how old should your kids be when you leave them at home for

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:51 pm

... say 30 min 45 min?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:55 pm

Old enough to fit into the handcuffs so the would get away.

Jamie_R · Post by **Jamie_R** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:56 pm

hmmm .. Foamy is 13 and we've left him here for prolly that long before to go to the grocery store or whatnot ...

he was playing video games and didn't even know we were gone

edit: we did tell him we were going and gave him his "marching orders" .... didn't want it to sound like we just walked out ...

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:57 pm

I'd say old enough to know emergency phone numbers, how to secure and leave the house in case of something like a fire or whatever. Age isn't a issue its just if they know all the things you would need to do in those issues IMO.

CiscoKid · Post by **CiscoKid** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:07 pm

state law here in cali is 12, but my parents started leaving me alone at home when I was around 8

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:08 pm

CiscoKid wrote:state law here in cali is 12, but my parents started leaving me alone at home when I was around 8

yeah I was still setting fire to stuff at that age

CiscoKid · Post by **CiscoKid** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:16 pm

fire bad...fire scary...*looks at hand* bad bad burn...

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:18 pm

Sava700 wrote:yeah I was still setting fire to stuff at that age

So you're saying we're supposed to grow out of that stage?

And for a serious response i was probably 12 or 13 when my parents would leave me alone for like the whole day, dunno about half an hour.

Paft · Post by **Paft** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:24 pm

I was 8 when I started being a latchkey kid - home alone for 2-3 hours a day.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:43 pm

Yeah I was 8, and mumsie would get home around 5:30, But I also had an older brother who was 10 and so it was comforting and reassuring for me to have my sqwirtgun filled with tobasco sauce.

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:46 pm

Yeah 8 sounds about right for me. Keep in mind they were simpler times.

holokaustos · Post by **holokaustos** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:47 pm

A lot of states have specific laws regarding that scenario. In Michigan, the legal age is 13 to be left alone at home for short periods of time.

ghettoside · Post by **ghettoside** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:49 pm

Sava700 wrote:I'd say old enough to know emergency phone numbers, how to secure and leave the house in case of something like a fire or whatever. Age isn't a issue its just if they know all the things you would need to do in those issues IMO.

I agree

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:20 am

Around 7 to 8 here also, but they always came back atleast.

Cerberus1027 · Post by **Cerberus1027** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:53 am

The kids old enough when you feel you can leave him/her alone at home and actually come back to a home and not a pile of ashes...... or worse.

sito · Post by **sito** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:02 am

12, we both know we were running around long before then. 12, there, happy?

sito · Post by **sito** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:03 am

Cerberus1027 wrote:The kids old enough when you feel you can leave him/her alone at home and actually come back to a home and not a pile of ashes...... or worse.

Was this pre or post back-hander?

agustintorre · Post by **agustintorre** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:43 am

I was like 7 when I would stay home, and like 10 when I started babysitting!
Ya, I know what your thinking but I matured pretty quick so why I was trusted at such an early age. (espicially babysitting)

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:02 am

It depends on the kid. I would say 10 as a general number, but think hey should have the Red Cross babysitting coarse first. That way they understand responsibility.

nightowl · Post by **nightowl** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:05 am

I was 12 when my folks gave me a key and left me at hom for hours on end.

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:38 am

this is a muturity question...not an age question

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Gixxer wrote:this is a muturity question...not an age question

until the you get arrested for leaving your extremely mature responsible 7yr old or is it 8 yr old at home while you run to pick up grandma

Prey521 · Post by **Prey521** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:17 pm

Gandalf wrote:Around 7 to 8 here also, but they always came back atleast.

Prey521 · Post by **Prey521** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:18 pm

Randy wrote:until the you get arrested for leaving your extremely mature responsible 7yr old or is it 8 yr old at home while you run to pick up grandma

LOL yeah, 7 yrs old is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too young, I don't care how "responsible and mature" you think your kid is. I'd say 13.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:22 pm

at age 6 and 8 my brother and I had already climbed 2 mountains several times. just had to be home in time for supper and bath!

holokaustos · Post by **holokaustos** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:28 pm

Randy wrote:until the you get arrested for leaving your extremely mature responsible 7yr old or is it 8 yr old at home while you run to pick up grandma

Good point. Should be a combination of both age and maturity...

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:14 pm

Randy wrote:until the you get arrested for leaving your extremely mature responsible 7yr old or is it 8 yr old at home while you run to pick up grandma

which i cant believe would happen due to there is no age law as to when to leave your kids home alone

CiscoKid · Post by **CiscoKid** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:17 pm

Gixxer wrote:which i cant believe would happen due to there is no age law as to when to leave your kids home alone

it depends on where you live I guess, here in california it's 12

holokaustos · Post by **holokaustos** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:36 pm

Gixxer wrote:which i cant believe would happen due to there is no age law as to when to leave your kids home alone

CiscoKid wrote:it depends on where you live I guess, here in california it's 12

Yeah, we definitely have that age law in Michigan.