for anything urgent.
We have a dog and an alarm. They know what to do in case of
fire or if someone is hurt, never to answer the door, cook
on the stove, use sharp knives, etc.
I think one of the reasons they are so well behaved when
we're gone is that the idea of having a sitter come to stay
with them is mortifying (esp. for the older one). More
likely they'd go to friend's houses if we were going to be
gone all day or for a really long evening.
Anyway, this works for us.
You might try a short shopping trip, or quick evening out
to dinner or something where you are reachable and can get
home quickly. Do the girls get along? If there is a chance
of a sibling fight and everyone falling apart, it may not
be a good idea.
Good luck. You'll know when the time is right.
mom with some freedom
Worried Mom asked..When is it ok to leave kids home alone? Besides letting
the stories on the news about fires breaking out and killing the kids scaring
you, shift your attention to how you can make your home safer and your kids
stronger. Make sure you have and follow fire protocols. Show your kids how
to replace batteries in smoke detectors. Practice using a fire extinguisher with
them. Negative thinking can attract negative events. Since you've identified
valid concerns, work through them so you know your kids are safe when you
leave them. You'll make them more confident, too.
Another mom
After reviewing family rules and safety tips, start slowly.
When our daughter was about 10, we started leaving her home
for short periods during the day after first confirming with
close neighbors that they would be home and available
if needed. This graduated into staying home alone during
parts of weekend days while we parents ran our errands, and
now that she's 13 into staying home alone on the occasional
parents night out. One rule that we adhere to strictly: we do
not leave our daughter home alone unless at least one parent
is in the east bay (we don't want the worry of trying to get
across the bay in the event of a major earthquake or other
disaster). Unless your children are irresponsible, it seems
that they are old enough for you to begin giving them this
experience.
anon
Nov 2004
Hi. I couldn't find anything in the archives about this. What
age/maturity level do kids need to have to be able to stay home
alone? What is the law? what do other people do? does it
depend on how long you're gone, if they can dial your cell phone
number if they need you, or what?
For example: my 3yr old's daycare is a mile down the street
(about a 10 minute trip) and my 5 yr old boy hates to have to
get in the car to go get her. At what age can I let him stay
home for something like this (I don't let him stay home now)?
thanks in advance,
Karlyn
Depends on the kid. When I was 11, I stayed home alone with 3
younger sibs. My kids are 11 now and while I trust my daughter to
stay home alone, I worry my son would get into matches, etc. With
so much at stake, better to err on the side of caution.
Admitted Worrier
It totally depends on the child, I think.
I don't know what the legal age is (there is one!). My now 13
year old was staying alone for 10-15 minutes while I went and
got the baby from the sitter when he was about 7. I would have
NEVER left my younger boy alone at that age.
My older son is and has always been very independant and
responsible.
Now, at almost 14 and 9 1/2 I leave the 2 boys home alone
together while my husband and I have an evening out. We are
always reachable by cell phone and if we are not (like in a
concert or theatre) there is always a neighbor available they
can call, and neighbors who know they are home alone.
My 9 year old son can be left alone for maybe an hour if I am
out doing an errand and fairly close by....the TV is the
babysitter in that case. He's just not as level headed or mature
as my older son was at that age.
You have to be the judge, and of course teach your child what to
do in certain situations....ie: don't open the door for anyone,
who to call for help, etc.
slightly freer mom
I let my almost 8-year-old daughter stay home by herself for up
to half an hour when I go pick up my son at pre-school or run
off to the store. I've been letting her do this from time to
time for about a year, but then she's proven herself capable.
She knows ''The Drill,'' which is this: Don't answer the front
door, don't answer the phone. If she gets spooked she can call
me on my cell or go next door to either neighbor women, who
work from home. She's sensible and reliable, knows not to touch
the stove, etc. I've noticed she she uses the time to steal and
hoard cookies...
I'm going to admit having left my slumbering 4-year-old tucked
in his bed while driving my daughter to school - literally a
five minute round trip - after compulsively checking the stove,
turning off the heat, etc. Once, however, he woke up, and was
crying for me in the front room. Bad Mommy guilt for a week! So
I don't do that anymore.
