How long (if at all) would you leave a 7year old alone? Not my child, just a general question. Do you think they are old enough to be left alone at all? No state law on minimum age.
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How long would you leave a 7 year old alone for?
I left my child in the lounge or in bed while i showered etc? Left them alone tonwatchna movie or play toys etc, but not left in the house alone at all… not old enough
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No They are not old enough to be left alone
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I don’t even leave my 11yr old alone yet
Nope! maybe to catch a shower but to leave the residence hell no!
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I wouldn’t. I leave my 6 year old sometimes to go grocery shopping but in the care of my 16 year old.
Leaving a 7 year old alone in another room safely like in a closed off area that is safe with toys, learning activities or a show seems reasonable for short periods of time if you’re doing something like taking a shower with the bathroom door open or in another room cooking/ grabbing laundry seems fine others may differ that’s just my opinion but if the question is asking to be home alone or in a car etc… with nobody can be unsafe for a child under any circumstances
Never with me out of the house unless it’s for 45 seconds to run to the mailbox next to the next house.
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I live in a town with 700 people and have never left my child alone at that age. Although I feel safe here I know there are plenty of neighbors who jump to conclusions. Maybe 10 with a cell phone for something like diapers or something I might consider it, but No, not an appropriate age at all.
I wouldn’t. Way too young.
I wouldn’t to many things can go wrong.
Uhh, to run errands, no.
To bathe, clean, do homework, then yes… within the same house…
That is way too young to be left alone. Unless the 7 year old has an older sibling that is mature and responsible.
Definitely not… so many things that could happen…
Nope. I don’t even leave my 11 year old who I trust would be fine if left alone, alone. 7 years old is a big no!
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It depends on how far you’ll be, how long you’ll be gone, what kind of neighborhood you’re in, is there a neighbor nearby they can go to in an emergency and how mature the 7yo is. That’s what I took into account. There were a couple times I left mine for 15-20 minutes by themselves, but that was bc her older brother wasn’t around.
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I’ve left mine alone to run the garbage out back, or to run to the van and get something, that’s about it. But I wouldn’t for more than maybe 5 minutes or something like that. And even if I’m running to the back to throw out garbage I lock the doors 
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I know there are people that do that, but I sure in hell wouldn’t let my 7 year old be home alone unattended. Something could happen in a split second that you were gone.
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Not at all, maybe in another room while I was doing something else but that is way too young to be home alone
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I leave my 8 year old twins hime for 5 mins but the video chat me the whole time
I think about 8 is when I started to feel comfortable to leave my son home alone to go run short errands (picking up dinner, going to the ups store, grab a few things from the grocery store) during the day and NEVER more than a mile or two from home. We also live in a very safe neighborhood and have really great neighbors! He now has a phone and very independent because of trust extended both ways. I am/ was a single mom with 100% full time custody since birth so now that he’s 11 and anywhere I go is within 1-2 tops miles usually within a few hundred feet (we live in our cities downtown/ with restaurants we can see from our own house, yes my fiancé (doesn’t live with us full time, here 
of the time had to move short term for work) and I will walk 200 ft down the street to go have a quick (1 hour tops) date night drink. My son also will go to the school across the road to play basketball with friends (as long as he has his phone and AirTag)
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I have twin 8 year olds. I won’t leave them alone for anytime at all.
Now they can play in the fenced in back yard without me WITH our pitbull with them. (Bc if a person is within seeing distance Chyna, the pit), starts barking.
But they cant even play in the front yard (unfenced) without me out there.
To shower. I wouldn’t leave a 7 year old alone in the house.
