It’s not surprising that parents look forward to the day when their children are old enough to stay home alone. That first snip of the apron strings not only represents a child’s first momentous step toward adult independence but, let’s be honest, a blissful breath of freedom 
for parents. What parent of young children hasn’t dreamed of browsing through a store display without a bored, whiny child in tow? But despite the temptations, no parent wants to leave a child home alone before the child is ready. And that’s the problem. Readiness is a highly variable judgment that cannot be determined solely by age. There is no one answer to the question, “When is my child old enough to stay home alone?”
In order to fend for themselves safely without constant adult supervision, children must achieve a certain level of cognitive and emotional maturity. To be left alone safely, children must demonstrate the ability to recognize risk, exhibit responsible decision-making behavior, and demonstrate self-confidence. Many experts consider age 12 to be a milestone in a child’s road toward independence. If fact, 12 is the age stipulated by many states that codify in child-endangerment laws the age at which children may be left unsupervised. However, just because the law or child development experts say that children can be left home alone at age 12 does not mean that your child is ready for this responsibility.
Parents are the best judges of their child’s readiness to accept responsibility for his behavior and safety. Some children may not be ready to stay home alone until they are 14, and there are many 15 and 16 year olds who are uncomfortable being left on their own for extended periods. Horizon Education Centers offer exceptional before and after school programs to provide parents with safe child care options so that a child does not have to stay home alone until he’s ready for that responsibility.
picture credit: s_herman
