Comments on: How Old is Old Enough to Stay Home Alone?

By: JessicaGottlieb

JessicaGottlieb — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Oh please Sarah. You’ve got competent kids living in a good neighborhood.
I think I’ll just surprise you one might and force you to join me for cocktails.

By: Sarah Auerswald

Sarah Auerswald — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:51:00 +0000

I was sure the stay-at-home-alone laws applied to all states – thank you for letting me know CA has no such laws in place. Now to figure out if I can do it for any length of time… *hand wringing*

By: Mr. Blue Skies

Mr. Blue Skies — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:59:00 +0000

When my daughter was in the sixth grade, I decided to let he participate in a latchkey program where she came home from school by herself, while I was at work. We lived in a second floor apartment. One day she came home, opened the apartment door, and lots of smoke came out. Even though we had two cats and she wanted to save them, she had the sense to go to the neighbors and tell them that she thought our apartment was on fire. I got the call at work and raced home to see the cloud of smoke in the distance as I approached the apartment. I was very shaken from experience — not that the apartment was on fire but what could have happened had my daughter decided to try to rescue her cats first before seeking help. It’s a big scary decision.

By: Adriennevh

Adriennevh — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 03:15:00 +0000

I grew up in Detroit in the 70′s, not the suburbs of Detroit, but in the city of. My single mother raised 5 kids and sent us all to Parochial school. I was a latch key kid from day 1 of first grade. If an older sibling happened to hang around after school and wait for me it was a bonus, but if not I had a key and I knew my way home (across a main hwy and straight for 3 blocks). If I lost my key I also knew where my brother hid a butter knife that would easily unlock the front window.
My daughter was mature enough to leave home alone for errands and such by age 8 and became a certified Red Cross babysitter at age 10.
My son, well, he is 22 now and lives in New Zealand, but when he is home, I still try not to leave him alone too long.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:40:00 +0000

What scares me the most as a father is that my kids will be like I was when I was young. The things we did in high school and college, oy.

I listened to a mother talk about hiring a potty trainer coach the other day and almost choked on my lunch. We really are doing a fine job of trying to find ways to wrap our children in bubble wrap.

By: Cat Davis

Cat Davis — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:29:00 +0000

I parent like my parents did … which means I give my kids the freedom they earn when they show me they can be responsible. My son has earned that trust since he was 8. He’s not neglected, he’s being taught to be self sufficient.

By: JessicaGottlieb

JessicaGottlieb — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:27:00 +0000

My dad used to turn on the alarm when we were teenagers and sleep with the key in his room.

He locked all the criminals IN.

By: trisha

trisha — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:26:00 +0000

I agree. There isnt a magic one size fits all age. And while 8 may seem so young to some, I can assure you I was far more responsible at 8 than at 15, when I wanted to just hang out with boys. You will worry about your kids forever. Just raise them up and let them fly. And it doesn’t hurt to turn on the house alarm either.