Maybe 15 -30 mins tops say they were sick and wanted something but weren’t feeling up for the drive/walk
Long enough to take out the trash and come back in the house
O no I would not leave my 7 year old alone no way
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My dad left me at home at that age to go to the store and stuff I’m fine I knew at that age right from wrong
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I would never leave a 7 year old alone
I have a 7 year old. He has been left alone at home while I run to my neighbors or he is able to walk to her house alone (extremely small secluded mobile home park) but I’m not staying over there like if I go to borrow something or let her borrow. And my son has been home alone for roughly 5 min - not intentionally but we have an alarm system which he knows how to switch to home mode and is linked to my phone and will alert me from him turning it off - to home mode and if any doors or windows open - and know each neighbor. Things happen such as getting caught in traffic, school bus being early, so on. But he knows what to do in those situations. As far as leaving to like go to work or store so on no way too little. They need to know what to do in case of emergency - how to take care of themselves to an extent - who to call - who they can trust - to not open doors so on. Too impressionable at that age
Alone as in the house while I was gardening or watching siblings outside maybe 30-1hr in the house but alone on the grounds with no adult I wouldn’t.
It depends on the child. Some are able to take care of themselves for the most part while others aren’t quite ready for that responsibility. If child is the type who can, I’d leave him/her up to 5 hrs. Under 7 is a no go without an older sibling. This has also been advice by DCS when I asked to be safe(no legal age here). Mine have phones by 7 so they can call me.
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Not at all personally. People are crazy and you never know who’s watching you leave. Plus I’ve never met a 7 year old that I trust 1000% not to open the door or think it’s okay to sneak out to play with their friends knowing you’re not right there watching them.
Absolutely NOT. My oldest is 9 and a half & still hasn’t been left home alone for any amount of time.
Google…there’s a whole pdf for actual child welfare qt a federal level although it leaves it up to states to decide age, it does go into detail at how to make a descion and goes over what would be seen as unsupervised vs neglect.
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At 7, completely alone…20 minutes. My son was and is extremely responsible. When his sister was 7, 5 minutes tops.
I would never leave a 7 year old alone. Ever!
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Absolutely not. 13 or 14 is the age only if they responsible
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Too young in my opinion
My daughter is turning 12 and I never leave her alone
emergency situations are primarily why not to leave home alone no matter if a great kid that knows right from wrong in general like no opening door for stranger
That is way too young .So many things can go wrong !!
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Zero time. Way too many things can go wrong and it’s probably also illegal in every state.
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Never leave a 7 year old alone. No matter how grown you think they are but they are immature and can’t handle an emergency if one comes up. You will be charged for negligence and probably loose your kid. There are no states that allow that
My daughter is almost 10 & I wouldn’t.
This very much depends on the child. But 7 either way not long at all. I’ll leave my 7 year old on the couch with a movie while I shower, or walk the driveway to check the mail and that’s it. 7 is way to young to be given any form of “adult situation responsibilities”
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No I would not leave a 7 yr old home alone. I’m a mom of 4 that are grown now. I think they were around 10 or 11 when I started leaving them for short times, and then only for a couple hours. After that it totally depends on maturity of child.
Nope not that young.
There’s no way I’d ever leave my 7 yr old alone. No way
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Never. Way too young. I started allowing my two 11 year old daughters to be home like an hour or two while we did grocery shopping. But that was over 20 years ago!
I dont even like leaving my almost 7 year old in the house alone if I have to run outside for a minute like to my car or something. No way would I leave the property with him home alone.
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Too young to be left alone
Not at all! Thats way too young!! Smh
Gonna have to go with not at all on this one, and I consider myself to be a chill, lenient parent! Personally, I wouldn’t leave my children alone until 13 or 14. But if absolutely necessary I wouldn’t push more than a few hours at most!
Never x2 + infinity and beyond
It honestly depends on the child and their surroundings.
I wouldn’t, but we live in a bad area.
Kids in Japan are left to their own devices quite young.
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I would not leave a child alone before they turn at least 12 or 13. In my opinion a 7 year old child is not mature enough to leave by their self longer than for me to run to the mail box and back in the house.
i live on a ranch and would go irrigating which took 2 1/2 hrs. my 7 year old would stay home never had a problem
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Never! Sorry thats way too young.
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Way, way, wayyyyy too young to be leaving alone for any length of time!
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I would look up your state laws about that. I think Arkansas has it to where your child cannot be left home alone until age 14. Don’t hold me to that.
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To young to be left alone !
