Would you consider leaving an under twelve year old home alone?

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   DDEposted 7 years ago

   Would you consider leaving an under twelve year old home alone?
   
   Sometimes it is difficult to find  someone to take care of your child. Parents work all day it is expensive to pay for daycare. That depends on where you are living. To leave an under twelve year old at home all day is that something you would do?

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   Ericdierkerposted 7 years ago

   Devika I was left home alone since 5 years old. I have not yet done it with my 7 year old. Times are different. Think in the next year he will look at me and say "I would rather stay home".
   I reckon it depends on the child and parent. I baby sat at 12. I was good at it. I got paid and tips.
   there very seldom are crazed killers and ghosts.
   And now we have cell phones and texts every 30 minutes so it seems about 9 would be fine.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. It depends if a child is taught about safety measures and if they are mature enough to be alone at home. Something I wouldn't do and never did. Just not what I feel is right for that child.

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   ChitrangadaSharanposted 7 years ago

   One should not do so, but sometimes there is no choice. I had to leave my small kids alone so many times, though not for the entire day. I took so many precautions before doing that.
   If it has to be done, the parents must take a lot of safety measures and also train the children accordingly.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Chitrangada Sharan thank you  for this answer. Safety measures aren't always carried out or understood.

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   Venkatachari Mposted 7 years ago

   Though it is not advisable, you can take all precautions and leave him during the daytime. You must keep everything in place for the child so that he may not be required to indulge in risky acts to meet his requirements during your absence. He must be well instructed and trained as to how to spend his time and attend to his needs.
   
   We used to leave the two children alone at home when the elder was 10 and younger 8 (like that) for some hours while going to the relatives house, or marketing, or hospital, etc.

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   Michael-Milecposted 7 years ago

   God forbid ! Why shall on do it to a child who never ask to com to this world and to this family. Always there is better solution not to leave a child alone even for couple of hours. We (my wife an I) never  left any of our three children alone at home at all. We provided an adult -reliable-friendly- loving person, mostly relatives or neighbors/friends. Otherwise, one of us will stay at home or take our children with us. Countless times we refuse to go to "gatherings" for adults only, staying home with our children having good time together, explaining to them that no "banquets" are as valuable to us as these little people God gave us to take care of. Always appreciated by loved and loving ones.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Michael-Milec leaving children home alone is a problem strangely not for every parent. The parent must be responsible for that child. Thank you for sharing your opinion.

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      gmwilliamsposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      +1,000,000,000,000,000,000

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   Glenis Rixposted 7 years ago

   I’m the UK it is against the law to leave a child of that age home alone. The Social Services would intervene if they became aware of the situation.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      GlenR  I don't approve of any parent leaving their child/children home alone under that age group. Someone has to be in control. Thank you.

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   savvydatingposted 7 years ago

   I would never consider that. There's too much risk involved. What if someone he doesn't know knocks on the door? This could make the child feel anxious? What if he slipped, fell, and ended up with a broken collar bone or blood all over the place? He might be too weak to reach the cell phone. Nope. Don't do it. Anyway, it's against the law in the U.S.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Yves you are so right! I fully agree on all points. Thank you.

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   fpherj48posted 7 years ago

   Hi Devika....Good to see you again.  You bring up an issue I feel strongly about & just recently discussed with some friends of mine.
   There are so many variables that need to come into this & be carefully considered.  For a firm, immediate response, I would give an emphatic, "No."  I may be a bit over-the-edge as a Grandmother, but I just can't be comfortable with justifying a child (even under the age of 15) being left at home alone for several hrs. 
   I've had a whole lot of practice in my day, coming up with a long list of "What if's"  and quite frankly, this world poses far more dangers & possible scenarios than yrs ago when my own children were young.
   I must tell you that now, just thinking about this makes me shiver.
   I won't share my "list" because I actually don't want to spread my paranoia to parents.  I would however, hope & pray that they needn't resort to leaving a child of a certain age, home alone.  Peace, Paula

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Paula no matter what precautions are taken children under 12 should never be left home alone. I understand your point here and feel the saem.

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