Re: leaving kids alone
Julie Stauffer
We don't have a magic age here. In Texas, there isn't a legal age either
(it is assumed that it will vary with the kids and the parents are the best
judges).
My oldest has been left alone since she was 8. She is now almost 12 and is
so responsible and mature that I tease her that she is really 42. I
occasionally leave her in charge of the younger siblings for short periods,
like running up the road to the store.
Zach is 9 and is sometimes left for short periods. I worry more about him
because he would be more apt to do stuff that he knew I would think was a
bad idea, like play on the roof. Luckily, he is an "out and about" kind of
guy and usually wants to go with us.
Marsie is 5 and asks to stay home by herself but I just can't see it. And
the other guys are way, way too little.
Julie
(it is assumed that it will vary with the kids and the parents are the best
judges).
My oldest has been left alone since she was 8. She is now almost 12 and is
so responsible and mature that I tease her that she is really 42. I
occasionally leave her in charge of the younger siblings for short periods,
like running up the road to the store.
Zach is 9 and is sometimes left for short periods. I worry more about him
because he would be more apt to do stuff that he knew I would think was a
bad idea, like play on the roof. Luckily, he is an "out and about" kind of
guy and usually wants to go with us.
Marsie is 5 and asks to stay home by herself but I just can't see it. And
the other guys are way, way too little.
Julie
[email protected]
In a message dated 11/7/02 12:58:54 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
<< We don't have a magic age here. In Texas, there isn't a legal age either
(it is assumed that it will vary with the kids and the parents are the best
judges). >>
Same here.
My kids are fine staying home alone around 8-9 (so far) and my 12 y.o.
babysits the whole lot of them occasionally.
In past times, children ran farm equipment and loads of other things we would
think "too young" about now.
So it's not so much about their capability level at certain ages as what the
parents can trust with. By 8-9 most children can understand very well about
getting somewhere safe in a fire and so on.....of course I'd want a good
neighbor available before I left, a safe home to run to.
I think if they're trusted quite a lot from a very young age, they will be
perfectly capable of handling the home alone thing. If THEY are comfortable
with it. Not all 8-9 y.o.'s want to be alone. Some are more people dependant.
Ren
[email protected] writes:
<< We don't have a magic age here. In Texas, there isn't a legal age either
(it is assumed that it will vary with the kids and the parents are the best
judges). >>
Same here.
My kids are fine staying home alone around 8-9 (so far) and my 12 y.o.
babysits the whole lot of them occasionally.
In past times, children ran farm equipment and loads of other things we would
think "too young" about now.
So it's not so much about their capability level at certain ages as what the
parents can trust with. By 8-9 most children can understand very well about
getting somewhere safe in a fire and so on.....of course I'd want a good
neighbor available before I left, a safe home to run to.
I think if they're trusted quite a lot from a very young age, they will be
perfectly capable of handling the home alone thing. If THEY are comfortable
with it. Not all 8-9 y.o.'s want to be alone. Some are more people dependant.
Ren
[email protected]
I've never MADE a kid stay. Never said, "NO you're not going with me, you're
staying HERE! ALONE!"
That makes a heck of a difference.
For my kids it was a privilege, not an abandonment.
The ways they could be hurt with me gone are no different from the ways they
could be hurt with me in the back yard, or back in my room, or in the
shower, or asleep.
Sandra
staying HERE! ALONE!"
That makes a heck of a difference.
For my kids it was a privilege, not an abandonment.
The ways they could be hurt with me gone are no different from the ways they
could be hurt with me in the back yard, or back in my room, or in the
shower, or asleep.
Sandra