Home alone...

Justask

What age would you leave you son or daughter home alone??

I've read some threads here saying I left Johney/Mary alone etc..

Anyone know the legal facts on this??

Moonbeam

There is no legal age to leave them at home in Ireland,I think it very much depends on the child and how far away you are etc.

magrat

I don't know the legal facts - or even if there is a legal age for leaving children home alone.

I dont think there is an age when you can say it ok. It has to be a decision based on the maturity level of your own child.

You would also need to take into account where you were going, were you going to be far away - and for how long too.

Justask

Moonbeam wrote: »

There is no legal age to leave them at home in Ireland,I think it very much depends on the child and how far away you are etc.

Wow i didnt know that :eek:

Justask

magrat wrote: »

I don't know the legal facts - or even if there is a legal age for leaving children home alone.

I dont think there is an age when you can say it ok. It has to be a decision based on the maturity level of your own child.

You would also need to take into account where you were going, were you going to be far away - and for how long too.

Im just curious really on other parents views

Im just nosey

I wouldnt leave mine for long at all im sure he would wish i would though

im invisible

Orion

As Moonbeam said there is no defined legal age. However child safety laws would apply. If they were left alone in a situation where they could be injured that would be illegal. However judgement is important too. There are some very mature 10 year olds and some immature 14 year olds.

stoneill

We didn't leave the kids home alone until the eldest was 16 - and only while we were close by. We would always give a contact number, and would ring home a few times to ensure everything was alright.
If we were going to be on an overnighter then the kids were farmed out to relations etc. to stay

Justask

stoneill wrote: »

We didn't leave the kids home alone until the eldest was 16 - and only while we were close by. We would always give a contact number, and would ring home a few times to ensure everything was alright.
If we were going to be on an overnighter then the kids were farmed out to relations etc. to stay

Im kinda with you on this one, but as its been said different kids and parents and all that.

Im really suprised that there is no legal age tbh.

I know of one child who has been making his way home from school with a house key since he was in 3rd class.

Maybe this is not as unusual as i thought it was

Moonbeam

Back in the olden days when I was young so the 90's,the general baby sitting age was 12.
Even though I baby sat at 12 I can't imagine leaving my kids with anyone that young for any length of time.

CrazyRabbit

I was left alone at home for extended periods of time from about aged 8. I was very capable of staying safe. But...I look after an 8 year old and I wouldn't leave him alone for 5 minutes...he's just not ready.

It's all very dependent on the child. Hell, I know some 16 year olds that I would trust to leave alone for an hour.

Fittle

This is something I had been considering for a while - my lad is 9 now and moans to high heaven if I even mention the word supermarket:rolleyes:. I am heartily sick of asking a neighbour to watch him while I drive down to the shop, which often takes me 6 minutes round-trip. I had decided that this summer, I was gonna leave him in the house with his phone in hand - while I went to the shop.

Until last week when he went to the fridge to get himself a bottle of water and the whole fridge fell on top of him:eek:. I was here for it thank god and he was fine...but my brain has been racing with the 'what if's....'
So while he's mature enough to be left alone - he wouldn't open the door, would just sit watching tv etc - I think I'll give it a while longer.

I am amazed that there are no laws in ireland regarding this - does anyone know if the UK or Europe have similar laws and why we don't?

silverharp

Its not an issue that gets me excited too much when I was a kid I was left alone from about 8 or 9 and was fine. Compared to some other countries it seems to be a hot button item. Know your kids, if the first thing they want to do is start drinking the washing up liquid or sticking things in sockets then they cant be trusted.

cynder

leave my 11 year old home alone for up to an hour. shes almost 12. she goes out and plays for 2-4 hours on her own so whats the difference, i wad left home alone form age of 8, left home at 16 got a full time job and paid rent/esb. i babysat a 6 and 9 year old started at 6pm finished at 4am at 14.

ash23

I leave my daughter occasionally and she's 8. Usually just when I'm tipping down to the shop, so max I'd leave her for would be 30mins.
She isn't overly comfortable with it so I don't actually think she'd stay on her own much longer than that.
Dreading the time when she's too old for childminders and too young to be left alone all day during holidays

kaa

i started babysittin at the age of 13. and my parents left me at home minding my brothers during the summer hols. i would get up and give them breakfast...hang out the washing and clean the dishes and make lunch. my brother who was 9 at the time would be out with his friends. and my other brother was 2.....but my mom rang like 5 times and she was finished work early. sometimes my dad would come and go depending on where he was working and he rang too. and it was the same as every summer untill i moved out and my other brother took over but now my youngest brother is 13 and he is left alone if my mom is gone doing the shopping etc since she does not work anymore.

so it does depend on the maturity of the child.

Justask

Fittle wrote: »

This is something I had been considering for a while - my lad is 9 now and moans to high heaven if I even mention the word supermarket:rolleyes:. I am heartily sick of asking a neighbour to watch him while I drive down to the shop, which often takes me 6 minutes round-trip. I had decided that this summer, I was gonna leave him in the house with his phone in hand - while I went to the shop.

Until last week when he went to the fridge to get himself a bottle of water and the whole fridge fell on top of him:eek:. I was here for it thank god and he was fine...but my brain has been racing with the 'what if's....'
So while he's mature enough to be left alone - he wouldn't open the door, would just sit watching tv etc - I think I'll give it a while longer.

I am amazed that there are no laws in ireland regarding this - does anyone know if the UK or Europe have similar laws and why we don't?

Oh good god. Glad ur little dude is ok. I'd say you got more of a fright then he did. :eek:

Moonbeam

UK Law -
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Yourchildssafetyinthehome/DG_070594

Leaving children at home alone

There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’ (Children and Young Person’s Act).