On the general topic, I'm as protective as the next parent, but
I also think we've gone too far as a culture sometimes in the
name of protecting our offspring. I want my kids to be capable
of handling themselves and not crippled with fear that
something, God Forbid, will happen to them if I leave them
alone for a while. (I'm talking about kids 7 and up here, now).
Does this keep me from worrying the entire time I'm at the
store? Of course not. But I think it's a good exercise for her
and for me.
real life momma
While the precise age to be home alone depends on a lot of
factors, five is WAY TOO YOUNG to be alone at home, even if you
are ''just ten minutes away''. A five-year-old can't possibly have
the maturity, life experience, and knowledge to deal with any
kind of emergency. What if you were in a car accident while out?
While California law is vague on a ''legal'' age to be home alone
(you could be found negligent leaving anyone home under the age
of 18 if the situation would pose a danger - but of course most
kids can be alone well before that), but very clear that you
cannot leave a chld under the age of nine in a car unattended. I
would use this as a very rough guideline, but would probably wait
until 10 or 11 in most cases depending on how far away you are,
whether there are reliable neighbors home, what time of day it
is, whether you are reachable by phone, how prepared and
comfortable your child feels about emergency situations of all
kinds, etc. Please don't risk his safety just for the sake of
convenience.
If he hates to get into the car every time, how about taking a
walk together? A mile should be very do-able, and would be good
exercise for both of you. Maybe sometimes make it an extra-fun
outing (not just a sibling pick-up). Play his favorite music in
the car, have a special ''pick-up-time-only'' toy, or something
else to make it more bearable. The fact is, with two kids, one
or the other is going to often have to do something just because
the other one is there. I still drag my reluctant 11-year-old
with me if I have to go out for an hour to pick up his dad and
sister after dark (it takes almost an hour). You can make it work.
RK
I asked my husband a Child Protective Services Social Worker
what you should do and he said by NO MEANS do you leave a 5 year
old home alone. You will be crimminally charged if something
were to happen to him while you are gone.
Social Workers Wife
I'd like to know when it is safe to leave a school-aged child alone in the house
for an hour or two during the daytime. My daughter is 7 and mature for her
age and is out of school now that it is summer. My partner thinks it is fine to
leave her but I have my doubts. If alone, she would spend the time reading or
watching tv and cannot invite friends over. We told her to not answer the door
or the phone. She can call us on our cell phone, and she knows how to get out
of the house if there was a fire, but I worry about an earthquake. What else
should I consider, besides how far away we would be if she had a problem?
protective mom
I am the mother of a fairly mature 6.5 year old girl, and I
wouldn't leave her alone even for an hour. I think there are a lot
of potential risks here, but the biggest one is that this age
group just doesn't have great judgement all the time, doesn't
always follow directions, and might not always remember what to do
if an emergency occurred. There are many, many things that could
go wrong--from falling and hitting her head, to being seduced into
opening the door for a stranger, from trying to cook and starting
a fire to getting herself locked out of the house or scaring
herself silly by watching the wrong channel on the television set.
The other big issue for me is that although these kids seem
mature, they can still get very lonely and very frightened (or
very frustrated) without a parent around. If it's just for an hour
or two couldn't you bring her with you? Or arrange a playdate or a
babysitter?
davis
Please don't leave her alone at home - I used to stay at home
alot as a child, and although I hear she would have the proper
instructions and a cell phone to keep her safe, a child is
still not mature enough (and shouldn't have to) to take
complete care of herself - I had a few scary experiences as a
child at home by myself, and although this may not/hopefully
would never happen, you have to ask yourself if this is a
chance you want to take. (Is there a friend's place you can
drop her instead until she can be picked up by a parent?).
Good luck, sorry to sound so grim, but it just is not the
safest situation for a young child.
Anon
When I was growing up in Berkeley in the 70s, I was a latch-key
kid and I stayed home alone for longer than an hour or two and
my parents did not tell me how to deal with an emergency, what I
could/could not do when alone, etc and I turned out fine.
