How old
- Thread starter Pooh31
- Start date
Tinkerbell
Baby blues
Pooh31 said:
We are just now starting that with my 12 year old (she'll be 13 in Sept.), but on a part time basis. We're not doing it every day yet and we give her a list of chores to be completed by the time we get home. She also has a WRITTEN list of very specific rules and phone numbers of people she can call in the neighborhood in case she needs someone right away. I'm still a bit of a nervous wreak about it!
Tinkerbell
Baby blues
Dutch6 said:
Wow. Mature for thier age, huh?
Pooh31
New Member
Tinkerbell said:
I have a 12 year old also and she wants to stay at home alone because her friends do. I do leave her at home while I run to the store or something quick. But this week since they are out of school, she is giving me a hard time because she has to go to Grandmas house. I almost tempted to let her stay home tomorrow while I am at work and see how she does.
nachomama
All Up In Your Grill
Pooh31 said:
It depends on how responsible you think she is, and how far away you (or someone else) are, in case of an emergency. You should give her a few simple chores to do while you are at work, and call her a couple times during the day to check on her.
It's hard letting go with the first one, but it gets easier.
Pooh31
New Member
nachomama said:It depends on how responsible you think she is, and how far away you (or someone else) are, in case of an emergency. You should give her a few simple chores to do while you are at work, and call her a couple times during the day to check on her.
It's hard letting go with the first one, but it gets easier.
I really think she is responsible to stay home alone. My husband is about 2 minutes at the most away from her. Guess I am just having a hard time with her growing up and trying to break away from me.
My son was actually babysitting full days in the summer for his 9 year old sister when he was 12. (Too late to call CPS 
)
I think by the time they get into middle school - 11 or so - they should be done with babysitter for the most part. At night I still got a teenager to come stay with them - they didn't stay alone at night until they were probably 13 or so.
I'm not comfortable letting teens stay overnight alone, like if we're going out of town or something. Larry talked me into letting Doug stay alone for the weekend his Sr. year and everything was fine, but I wouldn't have done that on my own. There's too much temptation to tell all your pals and throw an impromptu party.
)I think by the time they get into middle school - 11 or so - they should be done with babysitter for the most part. At night I still got a teenager to come stay with them - they didn't stay alone at night until they were probably 13 or so.
I'm not comfortable letting teens stay overnight alone, like if we're going out of town or something. Larry talked me into letting Doug stay alone for the weekend his Sr. year and everything was fine, but I wouldn't have done that on my own. There's too much temptation to tell all your pals and throw an impromptu party.
Nanny Pam
************
I can understand how some of you must be a wreck about this. It is a hard decision to make, but the most important thing you have to do is trust your child. If they break that trust....then they go back to the babysitter. But honestly, at 13....they should be able to do it. I like the idea about giving them chores to do, and making sure they have been completed.
Cowgirl
Well-Known Member
When my parents were building their house, my sister (then 13) took care of my brother (5), and me (10). We were picked up from school, and dropped off at home. Then she and dad would go to work on the house. They'd get home at about 9 or so. We all had chores to do, and my sister cooked and made sure we behaved and did our chores. She was very responsible. And I found out that if we goofed off, she wouldn't hesitate to video tape us and show the parents when they got home. 
I'd let her stay home. Shoot, I babysat my cousins during the day when I was that age.Pooh31 said:
PrepH4U
New Member
Looks like you have all the bases covered, something I also did was have a co-worker telephone and put them through a test. Like making sure they didn't give out their names and that we were just unavailable at the time working out in the yard or some lame excuse.Tinkerbell said:
flomaster
J.F. A sus ordenes!
Psyops!!!!
You can always set the stage to your kid/kids and tell them they can stay home but they should know there are camera's in the house and if anything hokie happens that you will find out about it. I found an open window recently that my son could not explain why it was. I grilled the little turd for 10 minutes and he hung in there strong. Wife told him we would call the security company for the video and he sang like a canary. Wife did the happy dance when he wasn't looking for her successful information extraction. You gotta love PSYOPS!!!!!
You can always set the stage to your kid/kids and tell them they can stay home but they should know there are camera's in the house and if anything hokie happens that you will find out about it. I found an open window recently that my son could not explain why it was. I grilled the little turd for 10 minutes and he hung in there strong. Wife told him we would call the security company for the video and he sang like a canary. Wife did the happy dance when he wasn't looking for her successful information extraction. You gotta love PSYOPS!!!!!
sockgirl77
Well-Known Member
I think it depends on the mental maturity of the child. I was staying alone at 12. However, my brother turned 15 on Sunday and my parents would not dare leave him alone.