2007-10-24 15:05:24 · 30 answers · asked by rainfingers 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Youngest I left my kids home alone was 12 ,with a 9 year old, while I went to the school open house, and then when I would go food shopping since they hated coming with me.
As a child, I was left alone at nine to watch my sister (who was five and brother who was eight)....I was responsible, but it was scary and a bit overwhelming.
2007-10-24 15:10:48 · answer #1 · answered by wawawebis 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Some kids are responsible enough to stay home like that. My rule is no company, and do not go outside, do not cook, amongst a litany of others that our kids understand. Things happen where a child needs to know how to handle themselves. So its not just single parents that entrust their kids to be able stay at home sometimes. But, what I will say about single parents is that they need the latitude to train their kids to be responsible under situations like that. What I will also say is in our old neighborhood, there was a father who was at home during the evenings while his wife worked and those kids may as well had been alone. I love my 2 neighbors in this culdesac because we can just say keep an eye out. Personally, if I find a situation like you describe, I would perhaps suggest to the mother that she not allow company because kids are easily distracted. I wouldn't have banned my daughter from visiting. As a matter of fact, I would have suggested that they take my number should someone need to get there quick.
2016-04-10 03:41:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
12
2007-10-24 15:07:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
12
2007-10-24 15:16:14 · answer #4 · answered by mzsmileez 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My brother is the oldest of 4 and my mom went back to work full-time when I was in first grade (I'm the youngest) and my brother would be in charge. He was in high school.
People seem to forget that the legal age to leave a child alone and for them to watch younger siblings in most states is 13. I would NEVER leave an 11 year-old alone to watch younger kids. If something were to happen the state could bring you up on charges! It's not worth the risk of not spending money on a baby-sitter.
2007-10-24 15:09:05 · answer #5 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My older two are now 17 and 19 and my younger two are both 3. I would say the older two were left alone the summer they were 9 and 11. That was because we started out with a teen sitter that would send them to the city pool when she wanted to watch tv or leave them in the house to watch tv while she went to the pool. I decided they were more or less watching themselves anyway and they could do that for free, so I let her go.
PS My Mom lives only 4 blocks away and did check on them periodically thru the day.
2007-10-24 15:09:13 · answer #6 · answered by Sheila 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I was 11 years old when I was left at home to watch my two brothers who were 6 and 4 at the time.
2007-10-24 15:09:31 · answer #7 · answered by laura 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that depends on how mature the child is. So every child is different. Most girls mature faster than boys, but some children can be trusted and grow up fasted than others. Its always the call of the parent. I believe in some states it can be a law on the age also. (you may want to look into that) I'd say not till they are at least 13. I'd throw the old teenager thing at them!
2007-10-24 15:12:11 · answer #8 · answered by Jewel 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A couple of years ago I left my 9 year old son home alone. I really miss that kid.
2007-10-24 15:09:55 · answer #9 · answered by Dogbettor 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I did leave our son at home when he was 10 almost eleven.
Not for very long but I wouldn't recommend it these days you hear about so many terrible tragedies. Get a sitter. It also depends on how mature your children are.
2007-10-24 15:13:48 · answer #10 · answered by I love BU 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