While it isn't illegal to leave a 7 year old home alone, there
are quite a few safety considerations to think about:
* can she call 911 in an emergency?
* can you trust her not to leave the house, use the stove, open
the door, etc.?
* is there a nearby neighbor/friend that she can go to if need
be? Will that person be checking in on her?
* does she know how to determine whether someone is a real police
officer or not?
* will she be scared staying alone? (I was when I was 7)
AP
I think 7 is much, much too young to be left home alone.
Rebecca
When I was 10 and home alone for a few hours during the day, my
house was broken into by a neighbor's visiting son. Because no
one answed the door after he pounded on it for a while, he
assumed the house was empty. He broke down the front door, got
past our large barking dog, and litterally began tearing our
house apart. My parents were 4 blocks away and had instructed
me just as you would instruct your daughter. Fortunately I
escaped the house unharmed- but it was terrifying.
heather
Another thing to consider: the law, which I believe says that
it's neglectful to leave children under the age of nine alone.
Personally, unless I thought my child could handle any possible
circumstance, including break-ins, earthquakes, fires, she's not
ready to be home alone no matter her age.
Anonymous
I have left my 7/8 year old home alone but not for 2 hours. She
is mature enough and knows how to follow directions but anything
can happen in 2 hours. If I'm running a quick errand and she's
watching a movie, I will let her stay if she insists, but if I
don't know how long I'll be gone, she comes with me.
Anonymous
7 years old is absolutely too young to stay at home alone - even
if you have a cell phone. Even if she is mature for her age, she
cannot have the maturity needed to make good judgements in an
emergency situation. Knowing what to do and actually doing it
are not the same - especially when she is scared. In my opinion
(and I know others may disagree), 10 is the youngest I'd leave a
child alone, and then I'd start with very short times when I was
pretty close-by (say 1/2 hour at the local grocery store).
Also, while it may be o.k. to let the answering machine answer
calls (which she would then pick up if it is you calling), I
believe that kids should NOT be instructed not to answer the
door. Of course, they shouldn't open it, but pretending nobody
is at home could be more dangerous. A burglar may just be
checking, and if s/he believes no one is at home, may break in -
a potentially very dangerous situation. I believe my kids
learned at KidPower to ask who it is, and what they want, and
then say that the parent ''can't come to the door right now -
please come back a little later''.
Whatever you decide, be sure that in addition to your cell phone
number, you leave her all emergency numbers and the phone number
of a few nearby neighbors who are generally at home during the day.
R.K.
7 is too young. Maybe 10 or 11 if she's pretty mature. Too many
unpredictable things can happen.
anon
I am looking for advice experience on the following.
What are other parents, who are working full-time, doing or arranging
for their teens who at home afterschool without a parent around. Both
my spouse and I work full-time. My eighth grader is home alone after
school doing a combination of homework, skateboarding and watching
TV/decompressing. He's a responsible kid (good grades and friends)
and we've had no problems so far. But I am concerned about this
un-supervised time. What are others doing or thinking about this? Has
this topic been addressed previously? Can you post it for discussion?
I'd like to remain anonymous in any posting because I don't want it to
get back to my son who would be mortified.
I would say that if your son is in 8th grade, is spending his time
doing his homework, and has no problems, you're in pretty good
shape!! Our 12-year-old seventh grade daughter has been walking home
from school and hanging out by herself since the 5th grade. (We live
in a pretty safe neighborhood, with neighbors who are home all day
and watch out for her, and the walk is easy and short.) For the
first two years, I demanded that she call me each afternoon when she
got home, just to check in. I have gotten looser with that
requirement because she has been extremely responsible. My feeling
is that teenagers NEED time alone. They probably spend a fraction of
that time doing things we wouldn't entirely approve of (e.g.,
watching stupid TV), but as long as they are not hurting themselves
or others, a bit of that is OK. I expect my daughter to do her
homework, to keep her room neat, and to do occasional chores (pick up
her brother if I'm going to be late, water the yard when it's
extraordinarily hot, etc.). But I also let her have (girl)friends
over or to go to their houses. The key for me is the homework: if
it's getting done, she's OK. If it's not, then I rein her in in
terms of how much TV she's watching, how much time she's spending
with her friends, etc.
