Salam Alaikum sisters🌸 How are you feeling today?
One lady asked me recently: when did you allow your kids to stay at home alone. And I was thinking to write you about it from psychological perspective. So today about WHAT AGE CAN A CHILD TO STAY AT HOME ALONE?

Home alone associating for me with Madeleine’s story who knowing all the world. Sad story but we all can learn from it a lot.
I always was saying to myself and others: don’t trust children and dogs, they are unpredictable.
From psychology perspective we need to remember children development chat what I many times showed on this group. Only around 7 years old and it depends on the child children starting to think logically. Ofc it depends on each child’s personal natural development and I’ll text bellow what signs show child he/ she is mature enough to stay alone.
So I highly recommend not to leave children alone until 9 years old. And if you decide to leave them earlier take in consideration that YOU ARE ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE for the safety, not the child is responsible to be safe!
Each country having regulations, they are created by governments and I always saying better you stay on the safe side and know the law first.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) advises that: babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone. children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time. This is UK recommendations.

What signs does your child show that indicate they are ready for the responsibility?
Think for a minute about your child’s development and abilities/ skills:
* Do they willingly follow house rules without reminders?
* Do they generally make good decisions and understand the consequences of poor decisions?
* Do they demonstrate good impulse control?
* Are they problem solvers?
* Can they follow a set routine?
* Are they generally aware of their surroundings, or do they have tunnel vision at times?
* Does your child WANT to stay at home alone? If your child struggles with fear, anxiety, nightmares, etc., staying at home alone might not be something they’d like to do.
* Do they having enough skills to stay and function on their own.

Does your child…
* know how to make his own snack?
* know who to call in an emergency?
* know basic first-aid and where the first-aid kit is located?
* know where the fire extinguisher is located and how to use it?
* know his full name, address, and 2 phone numbers of emergency contacts?
* know his parents’ full names?
* know how and when to call 999 or 112 and what information to give ?
* know how to operate all household electrical tools. What is not allowed and what is allowed to touch?
* know how to lock and secure doors?
* know what to do if someone comes to the door?

So everything is about SECURITY!

If you decided to leave two kids and your son or daughter is teenager don’t expect he or she will be looking after the sibling.
Usually parents thinking: when I was a child took responsibility of the brothers, or when I was a teenager I was doing things….
Don’t compare with yourself or your childhood !!!!
Don’t compare others kids with yours!!!
And don’t expect that child to who’s care you left other kids manage to deal with all siblings like you are doing. They might be able to take care of themselves but if distracted they might not manage everything.
If kids fighting daily don’t expect they will be friends if they will stay together alone!!!

I was asking my mom recently, how she was feeling when I was going to school alone at 6 years old. Coming back alone and needed to heat food on gas stove.
My mom said she couldn’t peacefully be at work at the beginning. Even she marked gas stove handles she still imagined I might leave the gas stove open, and gas will leak or burn my fingers with matches.
I remember we all kids had home keys on the necks and instructions from parents but still parents were calling landline phones and checking us while we been home alone.

I highly recommend to everyone to teach your kids skills, practice it and the best to do it playing together roles.

One more thing, take in mind even if child is ok to stay alone, cameras are in the house, having mobile phones to call you, you will be far away. And it’s not necessary your kids will do something, but you won’t be able to reach them in a min. So your distance and timing from kids should be considered as well.

Salam Alaikum ❤️