For parents, leaving your kid home alone for the first time can open up an array of new anxieties, even if it’s only for a short period of time.
One’s mind might wander to an ‘Home Alone’ scenario where your kid is faced with two burglars, or something as extreme and unrealistic as a cooking accident causing the neighborhood to burn down.
Entrusting your child to call you quickly in case of an emergency and to not open the door for strangers is typically something granted when they’re deemed mature or old enough to handle these things by themselves.
So just how old is old enough for a child to hold down the fort?
For the most part, it’s up to you, the parents. A recent study from Today.com took a look into the laws nationwide on leaving your kid at home alone and data found that most states don’t have an established, appropriate age for when it’s acceptable to leave a kid by themselves.
What about New Jersey?
The Garden State is among the states with no legislation determining the specific age for when a kid staying home alone is okay, with parents ultimately making the executive decision.
Generally, kids 12 and above are deemed ‘pretty acceptable,’ family therapist Sheryl Ziegler suggested to Today.com, since tweens have experienced tasks that require independence like walking to the bus stop or a friend’s house.
Although this age is suggested, parents should also consider their child’s emotional maturity, comfort levels, physical health and the surrounding environment, as well as ensuring that their child can complete certain tasks without assistance.
It’s noteworthy to mention that child protective services can and will be involved if anyone reports the child left alone without a parent or guardian was neglected, abused or put at risk of harm.
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Babysitting laws
Similarly, there is no exact, nationwide age for when a child is allowed to be a babysitter, although some states have guidelines of recommended minimum age. For instance, Maryland requires a person to be 13 to babysit, and Illinois, 14.
The qualification of being a babysitter typically depends on the individual’s knowledge, skillset and capabilities to care for another child, rather than being a specific age.