My kids through about age 14 have to page me at work when they get home
from
school. I give a quick call back to check on homework and mental health
status and their plans for the afternoon. They have to page me again if
they decide to go somewhere, so I know where to look if they're not home
when I get home at 6 or 7. They cook and eat a late lunch, read the paper
or their current novels, then do homework alone or with a friend over the
phone. Also they have afterschool activities -- music lessons, religious
school, sometimes sports -- so there isn't really that much time involved.
I have always been clear in my own mind that if I couldn't account for where
those afternoon hours were going, including for the 12th graders who don't
have to page me but do have to leave me a note as to their whereabouts and
estimated time of return, I would insist on their having a regular
afterschool job to fill in any boring or tempting hours. My first 4 kids
are in or through high school (2 at BHS now) and one is in middle school
with no problems to date. I want my kids to learn to make independent
decisions so basically they can do what they want after school as long as
they check it out with me first and as long as they have a good track record
of completing homework and being where they say they'll be when they say
they'll be there.
(post anon so my kids aren't embarrassed -- they think no other kid has to
tell their parent who they're hanging out with)
As a mother of a teen, this problem has surfaced time and again. Ways we have
dealt
with it - enroll your teen in an after-school program, have him go to the library
after school at least 3 times a week and call you when he gets there and when he
gets
home, find another teen to hang out with and switch homes, enlist the help of
other
working moms/dads, enlist the help of an adult in the neighborhood whom your
son can
go to if he needs an adult, get a dog for company and protection, but mostly I
would
heartily suggest that you find something nurturing and educational for your
son to
do. It's tough, I know, but we have to be firm about not letting our kids be alone
for so much of the time. Homework help is available at most schools after school,
as
are extracurricular activities. And libraries are free, quiet, and conducive to
getting homework done.
Good luck!
Amy
I am a parent of a 15 year old and also am doing research on parent/teen
issues. My research and other studies indicate that middle-schoolers
need to participate in some kind of structured after-school activities.
During the middle-school years, teens are dealing with maturity, peer
and academic pressures and beginning to test the world around them,they
need a great deal of guidance, especially during the after-school hours.
According to my research, teens do best when they do not have a lot of
free
time but are busy (but not overscheduled with activities)and involved in
sports or arts activities. These activities help kids learn a skill,
keep them focused,and give them an identity in relation to other kids.
They are beginning to see themselves as a basketball player or like my
son,
a flautist. This identity can help them excell in school, gain friends,
become healthy, or just feel good about themselves. According
to the research, kids want to know that they are being supervised but
not too closely. So, parents may not need to be at home during after
school, but some kind of structured after-school activity with adult
supervision 2 or 3 times a week may make them feel that their
parents are still guiding them. But I must say that not all kids are
alike,
and some do not need much supervision. But the research is indicting
that it's often difficult to tell when kids need it because they may
like being alone doing their "own thing" even if they're encountering
some difficulty doing it. They may not let their parents know what's
going on in their lives for fear that they'll lose their time alone.
I hope this information is helpful in some way. I wanted to address this
issue since
some of you took part in my research project and asked me to give you
any interesting findings.
Elaine
My daughter spent the first half of last year wandering Berkeley from
3 to 5:30pm many days with a bunch of kids whose parents didn't want,
or weren't able, to supervise them. In that situation now, I would
have insisted she have something more concrete to do, but last year I
was swayed by the idea that the "other" parents weren't concerned.
When I found out the other kids were into graffiti, vandalism and
lacked respect for property and boundaries -- I pulled the plug. She
is now in a different school, with less free time and more to do
after school. She still likes the old friends, but is too busy to
hang out with them on a regular basis. I think she's actually
happier. She got back a bit of her childhood in the move.
