Hellobee Boards

15. No 20.
Leaving teenage girls alone in a house scares me. I know what my sisters and I were like in high school. No way, no how!

My 2 year old is super independent and mature, so I can see her being ok home alone for short amounts of time pretty young. I wouldn't leave her alone though until 7-8 probably, we will see when the time comes.

Maybe 12?

@oliviaoblivia: right?? The stuff that went down when my sisters and I were left alone... let's just say, I'm surprised we lived, haha.

My single parent left me alone afterschool (latch key kid) in third grade and I felt way too young. I think 12 might be a good age to think about it but seriously I might go as old as 15.

The first time my parents left me alone regularly, I think I was maybe 8 or 9. It was just for an hour or so between when the school bus dropped me off and when my parents got home, but TBH I think I was too young. I remember one day there was a really bad electrical storm. Our smoke detector was connected to electricity (no idea why, that seems dumb) and when there was a power surge from a lightening strike, it set off the smoke detector. I remember being terrified about what to do, because on the one hand we'd been taught in school never to go outside when there was lightening, but on the other hand you're supposed to go outside when the smoke detector goes off. I ultimately ascertained that the house was not burning down - and maybe gained some valuable reasoning skills in the process - but it was still pretty scary. I should say my parents didn't want me to be a latch key kid at that age, but really didn't have a choice. The elderly neighbor next door had been my babysitter but then had to go to a nursing home.

By the time I was 12, I was baby-sitting my brother all day, everyday during the summer and we were completely fine, no issues at all. So I'd say for my kids 12 or so as a minimum.

Assuming we don't move. I might leave them for an hour or so sometimes around 8. We live close enough to MIL now that as long as I'm standing out on the porch, my 2 year old can walk there safely alone, so depending on maturity I think they'd be okay for a short time even younger than that. But my general ideal age, even before I had kids, was 11 or 12.

My step daughter started staying home alone at probably 10? We started with just the hour after she got off the school bus till we got home (gma lives right next door if she ever needs anything). By 12 we let her home alone on days off school, but she usually spends all or part of the day at grandmas.
We have yet to leave her home alone at night, although I'm sure she'd be fine. We live in a very safe area in the country.

I'd say around 10-11, our area is super safe and when we move grandpa & grandma (and other family) will be a minute or 2 drive away. It would never be for more than an hour. I remember babysitting 3 kids, youngest 6 months all night long when I was 12! That wouldn't happen these days

15. I'm such a worrier I don't see it happening before then.

Hmm depends on the maturity of the child. I remember being 7 and being left alone for short periods and by 9 I was left alone for long periods and would watch my 3 year old brother. My brother on the other hand wasn't left alone until he was about 13 because he was pretty immature.

My DD is currently 18 months so it's hard to say.

i know by the time i was 12 i was babysitting for other families in my neighborhood so probably 9-10 for a few hours at a time

a lot depends on the kid and their responsibility level and risk taking nature

@aprild: what are the ages for the other states?

I was regularly left around 3rd grade. Looking back, it seems young to me for how much I was left alone and sometimes watching younger kids also. 10 feels more comfortable to me? But I guess I'll see as the years pass.