re: At what age can a kid handle staying home alone for a little while?

5 is usually a good age to leave them for a couple of hours.

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Age is just a number. If you believe your kid is mentally read

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That is why I think my 2 year old girl is ready to start snorting coke. She is mature for her age

I was staying home alone during summer vacation around 8 or 9.

Interesting topic.

Our girls are 10 and 7.

A couple of weeks ago, I was working on a Saturday, and my wife (no pics) left them home for about 20 min while she went to the grocery. No issues.

She told them both to stay upstairs watching tv and to not answer any doors.

They don't have cell phones but they have Gizmo watches so they can call me, my wife, grandparents, etc.

Our plan is to start trying to stretch that out a bit over time.

My oldest is headed into 5th grade. Right now, my wife is home in time to get both kids off the bus. But once she hits 6th grade, my kid will probably be given a key and she will have to let herself in and stay for a bit until wife gets home.

When I was 8 or 9 I was usually the first one home from school. I hated it and would either lock myself in the bathroom to feel safe, or sit outside on the porch, pretending I just wanted to be outside so my brothers and sister wouldn't make fun of me.

Heck, in high school if my parents were out of town and my older sibs stayed out late, if I got scared I'd call the bar where one of my brothers hung out and ask him if he'd come home. The surprising thing was he didn't fuss too much and would actually do it.

My son didn't feel comfortable until he was in 7th grade. Because I remembered how much I hated it, I didn't make him stay home alone. (He grew up fine, haters.)

we have started letting my 9 year old hang out by himself for a few minutes, he thinks he is king ding a ling.

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When I was 8 or 9 I was usually the first one home from school. I hated it and would either lock myself in the bathroom to feel safe, or sit outside on the porch, pretending I just wanted to be outside so my brothers and sister wouldn't make fun of me.

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I definitely remember watching a rescue 911 episode where they had these robbers break in and two kids hid under the bed. Freaked me out for awhile

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A lot of our friends with kids that age are giving the kids cell phones, and I do not agree with that. So this was kind of an alternative... we can get in touch with them and vice versa, but it's not a cell phone. Ours are allowed to keep them on in school (without using them during school hours) except during testing/exam times. When they are testing they just leave them at home

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100% agree. We've told her the phone isn't happening. And she has an IPad that can essentially function as the same.

Depends on kid. They don't all progress the same.

I was 8 or 9 and walking my siblings who were 3-4 years younger to/from the bus stop which was 6 or so blocks from home. My mom was a teacher so she would be home in the afternoon when we got home, except on duty days. Then we’d be home alone till around 5....and let homework not be done by the time she got there. I’d catch hell.