The transition to middle school caught me by surprise -- suddenly
there was no supervision or expectation of supervision for kids who'd
previously been cared for after school -- but the kids were still 11
years-old... Their needs hadn't changed, just their circumstances.
Heather
Leaving Teens Alone Overnight
May 2002
I'd like some advice about leaving my teen daughters
at home overnight. They are 17 and 13 years old and
we'd like to consider a short overnight trip. At what
age did you feel comfortable leaving the kids
overnight?
I allowed my 15 and 1/2 year old daughter to stay home alone one of two
evenings that I was away. The other evening was spent with adult friends.
She wanted to me to trust her and allow her to be independent. Before I
left, I made sure neighbors knew I was going to be away and that she was on
her own. I also asked my mother to call. When I came home, I got the biggest
hug. She was lonely without me and every noise made her nervous. I would
feel comfortable leaving her alone again, but I do not think she would want
me to. Angela
When is it OK to leave a teen alone for 1-2 nights? I realize they are
all different, maturity, With/without boyfriend/girlfriends etc. My
daughter is 16.5, an only child, fairly mature and responsible. She is
very aware that her actions bring reactions, both good and bad, so the
chance of a party is remote. She has good friends, whose parents are
my friends. Of course she could stay with a friend, but I don't want
to over do a good thing. Also I think a teen should begin to have
independence, we don't want college to be the first time alone! My Dad
age 76 is a mile away, so there is a safe place. Any thoughts are
appreciated. Carol
I took my 15-year-old daughter to the movie Pleasantville (in which the
parents leave the two teens alone over nite and the girl has her boyfriend
over for sex). I swear to god that the next weekend my daughter told me
she was staying over with a girlfriend and that the mom was home (she
wouldn't let me talk to the mom, saying she had come home sick and gone to
bed early, which sounded plausible -- I knew the mom fairly well and
consider the friend a good kid). On Sunday I learned that the mom was not
home and you guessed it.... I hold my daughter 100% responsible, but I was
surprised that some parents do feel comfortable leaving their teens alone
overnite. I'd never let my kid stay overnite anywhere again without
person-to-person communication with the parents beforehand. Some teens are
really devious! Janine
About leaving teens alone -- I've got a son two weeks shy of being 17, and
we have left him alone for one night a couple of times without any
problems. He too is not one to take advantage, and really welcomes the
opportunity to have the house to himself. Obviously, were he a different
kind of kid (in fact, if he was more like I was at 17!), I might be
reluctant to leave him alone, but our experience has been positive. The
event was liberating for him, and made it clear to him that we trust him,
which seems to go a very long way with teenagers.
Mira
Leaving teens overnight: We first left our son alone in May of 10th grade
(he was nearly 16) when we were all scheduled to take a trip to Oregon for
Memorial Day Weekend. He was working on a huge paper for Ms. Groves'
American History class. He had reams of periodical research and library
books and web pages and we did not own a laptop. After exploring borrowing
or renting a computer we decided to leave him home. We did have a dog sitter
who was going to come by each day and could even stay overnight if necessary.
We spoke several times a day and it proved to be a great experience for him.
He wrote a terriffic paper and even made dinner one night for himself and
the dog sitter. It really depends how mature your child is- some kids get
afraid being alone in the house overnight or they don't know how to say no to
kids who want to come over. A year later he did volunteer work in South
America with Amigos de las Americas where he was minimally supervised in a
rural town, with a great deal of responsibility resting on his shoulders. We
were glad he'd been given some practice early on. I think it's good to give
kids as much responsibility as they can handle. It also makes them confident
to know that you trust them and expect them to honor that trust. So I say go
for it if she's ready. In a year or two she's likley to be off on her own to
school.- WR
My mother allowed me, her third child, to spend time alone at our summer
beach cottage, on and off season, for short intervals, from the time I
was about 15 years old. I loved this time. I read books, gatherd
driftwood for fires in the fireplace, cooked and enjoyed the solitude.
I was otherwise a very social child. There were family friends whom I
could call, but I never did. One of our neighbors "kept an eye" on me,
but I never knew.
