Can a 10 yr. old stay alone at home, while I work?
Answer:
There is no law saying how old a child must be before you can leave them home alone. I used to work for DSS, we got this question all the time.
DSS wont get involved unless
1- the child is not mature enough(or has some special needs or behavioral issues) to be left for the period of time-ex a 10 year might be good for a few hours but not a few days.
2- the child doesn't know where the parent is and has no way to reach them.
3- the child is being asked to care for other chrn in the parent's absence and is overwhelmed.
4- the child is getting into trouble or doing something dangerous when the parent is gone - the parent in this case would have to be aware of it and allowing it to continue.
5- the child does not know what to do in case of emergency - fire, stranger at the door, etc
A 10 year old is an iffy age but if you feel she is mature enough and she is comfortable w it there shouldn't be a problem.
Now what "others" will accept varies - for ex in most major city's your friends may freak out at this idea in the country no-one would probably think anything of it.
Tell them all the red cross certifies babysitters at age 11 and even better when she turns 11 get her in the course.
12 is the legal age to stay alone.
No.
yes i think it will b fine..i started at nine and babysitted 3 infants
u can feel that ur daughter is mature, but u have to take care of them until they cross their teenage, mind may go wrong when they are all alone! be careful..
Id roll with the legal age. IT would be a damn shame to get your butt in a sling if something bad happened. No matter how responsible or mature anyone is, accidents happen, and you're responsible. 10 still seems just a little young to me.
If she is only home for a couple of hours maybe. But I think in most states a child has to be 12 to legally stay home unsupervised. If you are in doubt contact you local Child Protective Services or Social Services and ask them.
I was babysitting and getting paid for it at 10 or 11 but that was 25 years ago.
No I think that's way to young for her to be staying home alone. When she turns 13 and is a teen is a good age for her to be alone.
it is okay a 10 yr old is no longer a toddler
i would say NO! to many disgraces can happen!
sure!
Not legally. And the people who are making it their business have the right, because afterall, this is a public opinion kind of question.
depends on how long they are home alone. and also chek with your local police station to see the age limit for kids to stay home alone. I live in Indiana and there isnt an age limit as long as your child knows right from wrong.
no its illegal
your child has to be 12 i would check out the laws in your state?
If you can trust her, and she has the common sense to not open the door and to call 911 in case of emergency, I personally don't see a problem with that. There are ten year olds that babysit, so why can't they babysit themselves.
I would say yeah , i have been staying home alone since i was about 8, and i say that the more responsibility you give them the more responsible they will be.
Hope that helps
Well, that can be a toss-up. 10 years old is a risky age today to be home alone. She could stay home alone, but on the other hand it is not a good idea. IF she is mature enough to be by herself for a few hours or so, then it will be ok. But you should have a close friend of yours or even a neighbor check up on her once in a while. What I recommend is to give a list of phone numbers in case of emergency.
If you think she is ready and she is comfortable staying alone i think it is fine
I would say no. In Va there is no legal age for a child to alone at home. You can use day care up to and including age 12. If you do decide to leave her home alone, and a neighbor or someone else feels uncomfortable and calls social services, you will be investigagted and could be found guilty of child neglect or child indangerment. If your support circle is saying not to do this, I would rethink it. Even if they don't find you guilty or press charges-this info will hang around the DSS office for years and they will check in on you from time to time. It isn't worth the hassel.
Some states have laws about this. You have to check first. I would not leave a 10 year old alone all day though.
Actually, your state as a legal minimum age that your child can stay home alone. You need to check that out. Your social services/family services office would be able to help you out on that.
Usually, the average age is 12 years. Some states have it raised a little higher while some a little lower while others are iffy on the subject. The problem is if something happens while you are away and your child is below that age you will be charged criminally and loose custody of your daughter. Also, child services could be made aware by a nosey neighbor and report you. Also causing your child to go into foster care.
I think I can speak for others on here...as I know I'm just looking out for your interest. I know I wouldn't want to loose my son!!
I think it depends on how long the child would be home alone. i don't think there is a problem with it, i did it when i was that age as well, but, i always had somewhere to go if something ever happened (my neighbors). so i would make sure you have a place for her to go already planed out incase there is ever something wrong.
yes, i think she can stay alone, i used to be alone at home at her age as well and nothing bad happened. just teach her what to do in case something happens, give her phone so that she may contact you and everything will be fine. Dont worry!
I see your dilema and I definitely understand what you mean.There is not legal age in most states for staying alone at home and you should decide it on yourself and your daughter.I know what all people say about it - "at least 13-14 to leave her alone for an hour or two" - which is ridiculous but as I read the answers here...Anyway you should have information.A 10-year-old is ready to stay alone at home for a whole working day no matter how many people acknowledge that.Even if she was the kind of irresponsible at the age of 10 she is not a baby and knows how to take care for herself during work day.
When I was 7,my parents were working and they constantly left me alone at home.But there were no such rules which could forbid that.And my parents weren't even little abusive - they were and still are the most loving parents in the world.Being alone at home made me more responsible and capable of taking care of myself and not afraid of loneliness.At 7 I was mature enough and my parents had told me some things which might have happened then and I was ready to go out of the house if there was a fire(and even call the firemen if I have time,which my parents also taught me to estimate),I was explained how to handle other difficult situations,for example if someone is calling at the door and wants to use the phone(or to show me little kittens),etc.Of course there were situations when I didn't know what should I do and I called my mom at work to ask her,which happened rarely.And notice that it was when I was 7,not 10 as your daughter.I advice you to give her a phone number where she can find you wherever you are and leave the house happily.Don't worry - at 10 she is old enough to be left alone at home.
NO.
And DEFIANTLY NO! after your last question. You mean to tell me, someone might be stocking your daughter and you want to leave her home alone?
NO
She can stay alone,wen i was dat age i did.so she can.
I started staying while my parents were at work at age 9 and kept my 4 year old brother until they got home. If you feel you can trust her then let her stay home. Do it on a trial basis for about 2 weeks and see how she does. If she does great then there shouldn't be any reason to have someone else there with her.
There are a few things that you must ask yourself. Do I live in a safe place where neighbors are helpful? Is my child truly able to stay alone? Will my child be able to reach me if needed? Does my child follow all the rules to the tee...? The world is a strange place, it is so much different than when we grew up. Remember this is your child and you love them very much and couldn't live without them...
i would say, don't leave her alone just yet. mostly because 12 is the legal age for a child to be left at home alone. you may also want to consider how long you will be gone and if there is someone she can go to if something was to happen. but if you feel like your child is completely ready then i guess let her stay but keep a close eye out on her until you know for sure that she will be alright.
No, No,NO...What would she do if there was a home evasion. Is she mature enough to handle something like this? I have 10 year olds and although my daughter is mature I would never put her in that position. Ask yourself could you live with yourself if something happens to her? I wouldnt want that on my shoulders just so I could save a few bucks for childcare!
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