made me Google the minimum age under state laws at which a child is allowed to be left home alone, and the results absolutely SHOCKED me. Most states have kinda subjective tests about maturity level that leave it to parents to assess whether the kid can follow rules, make good decisions and respond to emergencies, but JEEZ LOUISE, look at some of these ages in states that have specific numbers!
The ones in bold, I'm personally of the belief that it's absolutely ridiculous to pretty much EVER leave a kid that age alone for any length of time. Between 9-12, maybe for short periods of time but all day while you're at work!?!? No way. (Illinois, OTOH, has set a limit that is excessive, IMHO. Only two more years and they're able to start driving!)
14 Years Old: Illinois
12 Years Old: Colorado, Connecticut, and Mississippi
11 Years Old: Kentucky
10 Years Old: South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington
9 Years Old: Georgia
8 Years Old: Maryland and North Carolina
7 Years Old: Nebraska and Oklahoma
6 Years Old: Kansas
No Age: 36 states (some have guidelines at the local level)
My own daughter was 12 before I let her stay home by herself, and that's when I got her her first cell phone (which, back in 2004, it was unusual for a 12 year-old to have).
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