What age do you leave your kids home alone? (1 Viewer)

[lardonastick]

Our kids are 6 & 4...my wife and I will sometimes head out for a drink at the bar closest to our home after both of them are soundly sleeping. We usually only stay for 1-2 drinks and have never had an issue but both are very good sleepers. We are still figuring out what age we would leave them alone when they are awake.

"both are very good sleepers."Comforting.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Our kids are 6 & 4...my wife and I will sometimes head out for a drink at the bar closest to our home after both of them are soundly sleeping. We usually only stay for 1-2 drinks and have never had an issue but both are very good sleepers. We are still figuring out what age we would leave them alone when they are awake.

"both are very good sleepers."Comforting.

yeah, some nights when we go out we don't even bother to give them benadryl first since they sleep so well.

 

[heckmanm]

Some kids are OK at 8. Other kids shouldn't be left alone at 16.

Both could be true of the same kid!

 

[Andrew74]

My kids are 11, 7 and 4. We now let the 11 yo watch them for 1-2 hours max to run errands/dinner out/etc. We just started this 5-6 months ago.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I think we started leaving ours home alone for errand-running purposes at around 9 or 10. It's been a while.

We're headed out of town for a wedding next weekend and leaving the kids home by themselves for a couple of days -- they're 16 and 13 now respectively. No worries at all about the 16 year old, but I'm not sure how the 13 year old will respond. She's not as responsible or low-maintenance as her older brother.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Our kids are 6 & 4...my wife and I will sometimes head out for a drink at the bar closest to our home after both of them are soundly sleeping. We usually only stay for 1-2 drinks and have never had an issue but both are very good sleepers. We are still figuring out what age we would leave them alone when they are awake.

"both are very good sleepers."Comforting.

yeah, some nights when we go out we don't even bother to give them benadryl first since they sleep so well.

Well there you go.

 

[James Daulton]

Our kids are 6 & 4...my wife and I will sometimes head out for a drink at the bar closest to our home after both of them are soundly sleeping. We usually only stay for 1-2 drinks and have never had an issue but both are very good sleepers. We are still figuring out what age we would leave them alone when they are awake.

"both are very good sleepers."Comforting.

yeah, some nights when we go out we don't even bother to give them benadryl first since they sleep so well.

Well there you go.

I would like to think this is schtick, but alas he's probably being truthful.

 

[shadyridr]

Definitely shtick. Had me for a second so points to him

 

[FUBAR]

It is nice bring able to leave the kids - we have 4, oldest is 14, youngest 7 - we leave them for dinners out. For just one kid I would say 12 but probably depends on the kid. 10 still seems young to me unless it's just for small periods of time.

yep.

We have a 12, 10, 7 and 4 year old. We'll leave the oldest three for a few hours no issue. The 12yo has a cell phone, we do call and check in. The 4 yo is a human tornado, so we'll take him with us sometimes but if we're gone for an hour or so, all can stay under the 12yo's leadership - usually this is because mom needs to go somewhere and I haven't quite left work yet, or mom is out of town and I'm going for a run. I hope to get comfortable going to dinner with my wife and leaving all four home soon.

 

[FUBAR]

FWIW, my parents took a three week vacation out west, leaving me at home when I was 14.

 

[JerseyToughGuys]

intentionally or unintentionally?

 

[James Daulton]

FWIW, my parents took a three week vacation out west, leaving me at home when I was 14.

lol, your parents must have really disliked having you around.

 

[NCCommish]

Dang Illinois - 14?? Really? So in 4 years you grow enough to go from just being old enough to stay home alone to being able to vote, serve our country, and be considered an adult?

There is so little about that state that makes sense, this really doesn't surprise me at all.

It's more of a common sense law for those under 14, not a hard law to never leave anyone 13 or younger alone for any length of time.

I started staying home alone at 8. I was babysitting 3 kids every Friday night when I was 11.

Excellent.

My point was children are much more capable than given credit for and we have turned ridiculously extending childhood into a national pastime.

 

[bucksoh]

Our kids are 6 & 4...my wife and I will sometimes head out for a drink at the bar closest to our home after both of them are soundly sleeping. We usually only stay for 1-2 drinks and have never had an issue but both are very good sleepers. We are still figuring out what age we would leave them alone when they are awake.

"both are very good sleepers."Comforting.

yeah, some nights when we go out we don't even bother to give them benadryl first since they sleep so well.

Well there you go.

I would like to think this is schtick, but alas he's probably being truthful.

. We do fostering and we see a lot of this so I believe he is truthful.

 

[The Z Machine]

Related question:

At what age would you let your children get on a train in one city, go an hour to another city, spend the day in that city, and then take the train back to your home city?

 

[lardonastick]

Related question:

At what age would you let your children get on a train in one city, go an hour to another city, spend the day in that city, and then take the train back to your home city?

6 and 4, probably.

 

[El Floppo]

Related question:

At what age would you let your children get on a train in one city, go an hour to another city, spend the day in that city, and then take the train back to your home city?

6 and 4, probably.

but... TWINS!

 

[johnadams]

Problem is, by the time they seem like they are ready, puberty hits and the end of trust.

 

[BroadwayG]

Dang Illinois - 14?? Really? So in 4 years you grow enough to go from just being old enough to stay home alone to being able to vote, serve our country, and be considered an adult?

There is so little about that state that makes sense, this really doesn't surprise me at all.

It's more of a common sense law for those under 14, not a hard law to never leave anyone 13 or younger alone for any length of time.

I started staying home alone at 8. I was babysitting 3 kids every Friday night when I was 11.

Excellent.

My point was children are much more capable than given credit for and we have turned ridiculously extending childhood into a national pastime.

My point was that it was a very vague law and just because your kid is 13 doesn't mean you can't leave them at home while you go grocery shopping without CPS knocking at your door the next day.

 

[Quez]

Kid just went to sleep. Time to hit the town! Woo hoo!!!

 

[IvanKaramazov]

My point was children are much more capable than given credit for and we have turned ridiculously extending childhood into a national pastime.

 

[NCCommish]

Dang Illinois - 14?? Really? So in 4 years you grow enough to go from just being old enough to stay home alone to being able to vote, serve our country, and be considered an adult?

There is so little about that state that makes sense, this really doesn't surprise me at all.

It's more of a common sense law for those under 14, not a hard law to never leave anyone 13 or younger alone for any length of time.

I started staying home alone at 8. I was babysitting 3 kids every Friday night when I was 11.

Excellent.

My point was children are much more capable than given credit for and we have turned ridiculously extending childhood into a national pastime.

My point was that it was a very vague law and just because your kid is 13 doesn't mean you can't leave them at home while you go grocery shopping without CPS knocking at your door the next day.

My apologies for misunderstanding your comment. Although it's brevity contributed to the confusion.

 

[Wooderson]

Kid just went to sleep. Time to hit the town! Woo hoo!!!

You have a good 9 hours .... Canonball coming!!

 

[NCCommish]

Kid just went to sleep. Time to hit the town! Woo hoo!!!

You have a good 9 hours .... Canonball coming!!

Give them some Nyquil and party til noon.

 

[FUBAR]

FWIW, my parents took a three week vacation out west, leaving me at home when I was 14.

lol, your parents must have really disliked having you around.

Probably.