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Home Alone? Are there legal guidelines to follow?

Many of us may remember the movie featuring Macaully Calkin outwitting the burglars in the ‘90’s hit movie Home Alone! My 8 and 10 year olds roar with laughter and I see their imagination running wild with their own visions of similar escapades, should I accidentially board a plane for a family vacation to Paris without them in tow. Intriguing, but not likely! I admit I do have my own visions of a trip to Target without them sneaking items in the cart, or 60 minutes alone at Starbucks. As Owner of College Nannies + Tutors, I am fortunate to have access to hourly childcare when needed. However, all parents face the decision of when to consider leaving a child home alone.

Washington State does not have any laws that say at what age a child can be left home alone. In general, children under 10 should not be left on their own, and babies and younger children should not be left alone even for a few minutes. Guidelines from national organizations such as National Crime Prevention Council, National Childcare Information Center, and College Nannies + Tutors offer the following age guidelines:

7 & Under       Should not be left alone for any period of time. This may include leaving children unattended in cars, playgrounds, and backyards. The determining consideration would be the dangers in the environment and the ability of the caretaker to intervene.

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8 to 10 yrs.

Should not be left alone for more than 1 hour and only during daylight hours, and not with

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younger children in the home.

11 to 12 yrs.

May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night or in circumstances requiring

inappropriate responsibility. Younger siblings in the home over the age of 8 is a

consideration.

13 to 15 yrs.

May be left unsupervised, but not overnight; possibly with a younger sibling over

the age of 11.

16 to 17 yrs.

May be left unsupervised, and possibly overnight. Never overnight with younger siblings.

Age alone is not the only guideline. Additional considerations such as: Does the child feel at all apprehensive about staying alone? Can you count on your child to tell the truth? Can your child calmly dial 911, give their full name (and yours), street address and phone number, and explain the situation? Can they handle unexpected situations without panicking? Is your home in a rural or city surrounding? How far away is a parent or responsible neighbor should an emergency arise?

You may feel most comfortable starting out leaving your child alone for short periods of time. Go slowly and make sure that your entire family is comfortable with the situation. A few tips in preparation for children to be home alone include: teaching children to use the telephone, operate the locks, security system and appliances; memorizing a helpful neighbor’s phone number; instructing to never let a caller at the door or on the phone know that they are alone (“Mom/Dad can’t come to the phone (or door) right now.”); having a fire escape route. 

The National Crime Prevention Council produces a Parent’s Guide to Home Alone, available at; http://www.ncpc.org/resources/files/pdf/neighborhood-safety/chalone.pdf

Curiosity can increase when children are home alone. Are there things you don't want your children to get into? Take the time to talk to them about the deadly consequences of guns, medicines, power tools, drugs, alcohol, cleaning products, and inhalants. Make sure you keep these items in a secure place out of sight and locked up, if possible.

If home alone isn’t an option yet, College Nannies + Tutors provides Hourly Nanny Service and Professional Sitting Services from trained, background and reference checked, and fun caregivers. Operating in the King County area since 2009, College Nannies is the nation’s largest employer of nannies for infants through early teens. Our role model approach to nannies and mannies appeals to even those ‘tweens and teens who say…but why can’t I stay alone?

 

Laura Davis is the Owner of 11 College Nannies + Tutors locations. Her 8 year old and 10 year old aren’t staying alone yet, so meanwhile they are giving the nannies mom calls in a run for their money!

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