Children left at home alone.

There’s no definition,” said Sharman Stein, a spokeswoman for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. “There are child-safety experts who believe some 10-year-olds are quite O.K. alone and others who would tell you that there are some 14-year-olds they wouldn’t leave alone.”

Child-welfare experts say that many low-income parents have few choices but to leave children unattended while working. But for middle-class and wealthy New Yorkers, standards vary from neighborhood to neighborhood



This I found elsewhere and couldnt get it to quote. I was just wondering what everyone elses thoughts on this was.

Well my mom had no choice but 2 leave me 2 watch my sister when i 9 she was 6 . She worked 2 jobs and dad was working as well. But being a mother now i don't think i would leave my children alone until mb 13 or 14 not really sure yet my oldest is now 7 so i have time 2 think about it.

I honestly think it is the child that makes the decieding factor. Some children at age 10 are extremley responsable and are ready where I have also seen some that I wouldnt trust even when they are being watched.

With my 2 (I have a 14 yr old and a 12 yr old) I am comfortable about leaving them together at home for an hour or 2 but not much longer. (maybe go grocery shopping or something along those lines) The oldest loves to stay home alone , the youngest he rather not. My niece did when she was 10. She was very intellegent and responsable.

I have always been a bit over protective with my 2. I think I have to agree with the spokeswoman that I can't really set the age. Heck I know of a 14 yr old that shouldnt be alone.

Yes, it absolutely depends on the temperment of the child and what values the parents has taught that child! My brother and I were VERY responsible and well-behaved children. Our parents also instilled a sense of both love and support, but also of individual responsibility and safety.

I still remember (before) the first time we got left alone. My brother and I BEGGED, please let us stay alone today, no babysitter! I was in middle school, maybe 7th grade, so that means my brother was two years behind that.

We were also very safe being in a neighborhood where so many relatives lived nearby if we needed something.

Being a (currently low-income) single mother myself, I could not IMAGINE what I'd do without the support of my family. Many MANY low-income single mothers can't even afford daycare and have no other choice than to leave an older child at home with no supervision. I can't say I blame them, but I would hope she would take the time to make sure she has a safe home, leave behind a set of emergency numbers and ask a good neighbor to occasionally just watch the house and keep an eye out, you know?

In middle school, I knew several of my peers who'd smoke weed, drink a little, experiment with sex and hang out with gangs. Now THOSE juveniles needed some tough love from a parent/guardian and should absolutely not have been left alone! As soon as we hit high school, the pregnancies began.

WHAT can be done to help these teens, is my question? If a parent, especially a low-income and single parent cannot be there to watch her child 24/7, what resources does she have for her child?

As a social worker, I can work in any social justice area I choose. Lately one big one on my mind has been working with troubled teens. I don't know yet.... I'm still evaluating my choices and opportunities.

The first time I left my kids I left my 12 year old son with his brothers- 9 and 8 during the summer. I called them every hour or so and made sure he did not have to cook. They did ok and my oldest learned how to make no bake cookies that first summer. I do admit I was nervous the first few days but it went ok.

How do you make no bake cookies? Do you use the microwave?

Nope just the stove - I have to look the recpie up but it's not a lot of things- butter, oatmeal, peanut butter. . . .hmmmm maybe that is it. lol You only melt the butter on the stove then mix everything and use a spoon to put cookies on wax paper. It was an easy thing for him to make and the boys liked having cookies- the younger ones could help too. Oh wait- I got to help too cuz they left the pan for me to wash. lol

I think a convenient method, if there was a way to, would be using the toaster oven to make those cookies!

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups uncooked oats
1 teaspoon vanilla


No Bake Chocolate Drop Cookies Directions
Combine sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Let boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat add vanilla and peanut butter stirring until melted add oats and mix thouroughly.
Spoon onto wax paper and let these no bake chocolate cookies cool to setup.

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That's it Fancy althogh I don't remember the boil for 5 min. lol Thanks- - haven' had time to dig through my cookbooks for it. lol It's easy enough that my son did master them and he made them weekly.
Esper- I didn't have a toaster oven, just a stove and microwave - heck still don't have a toaster oven!

your welcome , there are several different versions of it , this is but only one. Online you can find hundreds.

Esper did you ever make these cookies?

Wow those look good cher
i will try the reciepe later

I was left home alone starting from the age of 6 - my father had to be at work at 6 am & parents were divorced. I was responsible for gettng my ownself up, ready, fed, take my vitamin (LOL flintstones) and on the school bus. I knew how to listen to the radio for school cancellations too. I would also be home before my father too and it would a few hours sometimes.

gosh thats not to good dream , you had to have been lonley