s/o - What age will you leave your kid alone after school?

[simpsongal]

I think it depends on the kid - maybe 8 or 9? Plus, having an older sibling helps (free babysitting - hola!)

[Deleted]

lol @ 14.

I have no idea. I know we were home alone after school starting when i was in 5th grade. I also got us ready, out of the house and to the bus stop at that age.

[Deleted]

I have no clue. My office is just a quick walk from home so I guess even if he starts a fire I could run. But I think I want him doing stuff after school to keep him from just goofing off. 12?

[Deleted]

I had to let myself in after school starting in 4th grade, so I had just turned 9. I think DH started a year earlier, in 3rd grade.
I know for me, I had to let myself in, put my key back in my backpack, and immediately call my mom to let her know I got in ok. I think that's a pretty good practice. Starting in middle school, maybe 6th grade, I was also in charge of starting dinner if necessary.

The summers between 4th and 5th and 5th and 6th grades my mom did "hire" one of my cousins to babysit me. Basically, I hung out at my aunt and uncle's house, watched TV, swam in their pool, or we went to the beach.

[havarti]

The legal age in my town is 12. I know I was home alone after school starting around 8. The middle school years are the ones I'm most concerned about because that's when kids age out of after school programs, but it seems like it's before they're super involved in extra curriculars.

[cincodemayo]

I was 11 when I got to go home after school by myself and was one of the last kids to do so. I was embarrassed going to daycare at age 10.

Anyways, too young to know at this point. Depending on our options of after school care and how long he would be alone? Maybe 11 or 12.

[mlt]

Probably 12.

[loreleigilmore]

middle school, so 12ish. But most days I will probably be able to have her come straight to my office as it's three blocks from the middle school. So she could hang out and do her homework.

[dcn]

I don't know....maybe 10?

[lauralala]

The after school care programs run through 5th grade (the end of elementary school) here, then are not offered in middle schools. That seems about right to me, so I will probably use that as a guideline.

[imojoebunny]

I can legally leave my 8 year old for short periods of time. I haven't left her for more than 20 minutes and only when my neighbors are home (and I text them to say I am leaving and coming back). There are two neighbors who are home most of the time that she knows and could go to if there was a problem.

For longer periods, probably 12 because that is when I will get her a phone and when I don't have to worry about DCFS. I would not want to leave her everyday after school because I think she would be sad and lonely. If I had too, I would try to find a family or a program she could go to several days a week.

Growing up, my friend came to our house at 7:00am for 1.5 hours before school, since her mom worked from 7-3pm. She did that until she was 15 or 16.

[shellbear09]

I'll see when I get there but depends on the kid. I was left alone I'm sure before 10 and I won't be doing that. I don't think 14 is that far as especially considering it could be for a quick run to the store or all day and the law might be all encompassing.

[shellbear09]

Dec 19, 2014 11:12:48 GMT -5 @choco said:

I was curious since I had no idea and the state says 8+. Um that's a wee young for my taste. I was thinking 12.

www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm

Wow and most are none including my state.  That doesn't mean you can leave your kids alone at any age though because other laws come into play involving abuse, neglect, endangerment etc.

[Deleted]

Hmm, I actually have no idea. The school is directly behind my house on the next block over so they can get home very quickly on their own. I'll likely adjust my work schedule so as to be home right around when they would be home or within 20 mins or so. So they wouldn't be there long. Maybe 10? I really dont know. I think it's going to depend on how responsible they are and I just can't predict that now at 2.5 and 9 mos lol.

[mslhb]

My DD goes to the before/after school program at her elementary which lasts through 5th grade. They don't offer it at her middle school. So I figure starting at 6th grade she will be home by herself after school. For the summer camp we have used I think that is offered longer... maybe until kids are done with 7th grade? So not sure if we will use that for another year or two longer.

[SallySparrow]

I was allowed to be home alone after school at age 10, but only because my grandparents lived next door. I was 12 before my parents let me stay home alone without my grandparents being home.

As long as I think I can trust her, I think 12 is a good age. But she's only 1 now, so what do I know?

[Deleted]

I think the law says 12.

We'll see. It won't likely be later than that.

[bearbaby]

I would say middle-school/6th grade - so like 11?

We'll see what his maturity level is too, of course. I was allowed on my own when I was 10 and my sister was 7 - this included the lengthy walk to/from a school bus stop in a city. We lived in Europe so I was afforded a lot of independence (public transit by myself/etc) and I'd like to foster that same independence in DS under comparable terms to now living in a US suburb.

If we are still in our current home/neighborhood (very likely) my husband's office is .7 miles away, and we are close with several neighbors with similar aged kids, so I think we're set up for success.

[kershnic]

Do my kids turn out to be the same goody two shoes call mom if anything goes wrong type of kid that I was?

I don't like the idea of them home alone after school because I want them to be doing things not because I think it's dangerous to be home. A short trip to the store? 9ish.

[ssmjlm]

Around middle school, although per Choco's link, Virginia doesn't have an age.

[cjeanette]

My 9 year old wouldn't want to stay home alone much less me let him.

I honestly don't know. It won't be an issue for us at least until high school really for DS since he has a younger sister.

DD? No clue. Right now I think she is too much of a troublemaker to ever trust her at home. She's only 6 though so I am really hoping she grows out of being a hot mess.

[my4girls]

I am hoping DD1 will be able to handle being alone next year for the 1/2 hour from when her bus drops off until DH gets home. She turned 8 yesterday, so she'll be 8/9 and in third grade. I think she will be ok, but it will just be her, I won't let DD2 be there with her for at least another year

[Velar Fricative]

No age minimum for New York but I was thinking middle school. She will turn 11 about a month after the first day of sixth grade.

My mom was a SAHM for many years but I want to say I was home alone a few times (or with my brother and even my younger sisters) starting around 10 or so.

[MadamePresident]

I have no idea, but I really think it will depend on the maturity of my kids. It would also depend on the length of time. 20 minutes to the store is different than 4 hours.

[momof2boys]

Apparently 25 because I have a 9 and 7 year old and reading the comments of kids 8, 9, 10 etc being home alone is seriously stressing me out! 

[glitzy07]

I am thinking 11-12. I can't recall how old I was when my sister and I stopped going to daycare. Maybe 10-11?

[hocus2]

I was thinking middle school. Our elementary school will allow 4th and 5th graders walk home at the end of the day (child in younger grades need to be picked up) which is not something I'd be comfortable with right now. Overall though I just think that even teens should have somewhat limited time that is completely unsupervised unless they've demonstrated a maturity beyond their years. I remember some truly stupid stuff from HS years.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I'm thinking 10 ? we live a mile away from her school but once she hits jhs/hs .. its gonna get worse bc i'll be in carpool hell to at least get her home from school - I'm praying 1-she turns into a 3 sport athlete like me bc w/ practice afterschool DAILY that buys me until 5-5:30p to pick her up and 2- I find a position ALOT closer to home (as in commute time 30m or less vs my current 1h15m)

[niq]

depends on how long. To run some errands: 8? 9? For a whole afternoon, maybe 11 or 12.

WA has a "guideline" of 10.

[spk926]

I think 12 sounds reasonable.