Okay so, I need to know what the correct age should be for staying home alone. The child is pretty mature for 14 years old. Her parents will be gone for just 24 hours. Someone please tell me if that child is old enough to stay that long.
2007-07-02 10:34:31 · 33 answers · asked by ? 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
thank you so much for all of your answers!
2007-07-02 11:11:57 · update #1
Maybe for 2 or 3 hours but not 24.
2007-07-02 18:25:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am 14 and I wouldn't leave myself all by myself at night. Not because I'm not mature enough, but if something were to happen there would be no one there. The unlikely's fire, medical emergency, intruder... you know? It's not a matter of trust it's just the fact that things could happen. Even the 16 year olds I know can't stay alone. Just send them over a friends house for a night. They will have more fun anyway. But hen again, if she called in every once in awhile I gues that would be good. I've stayed home alone at night, but I had my younger brother with me. My parents just came home very late so it wasn't even a full night. I guess it's all about the comfort level of the girl and the parents.
2007-07-02 10:40:04 · answer #2 · answered by igoh900 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Old enough to stay, as long as a neighbor or relative looks in on the child at least once and the parents call once to make sure everything is all right. Make sure she knows the rules for being in the house alone (don't let people you don't know in no matter what, lock the doors while you're in the shower or sleeping even if it's daytime, stuff like that) and that she has simple things to cook for herself and the cell phone numbers of both parents as well as the place(s) the parents will be just in case, the police department, the poison control center, and the neighbors and relatives that live nearby. 14 is old enough to babysit, and the way I look at it is if you trust the girl with someone else's life, then you should obviously be able to, within reason, trust her with her own.
2007-07-02 10:43:25 · answer #3 · answered by Cat Loves Her Sabres 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
call the police department and ask them what the policy is for this. it is child neglect in some states to leave a child younger than 18 home alone. i would never have left my kids home alone! there are to many things that can go wrong. what is the house caught on fire? what if someone broke in? how would those parents feel if something happened to their kid, just because of leaving him alone so they wouldn't be bothered with him? i wish parents would wake up and take responsibility for their kids. a 14 yr old is NOT old enough to stay by themselves for 24 hours.
2007-07-02 10:46:11 · answer #4 · answered by momma_m_47280 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Possibly....If their parents feel they are mature enough and responsible enough. But the parents or another responsible adult, should call periodically to check on them. If the child isn't comfortable with staying home alone for that long, then it probably wouldn't be a good idea. Have a back-up plan, someone who can and will be there, in case of an emergency or in the case of them feeling they just aren't ready to be alone for that long.
2007-07-02 10:43:24 · answer #5 · answered by Sam 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where I live it's not illegal to leave a child alone after they turn 14, but for 24 hours that's too long. Anything can happen in that amount of time. If they're gonna be gone that long they should have someone come and check on her every once and a while.
2007-07-02 10:40:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
At the age of 14 I would not leave my child (no matter how mature) alone.
If it was 10 minutes across the street or to the store then yes.
You really have to think if they will know to do the right thing if something happens. Yes she maybe mature but at that age she may panic to the point of doing the wrong move.
2007-07-02 10:38:42 · answer #7 · answered by tigergirl301 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly I dont think the child is old enough to stay home alone 24 hours I think a few hours would be fine.. But no way that kid should have some supervision!!
2007-07-02 10:44:53 · answer #8 · answered by kamdens mommy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This really depends on the child. But I think 14 is ok. By the time I was 14 I was getting paid to watch other people’s kids. And I wasn't really old enough yet that I was getting in trouble like I did when I was 17.
2007-07-02 10:39:19 · answer #9 · answered by cosnowkitten 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. Maybe during the day it is ok. But all night long alone is not good. Why can't she spend the night with someone?
My son was 14 when he caught our house on fire. His room exploded-the windows. The walls were full of exploded things that ricocheted all over the room. He lost his furniture, all his clothing, all his belongings. The next day he shook from head to toe all day in shock.
I wasn't home at the time. It was Sunday around 2pm. Thank God I never left him home alone at night.
2007-07-02 10:40:27 · answer #10 · answered by moondrop000 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