Home-alone

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Its natural for parents to worry when first leaving kids without supervision. But you can feel prepared and confident with some planning and a couple of trial runs. And handled well, staying home alone can be a positive experience for kids too, giving them a sense of self-confidence and independence.

It's obvious that a 5-year-old can't go it alone, but that most 16-year-olds can. But what about those school-aged kids in the middle? It can be hard to know when kids are ready to handle being home alone. It comes down to your judgment about what your child is ready for. And some states have a minimum age at which kids can be left alone at home.

You'll want to know how your child feels about the idea, of course. But kids often insist that they'll be fine long before parents feel comfortable with it. And then there are older kids who seem afraid even when you're confident that they'd be just fine. So how do you know?

In general, it's not a good idea to leave kids younger than 10 years old home alone. Every child is different, but at that age, most kids don't have the maturity and skills to respond to an emergency if they're alone.

Think about the area where you live. Are there neighbors nearby you know and trust to help your child in case of an emergency? Or are they mostly strangers? Do you live on a busy street with lots of traffic? Or is it a quiet area? Is there a lot of crime in or near your neighborhood?

Even if you're confident about your child's maturity, it's wise to make some practice runs, or home-alone trials, before the big day. Let your child stay home alone for 30 minutes to an hour while you remain nearby and easily reachable.

You can feel more confident about your absence if your child learns some basic skills that might come in handy during an emergency. Organizations such as the American Red Cross offer courses in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in local places like schools, hospitals, and community centers.

Schedule time to get in touch. Set up a schedule for calling. You might have your child call right away after school, or set up a time when you'll call home to check in. Make sure your child understands when you're available and when you might not be able to answer a call. Create a list of friends your child can call or things they can do if they get lonely.

Childproof your home. No matter how well your child follows rules, secure anything that could be a health or safety risk. Lock them up and put them in a place where kids can't get to them, such as:

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An American Academy of Pediatrics survey found a majority of social workers surveyed believe children should be at least 12 before being left home alone. The same survey found those same social workers would consider a home-alone scenario as neglect if a child is injured while left unsupervised.

The California Department of Education advises before your child stays home alone, write out the house rules and put them in an easy-to-find place. Decide on a trial period to find out if any of the rules need changing.

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