WEBVTT E GOOD THINGSTO KEEP IN MIND.RECENTLY, I'VE NOTICED THATPARENTS ARE EAGER TO ASK ME ATWHAT AGE CAN THEY LEAVE THEIRCHILDREN AT HOME WITHOUT ASITTER.I FEEL THAT HOME BUT NOT ALONEIS A QUESTION, SO FIRST OF ALL,CHILDREN UNDER 10 SHOULD NEVERBE LEFT ALONE, EVEN FOR A FEWMINUTES.IF YOUR CHILD IS OVER 10 BUT ISFRIGHTENED OR APPREHENSIVE ABOUTBEING LEFT ALONE, TO NOT LEAVETHEM AT HOME EITHER.WHATEVER, IF THEY ARE OVER 10,SHOWING SIGNS OF RESPONSIBILITY,BUT GETTING HOMEWORK DONE ANDFOLLOWING RULES AND AREINTERESTED IN BEING LEFT ALONEWHILE YOU ARE OUT, THEN YOU CANENTER LEAVING THEM ALONE, ANDHERE ARE A FEW HINTS.FIRST, SET THE HOUSE RULES, ANDDO IT IN ADVANCE.MAKE SURE THEY CAN REPEAT THERULES BACK TO YOU.IT USUALLY INCLUDES NO GUESTSWHEN AN ADULT IS NOT HOME, NEVERANSWERING THE DOOR FOR ASTRANGER, OR TELLING A STRANGERON THE PHONE THEY ARE NOT ALONE.YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO TELL THEMNOT USING THE OVEN WHILE YOU ARENOT HOME AND INTERNET USAGE.ACTUALLY A CHILD KNOWS HOW TORESPOND DURING AN EMERGENCY,SUCH AS A FIRE, BY TALKING YOURCHILD THROUGH AND HEARING HOWTHEY WOULD RESPOND.AND THEN PUT INSTRUCTIONS ON AVISIBLE PLACE, SUCH AS THEREFRIGERATOR.IF THEY ARE STAYING AT SCHOOLUNTIL YOU GET HOME, HAVE THEMCALL A NEIGHBOR AS SOON AS THEYGET HOME FROM SCHOOL OR YOU.YOU MIGHT GIVE YOUR CHILD THEOPPORTUNITY TO TRY THISEXPERIENCE, PERHAPS LEAVING THEMAT HOME FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OFTIME, AND THEN INCREASING THATTIME ALONE GRADUALLY.HOPEFULLY, TIPS LIKE THIS WILLHELP WHEN IT COMES TO LEAVING
This chart tells you exactly when your kids can be left home alone
When do think it's okay to leave kids home by themselves?
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Updated: 2:28 AM EST Jan 10, 2020
The thought of leaving a child home alone can unnerve any parent. As mature as your son or daughter might be, a lot could go wrong. But does that mean you shouldn't leave your children home alone until they're teenagers? Blogger Mique, from Thirty Handmade Days, thinks otherwise, offering a handy chart with guidelines on when to let your child stay home solo. She emphasizes that every state has different laws on this topic but hopes her compiled guidelines can help start a dialogue and provide parents with important information. After considering the safety of your neighborhood, how comfortable your child feels alone and how well-behaved your child is, she suggests kids can be left alone starting at 8 years old. Up until they're 10 years old, they "should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours," she suggests. That time doubles once the child is 11, and by 13, she says kids can be left alone for even longer than that, but not overnight. Once the child hits 16, they can be left alone for up to two nights in a row. Mique's printable chart also breaks down laws by state. Illinois, for instance, doesn't allow children to be left home alone until they're 14. While she hopes her chart is helpful, she encourages parents to also contact their local authorities for more town-specific age restrictions. It should also be noted the chart was created in 2017. Laws could have changed since then and therefore need to be confirmed according to your state and county.Of course, some experts may not agree with the blogger's conclusions, so parents need to use their judgement for what's best for their child and, arguably more importantly, need to follow the laws of their town and state. Watch the video above for more tips on the best way to ease your child into being left home alone.
The thought of leaving a child home alone can unnerve any parent. As mature as your son or daughter might be, a lot could go wrong. But does that mean you shouldn't leave your children home alone until they're teenagers? Blogger Mique, from , thinks otherwise, offering a handy on when to let your child stay home solo.
She emphasizes that every state has different laws on this topic but hopes her compiled guidelines can help start a dialogue and provide parents with important information. After considering the safety of your neighborhood, how comfortable your child feels alone and how well-behaved your child is, she suggests kids can be left alone starting at 8 years old. Up until they're 10 years old, they "should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours," she suggests. That time doubles once the child is 11, and by 13, she says kids can be left alone for even longer than that, but not overnight. Once the child hits 16, they can be left alone for up to two nights in a row.
also breaks down laws by state. Illinois, for instance, doesn't allow children to be left home alone until they're 14. While she hopes her chart is helpful, she encourages parents to also contact their local authorities for more town-specific age restrictions.
It should also be noted the chart was created in 2017. Laws could have changed since then and therefore need to be confirmed according to your state and county.
Of course, some experts may not agree with the blogger's conclusions, so parents need to use their judgement for what's best for their child and, arguably more importantly, need to follow the laws of their town and state.
Watch the video above for more tips on the best way to ease your child into being left home alone.
