Age isn't everything when deciding if a child is ready to be home alone [View all]

School is back in session, bringing new routines — and new milestones for students.

For some, this is the year they are allowed to go home to an empty house instead of an after-school program or day care. It’s a decision faced by many parents whose work or other obligations keep them from coming home until long past school release time.

With after-school care often expensive and hard to find, parents have reason to encourage independence. But how can they be sure their child is ready to navigate home on their own, even if only for an hour or two?

A handful of states have set age minimums. Maryland law, for example, makes it a crime to leave a child younger than 8 years old unattended.

But most states leave it up to parents and guardians. Experts say between 11 and 13 years old can be a good starting point, but stress there’s more to the equation than age. And they say what’s right for one child may not be for another, even within a family.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all ordeal. And you really have to take it and understand the bigger picture,” said Jaesha Quarrels, director of child care services at Oklahoma Human Services. “Inadequate supervision is a key factor in many preventable childhood injuries and neglect cases.”

https://apnews.com/article/kids-home-alone-age-a1e8edde557e8c5b437699dd93ec5c8a

Plus there are Karens in the neighborhood who will call the cops, etc. How old were you when you started being left home alone, or being a latchkey kid?