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Depends on maturity. But no longer than a few minutes. I mean I don’t drag them to the mailbox so they are alone for 5-10 mins. 
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Every state has a law on age to be alone. Normally 10 or 12.
No old enough in this day and age however I was walking to the store fir my mom at that age
Not old enough to be left home alone in my opinion.
No way should you leave a seven year old alone at home
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I personally think that’s to young to be left alone
No, I would not leave a 7 year old alone ever!
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Never, the world is crazy enough. Plus tragedies happen within seconds. My son just turned 8 years old and he has never been left unattended.
Absolutely no way should a seven year old child be home alone
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At home alone?! Never.
Playing in a room alone? Whenever possible
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No not at all I think that’s way to young to be left alone!
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Too young to be left alone unless your just outside going to the mailbox or the neighbors really quick. We didn’t start letting our grandchildren stay alone until 12byears old a d that was only to go 2 blocks away to dollar general
Alone in their room? Alone in the house or like ALONE alone??
I didn’t even let my 7 year old close the bedroom door let alone leave them home alone wtf
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Wouldnt ever leave my 7 year old alone.
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I dont leave my kids alone now they are 10 and 13yrs old
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I was left by myself as a 7 year old to watch my 2 year old brother and 14 year old sister. I still don’t open the front door if I am alone.
While I walk down my driveway to the mail box, or do farm chores outside. Like I’d never leave my home and my child that age there without a way older child or adult to watch them.
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my eldest is 12 soon and I can’t imagine leaving him home alone ever. I don’t think i’ll be comfortable with it even when he’s 16 
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Personally I say it’s still to young…however of it’s a run to a gas station legit across the road and back & an in & out 5-10 min trip then yea maybe…depends on the child & the neighborhood too tho…but…I take 15 min showers while my 3 & 5 year olds play in the livingroom so it’s really no different so long as u trust the child not to open the door for anyone or try and go outside then just a 10 min trip whatever…but not enuf insight into the kid at question to be able to answer this properly
7 years is a bit young too be left alone.
My 11year old is a bit of an old soul and I’ve started allowing him to walk himself too/from school that’s probley the only alone time he’s allowed
Never because they are literally 7
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Never. I live in a village and even I wouldn’t do that
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Never leave 7 year old alone. It is against Oregon law. But my mom self says no way.
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Alone in his bedroom def not home alone not even for a few minutes
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Not at all! Never!!!
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Never my son is 10 and I still would not leave him home alone
Absolutely not. Not at 7. Barley even at 10. Usually 13 or 14 is preferred for me.
Never that’s too young.
Illegal in Texas.
Me personally I wouldn’t leave a 7 yr old home alone …
Alone to run to the mailbox at the end of the drive way , alone playing in their room while I shower but never really alone at 7 they barely know how to wipe their own ass and get it clean n still need help getting something to drink / eat bc they make messes
While I’m gardening or cleaning the yard, something that is in our yard-yes they can play inside alone if they wanted… but to actually leave the house/yard to go somewhere (store,errand,down the street)Absolutely not, way to young.
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Maybe it’s how you raise your kids? 
but I was left alone for like an hour and a half tops when i was a kid and yeah i was good. I leave my 9-year-old home by herself sometimes, and all have been well
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Is this some sort of joke?
I personally would never but in all fairness it always depends on the individual child.
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I absolutely would not.
In my opinion, it depends on the maturity of the child. I wouldn’t go any longer than 15-30 minutes.
When I was that age, there were times I was left alone (not for hours on end) but I also lived in a neighborhood with close neighbors and full of other kids. But, that was the 90’s and things now are way different.
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I have the most responsible 7 year old ever and I wouldn’t leave him home alone . I believe its actually illegal before a certain age . I think its like 11 when they can be left alone .
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NEVER!!! Way to young.
It depends on the child some kids r more mature than others at that age I was goin to supermarkets by myself shopping for the whole house did the whole house laundry and I got myself up & my siblings up for school every morning 
thank god I did cuz it made me ready for real life very early
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Gosh no! Not right at all!