Children at Home
A 2003 study states over 3 million children under the age of 13 are left at home with out supervision.
Most states are silent on the issue of how old a child must be to stay at home alone. Maryland states a child must not be under age 8 to be home alone. Some experts believe a child should be at least 12 years old to be left at home alone.
Some children that are 12 have the cognitive ability to recognize risk but do not have the cognitive maturity to cope or react to risks. It varies from child to child or from teen to teen. Some teens are very mature and some are extremely immature.
Leaving a child or teen that is cognitively immature is a danger as far as asking them to watch another young child or simply leaving the child by him her/self..
Many parents leave their children at home out of fear they will lose their jobs. This is dangerous!!!
