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by Danielle Gibbings

There are several things you should consider before leaving your child alone. Amonth the first of them is the laws in your jurisdiction. Some places have very serious laws about what age is appropriate for a child to be left alone and ignoring them can get you in a lot of trouble.

Second, you should consider your living situation. Do you live in a house or an apartment. If you live in an apartment, does your child (and you) know your neighbors well enough that they would be comfortable going there if they were scared or if there was an emergency? If you live in a house how close are you to others? Does your child know anyone next door or across the street that you would feel comfortable with them going to if they needed to? We live in an apartment with several other families above and beside us, so that make me a lot more comfortable in leaving my kids on their own for short periods of time.

Third, consider the emotional maturity of your child. If you are the type of parent who makes all their decisions for them, they will have a very hard time staying on their own. If they don't know how to answer the phone - or how to ignore the phone! - this could make staying on their own very dangerous for them, even if only a short time. Do they know how to cook? If they do, they need to understand that when you are gone is not a good time to start scrambling eggs. Some children are raised to be thinkers and are able to decide what is safe and what is not from earlier ages than others. Other children go straight to their parents with any concerns or questions they have and children like this may have a difficult time making even the simplest decisions on his or her own.

Take everything into consideration. And then if you feel your child is ready start slow. Start with fifteen minutes at the next door neighbors. Progress from there. I wouldn't even consider leaving a child by him or her self over night until they are at least 16 and have shown by previous behaviours and decision making that they can be trusted. Think about their friends as well as friends can have a very powerful influence.

Finally, and above all, make sure you can be contacted at all times. If you don't have a cell phone, rent or borrow one.

Learn more about this author, Danielle Gibbings.

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Home alone: Determining the age at which your child can be left on his own

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Home alone: Determining the age at which your child can be left on his own

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