When Can Parents Leave Kids Home Alone? - Essay Sample

Introduction

In the modern contemporary world, parents have been faced with the controversial decision of when to leave their children home alone. The latter is due to the increased number of hours required to work by a majority of parents in the bid to meet the daily needs of their young ones. Some states in America have stipulated different ages in which a kid should not be left with home responsibilities. For instance, in Chicago, Illinois, the legal age where a child can be left home without charging a parent with neglection is fourteen years old (Petrella, 2019). In light of this, the optimum age in which a child should be left home alone should be fifteen years, at least, as it will be shown in the paper.

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Young Adults Staying Home Alone

Firstly, it should be noted that a specific age bracket cannot be stipulated for which children should stay home alone. The latter is due to the different growth rates and maturity that different children experience when growing up. However, at the tender age of fifteen, a majority of children have started experiencing the transition into adulthood, and as a result, are matured enough to stay home alone. Young adults need to be taught about responsibilities since they are the next adults that society looks up to (Seaver, 2020). Teaching them about roles and responsibilities involves educating them on how to respond to staying home alone, and the various chores they should perform to ensure that their stay is safe and enjoyable. An average of fifteen years old, in this case, can be able to comprehend what is required of them and how to react to a different situation that can arise when staying home alone.

Fifteen years old can also respond adequately to emergencies without mistakes and fear. The main legal concern that the States of America has is when a child is left home, and an emergent situation that requires quick response takes place. Young children have been known to be scared in case of emergencies, which would lead to their demise, permanent trauma, destruction of property, among other ramifications. However, a fifteen-year-old can respond quickly to fires, gas leakages, illness, among others. Despite the level of maturity that fifteen-year-olds possess, they should be taught how to respond to emergent situations, avoid surprises and remain calm in case a tragedy occurs that was not expected (Dowshen, 2018). Prior to leaving a child that is under the legal age of eighteen years at home, a parent should consider the neighbors. Those who surround a child should be responsible for people who can respond quickly and assist a child in case of an emergency. However, if neighbors are strangers, a parent ought to keep in touch with a child at regular intervals to ensure their well-being is the utmost priority.

Counter Claims

A majority of researchers and refuter parents argue that the age to leave a child alone should be determined by the children themselves, especially when a child is the only one that the parents have. Leaving a young unmatured child alone can lead to catastrophic ramifications where they can perform activities that can harm them or those surrounding them. As such, refuter parents argue that children should never be left alone unless tests are performed at them to understand if they are ready. For example, a parent can leave a child and stay nearby for approximately one hour to see how their children can respond to chores and ensuring safety at home (Tanner, 2016). Secondly, small drills can be performed by the parent to see the immediate response of the child, and if they are satisfied with the results, a child can be left home alone without fear by the parent.

However, parents should not be fearful of going young adults at home, provided they have attained a given level of maturity that seems optimum to the parent. It is essential to leave young adults alone to exercise some freedom and accountability for their actions, as that is the only way to shape young minds and brains. 'Pampering' a child too much can lead to some disorders, which might render them fearful of staying home, which is wrong as they should be preparing to stay at their homes in the coming years (Adams, 2019). As such, a parent should study their kids, and when their level of maturity is ample, they can be left to start exercising being adults and staying home alone, as mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

Fifteen years is the most comfortable age bracket to leave a child home alone. The latter is valid due to the increasing level of maturity that a child experiences as they are transitioning into adulthood. The phase of puberty increases self-accountability as children start realizing themselves as women or men. As such, a parent ought to take advantage of this period to teach them about staying home alone. However, it can be pretty good if there are older adults that would remain with their young ones to ensure that they are safe, and they have a responsible person looking after them. In the absence of older siblings, fifteen years should be the legal age in which children should stay by themselves at home.

References

Adams, S. (2019, March 29). When Can You Leave a Child Home Alone? Retrieved from https://family.findlaw.com/parental-rights-and-liability/when-can-you-leave-a-child-home-alone-.html

Dowshen, S. (2018, May). Leaving Your Child Home Alone (for Parents) - Nemours Kids Health. Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/home-alone.html

Petrella, D. (2019, May 15). Illinois House votes to lower the age of 'Home Alone' law. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-met-home-alone-legislation-20190403-story.html

Seaver, M. (2020, March 20). What Age Can Kids Stay Home Alone? Real Moms Weigh In. Retrieved from https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/what-age-can-kids-stay-home-alone

Tanner, J. L. (2016, June 23). The last Child Leaving Home. Encyclopedia of Family Health. doi: 10.4135/9781412994071.n229