Now my husband and I put in a call to our friends' teenage children when
the parents are away. Do they need anything? Perhaps a ride? Would
they like to come to dinner? Could they babysit for our youngest?
Our oldest is not old enough to want to have the house to herself for
the weekend. Yet. She's twelve, but very independant, and I'm sure the
day will come soon enough. As a parent, it's a nice thought to know that
someone (else, perhaps a neighbor, or a friend) is checking in a little
bit.
Mimi
Leaving 11 and 14 yo at Home during the Day
From: Barbara
My kids, ages 11 and 14 are at home this summer. My husband goes to work
most days at 3:00 pm and I get home at 6:30 or so. My 14 yr old son wants
to have friends over to play basketball etc., and I trust him for the most
part and like his friends but I feel a "little" ill at ease having several
kids at the house when no adults are home. Rather than make it an issue, I
just have limited the number of kids and I call home to check on everyone
every so often. I would rather have them at home than out at the mall or
on the street but I wonder if anyone else has input on this situation. I
remember a friend of mine who thought her kids were perfectly OK until her
neighbor told her her son was growing pot on the roof of the apartment
house and her daughter was picked up for shoplifting. I don't want to
allow so much freedom they hang themselves.
--------------------
From: Lisa
There is a free publication called Bay Area Parent of Teens that has some
good articles dealing with teenagers. You can find them at the Berkeley
main public library or call 1-800-666-1514 to get bundles delivered to
somewhere near you. I have only read one issue but thought the articles
hit the spot in terms of dealing with this difficult age group.
--------------------
I think that teens still need a lot of supervision whether they are at
home, on the streets, or at their friends. Our children by themselves may
not do anything wrong, but when they are with their friends, the social
pressure can muddle their judgement. The trick is how to
supervise/monitor/guide without them feeling their independence is
infringed upon and they are not being trusted. This is such a challenge.
Keeping them not bored during the summer is important. I am dealing with
the same issues year round. I have discovered some situations to turn out
to be very experimental. Teenagers can be very creative in getting over on
us. This is something all of us need to really talk about.
---------------------
From: Aleta
Fortunately, I'll never have a problem in the summer. My concern is
during the academic year. We live about 5 blocks from Pinole Middle
School. My daughter will get home about 3:15+ and I will get home
about 6:00+. This is what I plan to do with my 12 yr. daughter: 1)
Check every possible after school program, or 2)She must have all
homework done 3) She will have chores to do, 4)No phone calling, 5)
Must stay inside with doors locked 6)I've approved only two of her
many friends are allowed to come home with her- on occasions (I will
go over these rules with them also), 7) #6 will be voided if anything
goes wrong. If I feel this isn't going to work then she will have to
take the bus to Richmond and stay at her Grandfathers home until I
pick her up. I trust my daughter, however I don't trust the neighbor
kids or the world for that matter. (add: She must leave a message at
my work the moment she gets home and I will call her once every day).
------------------------
From: Linnea
I share your concern about teens being home and having friends over when no
adult is there. Perhaps you can manage to get home earlier if you get into
work earlier, thus reducing their time alone. If your husband is involved
with them during the early part of the day providing variety and interest
(i.e., does he take them places?) maybe they can keep occupied with a mix
of activities when no adult is there. When there is group of teens they
can think up things to do that your kids wouldn't consider when they're
alone, but when they're all together, group synergy takes over.....I would
try to structure their afternoon time in some way and I would also limit
the number of days that a group can come over, and the size of the group as
I think you may have mentioned. If a group is at your house every day,
they're likely to become bored eventually and that's when problems can
develop. Good luck.
----------------------------
This is in response to the mom who is concerned about leaving her
children home in the afternoon. (#5 Teens at Home)
During high school there was always one friend whose parents weren't
home and believe me, we made the most of it.
As far as issues of trust are concerned, I think that it's pretty much
impossible to "trust" most teenagers no matter how wonderful they are.
Developmentally it's just so much a time of experimentation and
feelings of immortality.
