Is 10 years old to young to leave at home alone?

Question

My 10 year old son is grounded and we are going swimming I do not want to punish the other kids by not going becouse he is grounded and I dont want to leave him home alone if the law says he is to young .Please help

Answer 1

It's not the law you should be concerned about. If he is capable of naughtiness that can get him grounded, what makes you think he will be a angel if left alone? It sounds like a reward to me. I would get a babysitter, but I would not leave him or any 10 yr old alone. You would never forgive yourself if there were an emergency that the child could not handle.

Answer 2

the law undoubtedly varies from state to state and i wouldn't be surprised if most states don't have a law regarding whether it is legal or not to leave a 10 yr old home alone. I think it's right on the border between being okay if the kid is responsible and mature and it's just for a short time and he has been told what to do in emergencies and you are accessible immediately by cell phone and there are neighbors who he knows and who know he will be home alone. However, chances are the majority of 10 yr old boys do not fall into this category. You should start by leaving him alone for like 15 minutes at a time and seeing how he does and by the time he's close to 12 he'll probably be ready to truly be left at home alone. But it all depends on him and you. As far as leaving him alone when he is being punished, I'm not sure that's the best set up. Is it possible he might really resent being left at home alone because he's punished and not act appropriately because of that? It doens't really sound like this is the best circumstance to leave him at home alone for the first time no matter what.

Answer 3

My son at 9 keeps asking to be left home alone when we go out to the store or somewhere he does not like to go. I keep refuseing to let him because of his age and we live in an apartment building so I just can't worry about him... I have to worry about what our goofy neighbors might do to cause harm also!

And yes in most places it is illegal to leave anyone under than age of 12 at a min home alone.

While debating it, just think of how many news stories you have heard about kids who have been left alone and something happened! Just a bit ago in my city 2 parents left 6 kids home alone with the oldest being two 8 yr olds to watch the others between 2 and 5 for just 2 hours. There are now 6 less children in the world and 2 mothers in jail awating trials now....

If you don't want to punish the other children also, take him with you! Staying home alone with no rules isn't a punishment. Watching his borthers/sisters have fun, not to mention other kids he could be playing with haveing fun is much more of a punishment! It will show him the true consiquenses of his actions which will possibly make him stop and think before dong something to get in trouble again!

Answer 4

I think 10 is too young to stay home alone. We solved the grounded problem by having punishments start on Sunday evening and ending Friday evening, or resuming grounding on Sunday evening. Everyone else should not have to suffer because one person acts up. Other punishments, like no TV also had exceptions that they could watch something I thought would be educational or a movie that taught a valuable lesson (they did not get to ask to watch, only if I noticed something would be on during their punishments).

Answer 5

That depends upon which state you live in. In New York state 9 is the age when kids can start staying home alone for an hour or two at the most.
I don't believe in grounding...why should parents make themselves miserable because of what the child does? Besides grounding never works.

Answer 6

well u are not punishing him by letting him stay in the house alone with no rules and no supervision. So I don't think he is to young by law but remember he is being punished for doing something wrong. Make him come to the pool and sit and not swim!

Answer 7

yes, too young. I would think if it like this, if the cops found out would you be in trouble for neglect or abandonment? I think you probably would. Why don't you bring him with you and make him sit in a chair and not swim. That is even more of a punishment right there. I remember my parents did that when I was young.

Answer 8

Every child is different and it depends on the maturity. If it is only for 1-2 hours and you can be reached by cell phone and you believe your son will not be scared and can handle it then yes, leave him. If not take him with you and have him sit in a chair near the pool and read a book.

Answer 9

It relies upon the place you're. i comprehend countless places the place it particularly is state regulation that a new child that age be decrease than some style of grownup supervision. I stay interior the united kingdom and my grandmother in many circumstances left me dwelling house on my own for hours at a time while i became that age. And via the time i became 13 i may be spending 4 or extra days on my own at a time (my kin circumstances have been somewhat spectacular in spite of the undeniable fact that) In some places it particularly is illegitimate in others it particularly is merely strongly discouraged. in my view i think of it builds independence in a new child and a undeniable volume of believe yet on an analogous time i think of there must be somebody "conserving a watch on issues" a minimum of from the sidelines. i does no longer have stated that leaving an 8 year previous on my own by threat for 10 minutes became unlawful. What my grandmother did in all probability became and that i in many circumstances chanced on it very nerve-wracking on my own at nights. yet I merely took it in my stride and not in any respect got here to any extreme harm.

Answer 10

He is too young,Anyone under 18 as a matter of fact.With all the teens getting pregnant, into drugs etc, it is too young and also you can drop him off at his granny's or an aunt or uncle's house.Or take him with you but make him sit with you the whole time.He just gets to sit and watch the others have fun and realize if he hadn't been foolish and did what got him into trouble, he could be playing too.