At What Age Are Kids Ok Alone at Night?

[raymaga 25]

I was babysitting other people's children by the time I was 13.

I agree with other posters that I think kids were different in my day, and now we seem to baby our kids too much.

My parents wouldn't have thought anything of leaving me home alone at 11 or 12.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I was hitting the bars and chasing loose women when I was 4.

[Peikko 1,575]

That was you?

Seriously, times change, but people don't. You can leave a kid alone for five minutes and they can be scarred for life, or you can leave them alone for 12 hours and they come to no harm. I guess what it comes down to is balancing probability of something going wrong and the ability of the child to handle that situation and the needs that require you to leave your kid on its own (plus any state requirements).

Edited January 21, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is me and my rowdy gang...doctors said I had to quit smoking at age 7 because it was stunting my growth.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Mister Fancypants

[crazyinEgypt 0]

This is me and my rowdy gang...doctors said I had to quit smoking at age 7 because it was stunting my growth.

[maggieNomar 0]

This is me and my rowdy gang...doctors said I had to quit smoking at age 7 because it was stunting my growth.

Oh I miss that show. Alfalfa? Where are you?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is me and my rowdy gang...doctors said I had to quit smoking at age 7 because it was stunting my growth.

Oh I miss that show. Alfalfa? Where are you?

Alfalfa was in jail...but we sprang him loose later that day.

[Marilyn. 340]

when I was around 9 my mine would leave me with my 2 younger brothers who would have been 7 and 6... but only during the day and she would be gone for like an hour at the most... she didn't start leaving us at home by ourselves at night til I was about 12 or so... but my parents hardly went out .... I was babysitting other people's kids around that age too..

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I was a latchkey kid at 8. I took care of my own little brothers and sisters and babysat neighborhood kids then too. I would get calls from parents checking in on us and everything was fine. Maybe that's because I grew up with two older brothers, and three younger brothers, and two younger sisters so there was a certain sense of responsibility and growing up fast. I say at 10 she should be fine alone at home. Plus even now most of my friends that are parents allow their kids to babysit and be home alone by age 9-10.

[Staashi 371]

My sister and I were latchkey kids and our parents began leaving us at home by the time we were 7 and 9. We never had any problems. Guess it just must have been the times we were living in.

[Aymsgirl 0]

I think it does vary by state. My mother once checked with a social worker because she has custody of my sister's children and he said 11. Well, is that a mature 11 or any 11? My two children get themselves off to school and may stay a max of 1 hr alone in the evening when it is necessary. They are 11 and 9 and extremely mature. My daughter has even babysat kids for money and can take care of a child better than some adults. I see other children her age and would think never could they handle this. I have never left her at night in our home alone. She has stayed with my sister's children but we lived just down the street and it was from like 8-10. Again, the maturity of the child and comfort of the parent should determine this along with the law.