How long would you leave a 7 year old alone for?

Way too young to be left alone.

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Just long enough to use the bathroom, #1 not #2. Maybe long enough to take the trash out if itā€™s outside your front door.

So each child is different and some are more curious than others but Texas is one of the states that doesnā€™t have a age requirement which is crazy but here itā€™s more of your childā€™s emotional maturity, their capability, safety of your home and how able they are to respond to an emergency situation that determines if they are able to stay home alone. For me if they get into messes when you are home just think how bad it can be if you arenā€™t there. In todays world I would say at the age of 7 I wouldnā€™t risk it.

Nope . Never . Not happening.

No, I donā€™t think thatā€™s old enough

Our oldestā€” my SD7ā€“ is definitely mature enough to be left alone for an hour or two. She knows right from wrong, wouldnā€™t pose a threat to her own safety, and knows better than to open the door or anything like that. But weā€™ve never had the need to reason enough to leave her alone.

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A 7 year old could not fend for themselves if someone broke in. Or if if someone knew they were home alone and decided to break in. A 7 year old is too young to stay home alone in my opinion. I definitely wouldnā€™t do that.

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In an extreme circumstance. Iā€™d say 2 hours. IF the child has a high maturity level and has a phone and knows numbers to call. However, in America I honestly cant think of a good enough reason.

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My daughter would probably tell us we arenā€™t leaving her alone :joy::rofl::joy::rofl::rofl:

I would never. I would be worried that too many things could happen.

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I wouldnā€™t leave my 7 year old alone.

I think its to young

No I donā€™t even leave my 11 year old home alone yet

I wouldnā€™tā€¦ I have a ten year old and she donā€™t ever stay home by herself

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My son was 11 when I left him at home only for 4 hours a day, xx

I was pretty responsible at seven. I babysat my cousins at that age. I guess nowadays a lot of people want to assume that every seven-year-old is immature and irresponsible. I would say it completely depends upon the maturity of your seven-year-old. Do they know not to cook when youā€™re gone? Do they know how to make them self something to eat? Back to your original question how long should they be left alone? That completely depends on the parent and the child. Everyone is different there is no minimum amount of time.

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Hell no. My daughter is 7 and I would never leave her alone. She is smart but what if something bad happened and its just them. Would they really know what to do? Probably not because even some adults cant think straight when someone bad is going on.

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Never. Long enough to go to the bathroom.

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A seven-year-old is not mature enough to leave it alone. Zero minutes !

My 8 year old is alone for 5 minutes every morning :woman_shrugging:t3: he walks to the bus stop by himself but iā€™m on the phone with him the whole time & yes itā€™s literally only 5 minutes.

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Not at all, far too young.

I would never leave my child aloneā€¦ is so dangerous :flushed:

Not in a million years way to young

I was at that age for about 10 minutes and it was fine; had a little of phone numbers to call people and it was knew what to do. My son would be able to handle it too. He has a big brother so I donā€™t need to leave him alone.

Strange how things have changed over the generations. Boomers raised a bunch of latchkey kids, left at home for hours. We could be gone all day as long as we were home by dark. We were free range kids. A lot of GenX would go on to be helicopter parents and pass this on to millennials, but then complaining of them not knowing things, staying inside, etc would follow. I could go on, but you get it. Anyway, I think it depends on the child and the circumstances. I chose to raise mine with a balanced amount of both free range and helicopter catering to eaches needs individually at different times for a more healthy outcome. Some kids are naturally more responsible, trustworthy, etc than others.

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Um no?? Way too young

5 minutes & that while they was in the bathroom taking care of their business :poop:

I wonā€™t even leave my 10 year old alone to go across the street to a store let alone a 7 year d too young

In my situation, I live on a third floor apt building and laundry is on the first. I have a 6.5yo girl and almost 5(next month)yo boy, and there are times Iā€™m down at the laundry for 10-15mins sorting and putting the clothes in and they are fine to be left upstairs. They know where I am and know all our neighbors so I donā€™t feel like Iā€™m really ā€œleaving them aloneā€, but you could say I do. :woman_shrugging:t3:

I think every child is different, we have a dunks 2mins up the street, and although I have never done it, I would love to leave them alone to grab coffee at times because I feel as though I could trust them for that short time rather then packing them up and getting them out of the house for a 10min errand lol Like I said, I donā€™t, but I believe I could and they would be fine.

