What age can you leave your child home alone ? PIOG

[wentworth99]

 

At what age can a child be left home alone ? I googled it and I read an article that said in depends on the state. I live in Mass and there is no set age. I am wondering what you guys think ? 

[nei-nei]

Our state age is 14 (Alabama).

[momof3_dll]

In MN there isn't any set law either which is scary but there are guidelines according to the child's maturity and how long they're left alone.  My 10yr old son is able to handle 1-2hrs alone and it's not often that he is alone. 

[billssweety]

Cali doesn't have a set age either....we started leaving ours home alone at age 12.

[Andl2ea]

 i live in washington state and i believe here its 12 yrs old.  my kids are not staying home alone that early.  my older son is 11 yrs old and he is nowhere near mature enough to handle any problem that arises if im not at home.  if my kids can prove themselves to be responsible at age 14 then ill think about it.  my younger son wont be left alone with his brother either because when those 2 get together baddd things happen lol.

[mfulks]

im in ky and if i remember right our age to leave a kid at a home is 13

[bugfree]

There are only a couple states that have min ages listed:  http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm

For Washington state they suggest a child be at least 10, but there is no minimum age.  I know of kids that are left home alone as kindergartners after school until there parents get home from work and there is nothing that can be done about it because there is no official minimum age.

[momof754]

in my opinion, if your state does not have a set age, it would depend on the maturity of the child in question. i would also not leave that child home for long periods at a  time

[coffee.crisp]

I was about to jump in that WA state doesn't have a minimum age and I know that because I grew up there, and in 5th grade was home alone after school until my parents got home.  I also watched my brother who is 2 years younger than me.  But... I was always a mature, and not-very-adventurous child.

[SalemWitchChild]

 I'm in KY. I guess from the above poster the age min is 13. But honestly I was not left home alone till around 15. IMO I could have handled it at a younger age. But understand why my mother felt uncomfortable with that. I'll likley do the same. My DD is very mature for her age. But she won't be staying at home alone anytime soon.

[missyj1977]

My kids are 11, 11, 10. They stay home a couple hours at a time, never longer and there is always ATLEAST 2 of them there!