It’s that time of year when school is out for the holiday season and parents may have to leave their kids, if they’re old enough, home alone.
The National Safe Kids Campaign [1] recommends that children not be left alone at home before the age of 12. Many other children will not be ready until later than that. Experts also caution that older siblings are generally not ready for the responsibility of supervising younger children until the age of 15 or older.
“Because children mature at different rates, there is no single, pre-set age at which children are considered ‘old enough’ to stay home by themselves for short periods,” states a “Caregiver’s Guide” from the Florida Department of Children and Families [2] (DCF). “Parents must evaluate their child’s individual development and physical capabilities.”
The DCF provides the following safety tips when leaving your kids home alone:
Infographic by Irina de Souza