Maybe your children have to know that they are being checked in on in
some way (can you or your husband do surprise drop-in visits?). That
they just don't have that 3 1/2 hour period to run amuck. But on the
other hand, you don't want them to feel like they're in jail so
they'll go somewhere else to run amuck!
On the other hand, I just spoke to a mom of a now 27 year old son who
was a latchkey kid for years and years and she said that she could
trust him completely.
It's a tough call!
-------------------------------
[submitted anonymously]
I have been thinking about this subject a lot, because this summer for the
first time I've left my two kids at home for varying amounts of time while
I work full time. My sons are 12 (let's call him "Jake") and 14 ("Joe").
I was given a lot of freedom when I was 12 and older and I think it's
important to give this to my kids as much as I can. I also think it's good
for kids to have down time where they don't have planned activities. So I'm
comfortable with the idea of leaving them at home, but some things have
worked, and some haven't. Here are my results:
Some background:
1. The neighborhood is safe and there are neighbors at home during the
day who can step in if there's an emergency
2. I'm reachable by phone & I can get home quickly if I need to
3. Public transportation is nearby and both kids know how to take the
bus (to their friends', to the movies, etc.) Joe can take BART to his
buddy's house in Moraga.
4. Both kids know how to make sandwiches, use the stove and microwave.
The 2 most important factors I've found, regardless of age, are:
1. how trustable is the kid?
2. how trustable are the kid's friends?
In the case of 14-yr-old Joe, he is completely trustworthy, and nearly all
his friends are honor-roll types whom I trust just as much as I trust Joe.
It really does pay off to get to know their friends and their friends'
parents. Joe is allowed to have any of his friends over (with one exception,
and I trust him not to have this kid in when I'm not there). The only rule
is that he calls me before he leaves the house to tell me where he is going
and when he'll be back. His friends have similar rules at their homes. They
mainly play ball together, play video games, go to the movies, things like
that. While Joe is capable of being a complete vegetable, spending hours in
front of the TV, he works hard during the school year so I don't really mind
that much what he does over the summer.
In the case of 12-year-old Jake, things are totally different. Jake is
a sweet kid but he cannot resist his wild impulses; he really isn't
trustable. Of his 3 best friends, 2 of them I occasionally have
allowed to come over when I'm not there; if anything they are a good
influence. But his best friend, who lives on our block, is completely
unpredictable and prone to the same wild impulses as my son. Together
they are lethal. I can't trust Jake not to hang out with this kid
when I'm not home - on one of the days when I did, (the friend's
parent was home but I wasn't), they got into trouble for spraying
silly foam into the car of the neighborhood grouch. More recently,
Jake has befriended an older kid who's in town just for the summer who
reportedly does Very Bad Things and has been hanging around my house
when I'm not there. So for all these reasons, it hasn't worked to
leave Jake at home alone.
For the first half of the summer, Jake was in camp, riding the bus by
himself to north Berkeley, and then coming to my office by bus when it
was over. This worked out well and gave Jake some degree of freedom
while still allowing me some control. Since then, I've been mostly
bringing him in to work, or trying to work from home. For the next 2
weeks, I'm trying something new. I'd considered using all the rest of
my vacation to stay home, and I also considered hiring a teenager to
stay with Jake. But then it occurred to me to try hiring my own teenager -
Joe. My two boys don't get along all that well, so in the past it
hasn't worked out to leave Joe in charge of Jake. But I remembered
the power of heavy bribes. I told Joe I'd pay him $10 a day to babysit
Jake (less than his fee for other people of $3/hour but a sizeable
amount for 2 weeks). If there is a fight, and I have to come home,
Joe doesn't get paid for that day. Jake gets $1 a day if all goes well.
Each day they have to plan some activity (rent a video, go swimming,
go to the movies) and I call every couple hours to check in. Jake can
have friends over, but only the 2 that I trust, and only if Joe agrees.
I can trust Joe to enforce this. Joe can have a friend over or go to a
friend's house but he must include Jake. They both like the arrangement
and so far it seems to be working, with some phone mediation on my part
when squabbles arise.
With any luck, it will carry me thru the rest of the summer!
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