wrote:

How old should children be before being left alone?

The following was recently suggested as a guideline by a pediatrician, and I
must say I'm totally dumbfounded. The pediatrician recommends age TEN as the
age when apron strings are loosened. I was given free reign to wander the
neighborhood by age four and was often off hiking in the woods alone by age
seven. Has the world changed that much, or are kids just more stupid today?
How early in life were you given some degree of autonomy?

Recently parents have been eager to ask me how old their children should be
before they can be left at home alone, without a babysitter. I feel at home but
not alone with this common question so let me provide some information on the
topic. First of all, no children under age ten should ever be left alone, even
for a few minutes. Beyond that there is no hard and fast rule. It basically
comes down to a combination of the children's level of maturity, their ability
to make decisions, the parents' comfort level, and the community or environment
in which the family lives. If your children are over age ten but still
apprehensive about being left alone, don't leave them alone-it's as simple as
that. If your children are over age ten and want to try being left alone, here
are a few hints that will make things go well: Set the house rules ahead of
time, and make sure your children understand them and can repeat them back to
you. The rules are up to you, but they usually include things like "No guests
when an adult is not home," "Never answer the door for a stranger," and "Never
tell someone on the phone that you are alone". Make sure your children know how
to respond in the event of an emergency by talking them through different
situations and hearing how they would respond. Post all key phone numbers and
any special instructions in a visible place, such as the fridge. If your
children do need to be alone after school while you are still at work, ask them
to call you (or a neighbor, if you are unavailable) as soon as they get home,
just to let you know they're okay. Also, instruct them to never enter the house
if they come home from school and find the door open or unlocked. With these
hints in place, try running your children through a practice session. Start by
leaving them alone for only fifteen or twenty minutes. Then, increase their
time alone gradually. Hopefully tips like this will be the key that unlocks
your peace of mind it comes to leaving your children home alone without adult
supervision.

Awwwk.

Kids differ from child to child. 13 is a good age for trust
and responsibility.