Fittle

Isn't it incredible that they deal with almost everything else here EXCEPT a parents responsibility when leaving their children home alone....

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/children_s_rights_and_policy/children_and_rights_in_ireland.html

Justask

Moonbeam wrote: »

UK Law -
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Yourchildssafetyinthehome/DG_070594

Leaving children at home alone

There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’ (Children and Young Person’s Act).

But most accidents happen at home... I find that all very odd to be honest
So its ok to leave an young child alone once nothing happens..

Its werid isnt it...

Fittle

Justask wrote: »

Oh good god. Glad ur little dude is ok. I'd say you got more of a fright then he did. :eek:

He's fine thanks...thinks he's Hercules I, on the other hand, haven't a clue when I will allow him near the fridge again...perhaps when he's 25:rolleyes:

silverharp

Justask wrote: »

But most accidents happen at home... I find that all very odd to be honest

car then drowning are the 2 most common reasosn for deaths of children.

Moonbeam

Have you got a source for that information?

Justask

silverharp wrote: »

car then drowning are the 2 most common reasosn for deaths of children.

I meant accidents as in hurting themselves not DEATH :eek:

silverharp

Moonbeam wrote: »

Have you got a source for that information?

http://www.statisticstop10.com/Causes_of_Death_Kids.html

US

Cause of Death Total Deaths No of Deaths Percent

Unintentional Injury
* Mohor Vehicle Traffic 621 20.58%
* Drowning 159 5.27%
* Fire/burn 153 5.07%
* Suffocation 40 1.33%
* Other Land Transport 33 1.09%
* Pedestrian, Other 27 0.89%
* Struck by or Against 20 0.66%
* Unspecified 20 0.66%
* Fall 18 0.60%
* Other Spec., classifiable 17 0.56%
* Poisoning 15 0.50%
* Firearm 14 0.46%
* Other Transport 12 0.40%
* Other Spec., NEC 8 0.27%
* Natural/ Environment 7 0.23%
* Machinery 6 0.20%
* Pedal cyclist, Other 4 0.13%
* Cut/pierce 2 0.07%

Data Source: National Center for Health Statistics
National Vital Statistics Reports March 7, 2005

Justask - I meant accidents as in hurting themselves not DEATH

fair enough but are you suggesting that parents should be criminalised becasue one of their kids subbs their toe while the parents are out? I just dont see the point of guidelines. Every kid is different so what is appropriate for one kid will not suit another.

here is the kind of nonsense you end up with

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/227553

A MOTHER who left her son of 14 to mind his three-year-old brother while she went to the shops was given a police caution for “cruelty” and was suspended from work.....

Justask

silverharp wrote: »

http://www.statisticstop10.com/Causes_of_Death_Kids.html

US

Cause of Death Total Deaths No of Deaths Percent

Unintentional Injury
* Mohor Vehicle Traffic 621 20.58%
* Drowning 159 5.27%
* Fire/burn 153 5.07%
* Suffocation 40 1.33%
* Other Land Transport 33 1.09%
* Pedestrian, Other 27 0.89%
* Struck by or Against 20 0.66%
* Unspecified 20 0.66%
* Fall 18 0.60%
* Other Spec., classifiable 17 0.56%
* Poisoning 15 0.50%
* Firearm 14 0.46%
* Other Transport 12 0.40%
* Other Spec., NEC 8 0.27%
* Natural/ Environment 7 0.23%
* Machinery 6 0.20%
* Pedal cyclist, Other 4 0.13%
* Cut/pierce 2 0.07%

Data Source: National Center for Health Statistics
National Vital Statistics Reports March 7, 2005




fair enough but are you suggesting that parents should be criminalised becasue one of their kids subbs their toe while the parents are out? I just dont see the point of guidelines. Every kid is different so what is appropriate for one kid will not suit another.

here is the kind of nonsense you end up with

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/227553

Where did I suggest that parents should be criminalised?


I asked a question

daisychain12

Hi Folks, just looking for some advice. I'm a single mum of a 12 year old son. I know there is no legal framework in place to say exactly how old your child should when left alone at home so I'm struggling with what to do.
My problem is that I am a singer in a band so i work at night, my son usually stays with family and this is not a problem but once in a while i am stuck and I have to get a babysitter. It is getting to the point now where my son is very embarrassed at having someone "babysit" him. It feels like i'm paying them to hang out with him. His safety is my paramount concern so of course this structure is still in place. I am wondering however when it will be ok to leave hin on his own at night and I would only ever consider this if I'm gigging locally.
He is very mature and responsponsible but i do not want to do the irresponsible thing and give in to his demands of being left on his own before it's time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Felexicon

I was left at home for long periods from the age of 8. Never did me any harm to be honest/

Daisy M

daisychain12 wrote: »

Hi Folks, just looking for some advice. I'm a single mum of a 12 year old son. I know there is no legal framework in place to say exactly how old your child should when left alone at home so I'm struggling with what to do.
My problem is that I am a singer in a band so i work at night, my son usually stays with family and this is not a problem but once in a while i am stuck and I have to get a babysitter. It is getting to the point now where my son is very embarrassed at having someone "babysit" him. It feels like i'm paying them to hang out with him. His safety is my paramount concern so of course this structure is still in place. I am wondering however when it will be ok to leave hin on his own at night and I would only ever consider this if I'm gigging locally.
He is very mature and responsponsible but i do not want to do the irresponsible thing and give in to his demands of being left on his own before it's time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Leaving him alone at night is a long way off in my opinion, he is too young. Don't even entertain this notion with him.