How long can a 6 year old be left to look after itself and his younger brother?

Question

I recently went on holiday with my new girlfriend, leaving my 6 year old to look after himself and his brother. He is very mature for his age, and told me that he could take the responsibility, but when I returned, my neighbour had taken my children into his house and called the police. I personally think that what I did is fine, but I now have a criminal investigation against me and I am not allowed to see my children unsupervised.

Answer 1

I am so sorry that u have nosey neighbors. She had no right to take ur kids away. She should b accused of kiddnapping. Tonite, sneak out n kidnap her lawn gnomes. Smash her pink flamingos by the driveway. Hell, shoot her dog. She deserves it. How can someone teach their child responsability with idiots like her "babying" them. People like her p!ss me off. Good luck sweetie.

Answer 2

In the UK, the offence is "Cruelty to or neglect of children". The general Police view is that if you leave a child alone, it shouldn't be anyone less than a teenager, and then it should be decided whether or not that teenager is sensible and responsible enough to be left alone, or look after younger children. Most certainly aren't mature enough, but there are the odd few that are way beyond their years and would do a very good job.

Answer 3

You should be locked up!!! That is criminal child endangerment. What if someone broke into your house? A "mature" 6 year old is going to pee his pants because he will be so scared of the stranger with the gun. What if there was a fire? You would be attending a funeral in shackles. My oldest is 15 and the three youngest are 7,9 and 10. And I never left them alone without a sitter. It was only until this year that I felt my oldest was capable of watching the three younger ones of any length of time. But never to go on a holiday. If I was the judge you wouldn't even get unsupervised visitation.
And frankly, the new girlfriend can't be all that great if she couldn't be bothered to take your children with you. I always say. If you want to be with me. You have to be with all of me. that includes my kids.!!!!!!! I hope they toss you in prison. I hear inmates do not take kindly to men that abandon or abuse children. So I would invest in plenty of ky and soap on a rope.

Answer 4

While I hope you are joking, the sad thing is that some idiot really did this over New Year's Day. He and his girlfriend went to Vegas. They took the girlfriend's puppy to a sitter but left the kids home alone.
The answer to the question of how long you can leave a 6 year old home alone with his younger brother is 0 minutes and 0 seconds.

Answer 5

Your 6 year old maybe smart and mature enough, but in the eyes of the law it is not legal. I am imagining your parents would let you stay by yourself at that age. I know mine did. At 6 years old I had my own house key, would walk home from school, and wait for my parents to come home. I never got into any trouble, or put myself in any danger. But we live in a different age now, and that kind of thing isn't accepted anymore.

I have two nieces. One is 5 and one is 6 years old. They both have genius level IQ's and do college level work. No exaggeration, they are smarter than most adults. And I never talk down to them. I would have no problem leaving them unsupervised for awhile. But legally I can not, no matter how many times they would tell me, "We are not babies. We don't need a babysitter!!!" So I get where you are coming from, but no matter who the child is, leaving them alone by themselves is considered child neglect and endangerment.

Answer 6

Thats crazy no way can 6 year olds look after themsleves ... they instant something goes wrong they are fucked.

Think what if there was a fire.. and the way is bloked... Are they smart enough to break a window...

are they resourceful and think without rules or protect themselves against attackers?

How good are they at first Aid... have they dealt with serious injury? with someone dying?

If a peadophile attacked them will your six year old be capable of stabbing their nuts with a hidden knife then in the eye or juggular arteries when they bend over?

Thats what they would have to do.

Grown ups wont follow rules but be able to do whats needed.

^ year olds may need minimal suppervision but need you to be there...


Likewise this was not for a few minutes, even a night... it was for days and thats a whole big difference...

What happens about food or if they lock themsleves out...

So thats having to deal with unplanned things, that it takes many years to learn about, and knowing who to trust and not to...

Do they know not to use water to put out a chip pan fire... as said can they fight and if neccessary kill, or throw a tv at a window to break it.?

What you take for granted they can't plus how much did you learn between 6 and 18?



Think

Answer 7

I am the mother of 4 boys and though you may think what you did was fine, it really wasn't. I have left my 8 year old for maybe 20 minutes with strict rules in place but never with his younger brother (who is 6) in his care. It only takes a child a few seconds to drown and it only takes half a teaspoon to accomplish that act. Not to mention fire, break-ins and a number of other circumstances that we have no control over. Sometimes we can't even control them when our children are in our presence but no child should have to live with a memory (and the guilt) of something like one of these things happening while they are in charge, especially when they are to young for the job. Good luck with your investigation and just remember we are the parents and not the child.

Answer 8

The fact that you used the word "itself" denotes what an undeserving, uncaring, uneducated moron you really are. Thank gawd for neighbours.
There is not a six year old on this planet that is prepared for a responsibilty such as taking care of another human being regardless of how mature you think he or she is. Your responsibility is to provide a safe, secure and loving environment for your children and you failed to do this.
I hope that the police and the prosecutors take it as far as they can and that you get what you deserve.
I will pray for your children in the hopes that they never have to be in your care again until you wisen up.

Answer 9

NO matter how mature you think he is he is not he is a 6 year old ok. You could never leave a 6 year old alone and on top of that you leave him with a younger brother (srry but what you did was horrible) They could have been in an accident or worse. Be realistic he is 6 !!!!

Answer 10

first of all, your six year old child can not look after hiself unsupervised, yet alone look after his younger brother aswell, can you imagine how frightened your child was to be left in the house all on his own at such a young age with that much responsibility? i mean, how young is his little brother? i really think or i hope this is a trick question and you didnt really leave asix year old child all alone in your house. if you did i really dont think that you deserve the right to look after kids, but if you didnt i think you are really sad to say such a thing, there are that many kids being abused these days, its not something you should joke about. for your kids sake, i hope they are being well looked after, thay, in my opinion deserve better than you, hope your holiday sucked!!!!!!

Answer 11

The neighbor did what was appropriate. A six year old is incapable of emergency problem solving. If you don't believe me, talk to a firefighter. When a fire breaks out, and the parents are not around, or asleep, the child's first instinct is to hide, and under the bed, or in the closet is where the body will usually be found. It is the same for other types of emergencies.

You blew it, bigtime.