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Speak Up! - View Question #155 |
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Question: At what age can kids be left at home alone?
Answer: Until a child becomes emancipated, his or her parents have a legal obligation to provide for the child's supervision and welfare. The principal ways in which a child becomes emancipated are when he or she turns 18, gets married, or joins the military, whichever occurs first. Leaving a child alone at home really depends on whether the parent believes that particular children have the physical and mental capacity to care for themselves during the absence. The parent's actions will generally be judged on whether the parent acted as a reasonable, prudent parent under the circumstances. There is no set age where a child is deemed self-sufficient, other than through emancipation.
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On 05/12/09
from MI said:
what age can i leave my child alone till i run to the store and back can any one help me ty
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On 08/05/08
haley from AR said:
my furst time i was left home alone i was like 9 or time and it was at night my mom had wint to a frinds house and was gon from 10 pm to like 4 am it ant that bad ones u git uest to it i jist slept on the cauch antill i fellt safe to sleep it ant that bad
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On 05/16/08
cmurk from SC said:
There are only two states that have a set age limit one is Maryland. All other states are defined only by suggestive guidlines, ie does the child know what to do in an emergency, know emergency numbers, and the amount of time child is left, and at what time of day. It is a general guidline that children 9-12 can be left for up to two hours during daylight hours, 12-16 left up to 12 hours at any time, and 16-18 can be left overnite alone for no more than three days. I don't know if I would follow those guidlines exactly, but would do what I feel my children and I are comfortable with.
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On 02/20/08
sam from NY said:
Children 11 and over can stay at home alone
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On 01/04/08
dan from NY said:
ok to leave 9 and 11 year old at home from 8pm to 1am while mother goes out drinking???
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