re: How young is too young for a kid to stay home alone?

I used to ride the bus home from middle school and would be by myself until my mom or dad got home a couple hours later. I would usually just watch tv or play video games

that sounds really young but my parents let me stay how by myself when I was around that age for an hour or two. But not every day.

I walked home with my friends from school in 4th and 5th grade then waited for my parents to get home.

I will add that back in the day all the kids in the neighborhood were friends and most of the parents knew us all, so that helped if something were to happen.

quote:

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cook for myself and whatever else for a few hours

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Bagel bites or easy mac. People don't understand that a kid can use a microwave.

When they don't know how to use a phone.

As a child growing up in the late 70s and early 80s my parents left us home all the time. They told both sets of neighbors we were there alone and we had the phone numbers to both neighbors. And we knew how to dial "zero" to each an operator (pre 911). The neighbors would check on us once or twice, and we were always fine.

I realize that is not today's America.

My 10 year old, who is in the 6th grade, gets off the bus at 4 pm, and walks a block home. She texts when she makes it home. My wife and I get off at 5 pm, and I'm home by 5:45.

My son, who is 8 year old 3rd grader, will probably never be trusted to get off the bus and walk home.

Louisiana says nine is too young...

79.1. Criminal abandonment

A. Criminal abandonment is any of the following:

(1) The intentional physical abandonment of a minor child under the age of ten years by the child's parent or legal guardian by leaving the minor child unattended and to his own care when the evidence demonstrates that the child's parent or legal guardian did not intend to return to the minor child or provide for adult supervision of the minor child.

(2) The intentional physical abandonment of an aged or disabled person by a caregiver as defined in R.S. 14:93.3 who is compensated for providing care to such person. For the purpose of this Paragraph an aged person shall mean any individual who is sixty years of age or older.

B. Whoever commits the crime of criminal abandonment shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

$1000 is cheaper than a year of after care.

I agree under 10 is too young.

My boy is 11 now but we didn't let him start staying alone until he was 10 about to turn 11. He's never stayed at home for more than a couple hours. The alarm stays on, doors locked and he's not allowed to open the door for anyone. He has a cell phone and can call us if he needs anything. We've also let his 8 year old little sister stay with him as well.