How to Decide Whether Your Child Is Ready to Stay Home Alone

Deciding on whether your child is ready to stay home alone can be very difficult. In this article, you will find some questions that will assist you in making your decision.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An open mind

1. ASK Does he or she WANT to be left home alone? That is the first question you should ask. Is he or she comfortable with being home alone? Does he/she get frightened easily?

2. ABILITY Is your child emotionally, physically, and mentally ready to take care of himself?

3. DECISION MAKER Is your child a good decision maker? Does he or she obey the house rules? This could be a good sign of whether or not your child is a good decision maker.

4. EMERGENCY READY Meaning does your child know what to do in case of emergency? Does he/she know another trustworthy adult that they can call if an emergency arises? Does he know the protocal for who to call first in case of an emergency?

Tips & Warnings

• In general, children under the age of 10 should not be allowed to stay home alone. This decision ultimately depends on the maturity of your child.
• Take a few test runs for short periods of time (10 or 15 minutes)
• Role-play before leaving your child home alone
• Establish rules that are to be followed when you are not home
• Teach basic first-aid and safety. Better yet, check your area for safety classes available in your area.
• Be sure to research the laws in your area.

[FrazzledNanny]

on 2/19/2009 Thanks for the tips! 5*

[rewrite810]

on 2/19/2009 Great points to consider. Thanks for sharing! 5*

[Allyn]

on 2/2/2009 I'm glad you didn't just say that they need to be 12, because so many children are different.