My breaking news alerts are often of a frivolous (I think) nature. For instance - "Duke President Apologizes to LaCrosse Members". I could have waited until the actual newscast to hear that one. But last Friday, a news alert caught my eye and broke hearts across the state.
A 12-year-old girl in a neighboring town who had stayed home - alone -from school was murdered. Her grandfather stopped in to check on her and found her...Four teenagers - TEENAGERS! - who had broken in and were surprised to find her there have been arrested.
The same weekend, 4 children died in a fire. The oldest was 11. Their mother was across town at a party.
This post is not about being judgmental. It's about horror and shock and 12-year-olds with strep throat being shot and 11-year-olds being left in charge of young children. And the question has arisen - At what age is it safe to leave children home alone?
Frankly, I don't believe it's safe for an adult to be alone during the day, anymore. I heard a man say - "We're buying into media-created fear." I don't know about that...But I do believe, as far as children being on their own for hours, that a lot depends on the location of the home (secluded?) and the maturity of the child and if younger kids have been left in his/her care.
My heart goes out to the parents of these children. I cannot imagine the what-ifs running through their heads or the enormity of their grief. Hug your kids, and be safe.
7 comments:
I can't even vote because I agree with you, even adults aren't safe being home alone anymore! It's just a shame the way the world is these days.
Hi Mara...I put 15, but actually my own daughter was fine to come home from school at ten...only because she was extremely mature for her age. We used to tell her she was l0 going on 30. I think she was born an old soul. Now her daughter my oldest grandaughter is l0, I would no more leave that child alone than I would a two year old. Everyone is so different. But the world is a crazy place and it pains me when I hear of these horrific things that happen especially to kids. Take care...love, Sandi
I voted 12 but that is thinking of my daughters and what they had been taught and the times when they were young etc. These home envasions just scare the heck out of me and that is usually a crime against the elderly. Paula
What horrible things to have happen! I guess the age when you'd leave your kid home alone depends on a lot of things -- the maturity level and trustworthiness of the kid, where you live, etc. Something horrible like that break in could happen to someone at any age, I guess. My son is 6 feet tall and 18, but something like that could even happen to him; especially since quite a lot of the time when he's home alone he's got headphones on and can't hear anything anyway. I would never leave an 11 year old in charge of younger kids, though, no matter how mature and capable.
Lori
Today is definitely a different reality than when I was growing up. I was mature for my age as well as responsible. My daughter was at least 15 before I would even go away for a single evening and leave her on her own. Yes, she is very mature, but I'm well aware of the ugliness that is unseen and very much alive in the world around us. One sad example is the mother who lives in an apt. building behind my property. She leaves her 12 year old with her younger siblings all the time.
At the beginning of the summer Doc went outside to see one of the younger kids bouncing a very sharp knife off the side of the building while his younger sister and brothers watched to see where it would ricotche off to. Doc went up to the kid and told him to give him the knife and called the cops. Apparently the mother was home, the kids where suppose to be watched while they where outside by the 12 year old. These kids could fall on either side of the murdered 12 year old. They are left alone alot, as well as having the disposition they would probably break into someones home and hurt them. We hear them saying FU and F that while the mother screams at them from the 3rd floor. It's sad and demeaning. Makes you wonder what the world is coming to with this younger generation. (Hugs) Indigo
MARA, KIDS OF ANY AGE SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE.NOWADAYS THEY REACH TEEN YEARS AND ARE GETTING IN TROUBLE TOO OFTEN...ROBERTA
You don't list age 13:)
It's a judgement call for certain. I trust my daughter. I trust all of her close friends (would have to check some others). I'd still prefer her not to stay home all day by herself. What a shame about this 12-year old with strept throat:( Got that at least annually for much of my life, and what can a have to work parent do that entire length of contagious / sick time? UGH UGH UGH. Real shame.
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