12 year old.
These states do not set a specific age after which a child legally can stay home alone but do provide recommendations. I have to say that I am surprised by the lack of official age restrictions in most states. And for the states that do, there is a very wide range of ages: 8-14. 12 year old is still a small kid and giving a responsibility of a an even younger kid to a 12 year can be dangerous. Tami This is not the same world as 50 years ago or even 30 years ago. Today our society has more violence in neighborhoods. Child molesters seem to be lurking around every corner. Basically, if your child is age seven or younger, they should never be left alone. Kids ages 8-10 can be alone briefly, and ages 10-13 for longer periods, provided there is back-up supervision. Babysitters should be at least 12-13 years old, and can babysit for longer periods as they grow older. 1 Get recommendations from friends. 2  Trade childcare with friends who have kids. 3  Do not hire a sitter under age 12. 4  Watch your child’s reaction when you tell them a sitter they know is coming, and listen to what your child says about the sitter afterward. How old does my child have to be before I can allow her or him to be home alone? Under Maryland law, a child must be at least eight years old to be left alone in a house or car. State law also says a child must be at least 13 years old to baby-sit another child. Generally, it is left up to the parent to decide whether a child who is at least eight is mature enough to be home alone. Any time you leave your child alone, be sure the child knows what to do in case of an emergency.  Typically 8 year olds and over can be left at home for up to several hours (usually after school before a parent gets home from work). 12 years old appears to be the most common recommendation. The link below provides a state by state comparison. LEGAL AGE There are very few states in the U.S. with legal minimum ages for children home alone, but many state agencies have published guidelines. Georgia, Illiniois, Maryland and Oregon are a few of the states with specific ages specified in their laws. 12 years of age One guideline from a California child welfare representative suggests that 8 year olds and over can be left at home for a brief period of time, usually just after school, and no more than a couple of hours, and if there are no younger children there at the time. LEGAL AGE There are very few states in the U.S. with legal minimum ages for children home alone, but many state agencies have published guidelines. Georgia, Illiniois, Maryland and Oregon are a few of the states with specific ages specified in their laws. 12 years of age appears to be the most common recommendation. in the state of Texas its at the age of 12 that a child is able to watch younger children for up to 2 hours. Although parents should use their best judgements when it comes to the maturity and certain responsibilities of that 12 year old has when it comes to trusting that 12 year old with younger children. While their isnt a legal age set on paper. If a 10-12 yr old and a 6 yr old are caught home alone, or a 12-13 yr old and a 6 yr old are caught home alone-they go to juvy hall and the parents pay restitution and a fine after they are counseled with child protective services-before they get their kids back. If a movie is designed for little ones, a child as young as 4 should be able to enjoy it. Around this age, children can follow a fairly complex story line and have the patience to sit in place for more than an hour.  Relevance. Rating Newest Oldest. Best Answer: There are no laws in most states that specifically state ages, but if you leave a child who is not competent or able to care for his/her siblings, you could be prosecuted for child neglect and/or endangerment if anything happened to them. The sites below have good guidelines.  This will give your child the sense of what it will be like to stay home alone and enable you both to see if there are things you need to do differently. Taking a short trip that gets you out of the house for 30-60 minutes but that keeps you close to home is a great way to practice.  Please watch your kids. The legal age when you can leave a kid home is 12. But that is the legal requirement, parents should always think twice before leaving a small kid in the hands of a 12 year old. 12 year old is still a small kid and giving a responsibility of a an even younger kid to a 12 year can be dangerous. Tami This is not the same world as 50 years ago or even 30 years ago. Today our society has more violence in neighborhoods. Child molesters seem to be lurking around every corner.
http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/11042014-the-legal-age-you-can-leave-your-child-home-alone-by-state/ http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/babysit.htm http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/childsafety/childsafetyfaqs.html http://www.answers.com/Q/How_old_do_children_have_to_be_to_be_left_alone_at_home_for_hours http://www.answers.com/Q/How_old_do_children_have_to_be_to_be_left_alone_at_home_for_hours https://www.funadvice.com/q/unknowing http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-my-child-be-old-enough-to-enjoy-a-movie-in-a-theat_69977.bc https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006040113932 http://www.doorwaysarizona.com/how-old-should-my-child-be-to-stay-home-alone/ http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/11042014-the-legal-age-you-can-leave-your-child-home-alone-by-state/
how old do you have to be to watch a child