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not a freaking chance !

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When my son was 7 he was in second grade. He and every other kid in the neighborhood walked to and from school. It was about 6 blocks away.
After school he got home around 3pm and had a snack and played. I got home around 5:00pm.
Of course this was 1980!!

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No!! 7 is way too young

I never left my kidā€™s alone until 11 at the youngest and that was maybe 20-30 mins max.

Umm no not at all maybe a long time ago people where definite

No, not this day and age.

Personally, never would I leave a 7 year old alone. Iā€™d consider it at 12-13 ish depending upon the childā€™s responsibility level and not for long maybe like half hour

7 is not old enough to be left home alone in my opinion. Are they mature enough to handle an emergency?

R u freaking kidding me

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Not at all. To many sickos in the world.

I wouldnā€™t leave them alone at all

Really??? Not a chance in hell, shocked that this is something you would consider

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My daughter was 8 when I would just go on quick trips to the store or to get coffee, to see how she did, she was fine. Every kid is different.

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Hell no way to young. We have a 12 year old and two ten year olds and we have never left them a second home alone. Not mature enough.

Not at all, my oldest (12) I only allow alone maybe 30 minutes by himself

No way they donā€™t know any better.

7 is much too young to be left alone.

A lot of people are quick to judge, when you clearly stated not your child.
Me personally never would I leave my child alone until they become a teenager and can be trusted not to leave the house and show responsibility. As it is I tell my son not to answer the door if Iā€™m in the shower and he checks out the window everytime before he opens the door even if he knows the voice(like heā€™s nanny or our friends) - heā€™s 4

No way too young to be left alone.

5 minutes with strict instructions

Depends on the maturity of the child. I let mine at 8 for no more than an hour. They had to stay in their room. Because anyone that belongs here has a key and wonā€™t be knocking.

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Absolutely not, I would not even leave a 12 year old at home alone.

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Definitely not at that age.

I used to babysit the neighbors kids when I was ll, but that was back in the 60ā€™s

NEVER leave a 7 year old child alone. EVER

Not unless thereā€™s an older sibling and I guess then you wouldnā€™t be asking about them being alone. For a few mins, like time for you to get a shower or sleep in on Saturday morning that would be fine. I wouldnā€™t leave them home alone at 7. Should give it a few more years. At least 10. Idk though it depends on the child, 10-12. And not more than a few hours at 10 if thereā€™s no minimum age in your state. And I would not do that overnight.

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I would not leave a 7 year old alone except maybe walking to the community mailbox.

Never! My girl is 9
And boy 11. Im scared so many bad things can go wrong.

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Most Indiana Day cares go to age 12. No child under 12 should be left a lone !!

Maybe to the bathroom. And maybe to the mailbox depending on where it is.

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Iā€™d leave them alone long enough to get my mail, and my mail is 5 inches away from my front door

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In this day and age. No maā€™am. No maā€™am no ham no turkey.

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I wonā€™t even leave my 9 year old home alone.

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Nope, not at all. I was uneasy leaving my 12 year old home alone for 15 minutes to go to Walgreens and back real quick. Let alone a 7 year old.

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Well all answers point to NOā€¦

Yeah NOOOO my oldest is about to be 9 and isnā€™t even aloud to walk to the bus alone :sweat_smile: [I front of my apt]

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I didnā€™t start being at home alone til I was 10

No. And I would be asking why a parent would need to leave a 7 year old alone in the first place? I have questions :thinking:

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Is this for real!? Absolutely not! 7 is still practically a baby! Any parent that leaves a 7 year old alone should be in trouble!

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Not old enough. Have to been in the teens and even then Iā€™m leery until about 15 or so.

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Never leave a 7 year old alone.

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15 minutes. Maxā€¦ maybe a half hour if heā€™s SUPER responsible

Wth kinda question is that , hell
No never

Isnā€™t that what parents do these days? Give them a phone or tablet n leave them alone stupid parenting

I mean if you are just getting a shower or going to the bathroom then sure. But if you are actually leaving the house then no, no time is appropriate.

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It depends on the child and how responsible they are. As the parent, they should know, but my kids sat home when I ran 5-10 miles a day every day for years. Oldest was 9 and we never had any issues.

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Never, no matter how responsible they are accident do happen.

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