Summer Survival Guide for Parents: When Can You Leave a Child at Home Alone?

Now that summer break has arrived, do you ever wondered, “Are my kids old enough to be left home alone, and can they be trusted to stay out of trouble?”Here are some things to consider before leaving a child at home alone: Is my child mature enough to stay home alone and follow my rules? How would they handle a problem, if something comes up?

After years of coaching and teaching CCD at church, I have learned how to deal with children. Let me give you some tips that I have learned over the years.

You need to make sure you give your children the tools they need to make appropriate decisions and fend for themselves while you are away, whether it’s for a few minutes or several hours. Here are some basic rules/guidelines you should always have in place before you leave a child home alone.

• Create a written plan for your child; include all of the information they need while you are away. Include details!
• Make sure they understand what they are allowed to do and not to do while you are gone. Define rules for television, computer and phone use.
• Have a full list of contact phone numbers if an emergency occurs or if they need help of any kind. Call regularly to check in.
• Make sure your child knows what to do if a stranger shows up at the door. What about playing with friends?
• To avoid accidents, make sure you have food ready, so children do not need to cook for themselves.

While Indiana does not have any laws that govern the age at which a child can be left home alone, generally, it is not recommended that a child under the age of seven ever be left alone, even for a short time. Children ages 8-12 may be mature enough to handle being left alone for a few hours, but never overnight. It is generally not a good idea to leave a child under the age of 12 alone for extended periods of time, such as all day while you are at work. Objectively evaluate your child’s maturity level and personality before making a decision, as age alone is just one factor to consider. Visit www.latchkey-kids.com for more recommendations.

Once you have a comprehensive plan written out, review it with your children and go over your expectations. Remember to use positive reinforcement, rather than negative. Children will respond better to this! If your child ignores your rules by choice, make sure there are consequences to their actions.

By writing this plan out, there is no way for your kids to make different interpretations of your directions, and they will have something to refer to if they have a question. You also can review your written plan with your children later to let them know where they stayed on track and where they need to improve.

Now that you have gone over the guidelines, make sure they know that you will check in on them. Don’t tell them when, just that you will. If you set up expectations for your children and stick to the rules that apply, most kids will learn to follow the rules. Your child will learn that he or she is trusted and viewed as a young adult, not just your child. If you do this, your children will respect you!

Children of all ages do not like to be told what to do. Give them options, and come to an agreement. Learning to compromise will help you build a better relationship with your child.