What age can kids be left home alone?

A mother took to Mumsnet to ask fellow parents at what age it is appropriate to leave her child at home alone and the question swiftly divided opinion.

The mum, who goes by the username @Blahblahblah111, wrote on the online forum: “Obviously it varies according to the child’s maturity etc, but at what age would you consider on average a child would be ok to be left for half an hour or so, if the parent needed to get something from the shops/go to the postbox?”

In response, a large majority of parents expressed their belief that 11 is an appropriate age for children to be left home alone.

“Pretty much all children I know are left alone for at least three hours from 11 when they go to secondary school,” one commented.

Another agreed, reflecting on their own childhood: “By 11, I was walking a mile on my own to/from the bus stop and letting myself in to an empty house five days a week. By 12 and a half, I was home alone all day during the summer holidays!”

While others insisted you should begin to leave your child for short periods of time from the age of seven in order to teach them how to cope in emergency situations.

“Where I live it’s considered responsible parenting to teach your child what to do, where to go (which neighbours) to ask for help, what to do in realistic emergency situations, what the house rules when home alone are, and how to use the landline before the age of six,” one wrote.

Another agreed, adding: “My 8-year-old gets left for up to an hour from time to time. He’s sufficiently responsible and we have good next door neighbours.”

There are no specific legal guidelines regarding what age Aussie kids can be left alone, but the government website puts the onus on the parents: “The law says that it’s the parents responsibility – and legal obligation – to ensure their children are safe and properly looked after.”

This comes after another mum was shamed online for leaving a 5-year-old alone with the oven on.

So, what do you think? What age would you leave your kid at home alone?

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