Home Alone at the End of Summer
In many communities there is a known gap between the end of summer camp and the start of school, and as a result, many parents struggle with the dilemma of what age is appropriate to leave their child home alone. So what are the rules? Where can I find them? What should a parent/caregiver do?
The Law: At what age can a child be left home alone? Excellent question, but don’t expect much help from lawmakers.
- Thirty states have no laws on when a child can be left home alone.
- Eleven states provide guidelines, not laws, which range from 6-12 years old.
- Currently only three States have laws:
Illinois requires children to be 14 years old
Oregon requires youth to be over the age of 10
Maryland states children must be 8 or older
Guidelines: The focus, so often, is based solely on a child’s age, not a child’s maturity, and since all children mature at different rates, hopefully that’s the reason we can’t get a definitive standard. Child development can be complicated; it varies widely and includes physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and moral ability. So start by asking yourself the following questions:
- Does my child feel comfortable being alone?
- Can my child care for him/herself?
- Can my child follow rules?
- Can my child handle an emergency?
Circumstances and skills: When a child is left alone for the first time there are many considerations to gauge. What would your child do, how might he/she act? Ask yourself the following:
- How long will my child be alone?
- Will he/she be isolated or with other children?
- Is our home or apartment safe?
- Does my child know how to unlock and lock the door?
- Does my child know what to do if someone comes to the door?
- Do we have a household safety plan? Does my child know it?
- Does my child know how to contact me at all times? (at work, cell phone, etc.)
- Can I provide a secondary contact in case he/she can’t reach me? (a trusted adult)
Tips: So by now you’re probably a little nervous, but if your child seems ready, start slowly.
- Begin by providing a trial run, one hour or less
- Review and write down house rules and how to handle an emergency
- Go over possible situations, but empower, rather than create excessive fear
- Check in with your child
- Teach your child to share his/her thoughts and feelings
- Don’t extend the time alone just because he/she has done well.
For more information please visit:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/homealone.pdf
http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps/faqs.asp
http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm
http://www.parents.com/kids/safety/stranger-safety/child-home-alone/
Monthly Messages are brought to you by the Tompkins County Youth Services Department, a proud partner of The Community Coalition for Healthy Youth.
If you have further questions or comments about this message or would like information on how to become involved with the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth, please email ahendrix@tompkins-co.org
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For more information on-line, go to Links – Tips for Families, Parents and Youth Workers