At what age can you leave a child at home alone?
We had rather a heated discussion at work today. One of the girls asked if there was a legal age restriction on leaving a child at home. She has a 7 year old son and since it is school holidays she is trying to work out what to do with him while her hubby and her are both working.
She is thinking of leaving him home on his own during the day. Now I know this is rather a touchy topic, and there are going to be lots of people who disagree with me. I also have no children, which in most people's books does not give me the right to comment. But - I think 7 is too young. I don't think he would know what to do if there was a problem. I think he would get bored and "experiment".
How many 7 year olds lit fires just to see what would happen? Would he know what to do if there was a fire? Would he decide to have a go at toasting his sandwich (as he has seen Mum do) and burn himself? Would he let strangers in the house? Would he go to a friend's house to play because he was bored? What if he got lost?
I did some research and there is no law in Australia prohibiting you from leaving a child of a certain age home alone. You have a responsibility for providing a safe environment for that child though, and that is about it.
So I wanted to find out your thoughts. What age do you think a child should be before you can leave him\her home alone?
Is 7 too young?
If my mini poll works on the side please go and vote. Thanks.
posted by Bugsy @ 10:06:00 pm
7 comments
7 Comments:
I agree. Seven is crazy young. You don't have to have children to know that. It's just common sense. My mom didn't leave me alone until I was ten. But that was never for more than an hour. I think ten is too young, but I was mature and a girl. I didn't get into trouble. I wouldn't leave my kid home alone until s/he was at least twelve and I could fully trust them.
I think 7 is much too young, especially ALL DAY! I think I would leave a 12 or 13 year old alone for some time, with strict instructions and a cell phone number where I could be reached. I think anything younger than that would have to be for short times, if at all.
But I will definitely be a paranoid, crazy parent...
I think 7 is much too young. Especially if left alone. You just don't know who they might answer the door to. And it's too much to expect a 7 year old to be responsible for themselves & the household. I feel for anyone who is in the situation that they even have to consider leaving their young children alone for even an hour, but there is plenty of warning leading up to School Holidays & there have got to be options. I mean, you wouldn't leave a 7 year old in a car, so why would you think about leaving them in a house. I'm sure that the poice would get involved if a 7 year old was discovered alone & had caused an accidntal fire, or harmed themselves. Poor baby.
I'm not a parent either, but I was left home alone at 7. I was a latch key kid, etc. I was a pretty mature kid, but I don't know how my mom felt OK with it. I think 7 is much too young for it. My conditions were not to answer the door or telephone or to cook anything except in the microwave. Nothing ever happened, but now that I'm older I think of all the things that could've happened.
I voted for 10-12, but that would very much depend on the maturity and trust of the child.
Way, way, way too young. My parents did it to me, and more concerns over getting into trouble, I was just plain scared to be alone in a big, empty house.
I think 10-12 is probably fine for most kids--it was fine for my nieces--but not all.
--Bugs
My daughter is 12, and I am only just now leaving her alone, and only if I have to, like if I run out of milk, and have to run to the shop. I wouldn't leave her all day, or probably not even for a couple of hours. She's not a silly child, but not overly mature either, and don't think she'd want to be left alone.
Donna
Random Knits
Bugs - This questions is one that I've had to discuss with Ellie and Tina recently, they are 15 and 12 but are not allowed to stay home by themselves for a day. My BIL feels that they are still too young.
However in my opinion I don't think that 15 and 12 years of age is TOO young. But definately think that 7 is just not on.
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