If you`re wondering if your kids are old enough to be left home alone, but you don`t know what the safest decision might be, you`re not alone! Many parents struggle to determine the right age, stage of development, or maturity when their children can be safely left alone. Here is a simple list of guidelines to keep in mind when making your choice: “We will certainly ask you about the age of the child. We also asked, “How long will the child be alone? What does the home environment look like? Is the child able to make a phone call and, if necessary, take care of himself? Is the parent absent for 15 minutes? Or are they at work all day? According to the MDHHS, “As a general rule, having a child aged 10 and under is not responsible enough to be left alone at home. A child over the age of 10 and under the age of 12 will be screened, but the case will not always be screened. “There is no law in Michigan to determine the age at which your child can be left home alone, but child protective services say they are no earlier than 10 years old. Hoekstra said you should consider these areas before deciding to leave your kids alone: Not a week goes by without a tragic story making headlines. about a neglectful or abusive parent who makes poor parenting decisions and has to intervene. But not everything is as it appears in the media. Not all parents painted with this brush are actually a “bad parent” or an abusive abuser. Sometimes it`s just moms and dads who made a bad choice right now (we all did), or parents who did what they thought was best, and it turned out they were wrong. I was recently asked to attend an interview on WXYZ TV Channel 7 Detroit to talk about how parents feel when they leave their children home alone for the first time.

Channel 7 took an extra step and spoke to a representative from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, who made the following statement regarding Michigan`s child welfare laws: Hoekstra said that with so many homes going without traditional landline phones, it`s important to remember that children need access to a phone in an emergency. “Do they know who to call or how to call them?” In a very recent article, we shared with you a situation where two young mothers are accused of child abuse for leaving their children alone at home while they went shopping. What makes this case somewhat unique is the fact that Michigan has no laws allowing parents to leave their children home alone. Why are these mothers charged? The Michigan government recommends that you assess your child`s maturity level to determine if they are capable of being left home alone. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine your child`s maturity level: Experts say one way to determine if a child is willing to stay home alone is to give them a try. “From stranger danger to internet safety to kitchen safety, what happens when they come out and fall?” she told FOX 17 News. There are many different safety features and different measures that need to be taken when children plan to stay home alone. “I suggest having a file for the house alone. In the book, you place important information.

Make a list of emergency contacts, such as: Your phone numbers, a trusted neighbor`s phone number, emergency numbers, preferred hospital, doctor`s number, dentist information, and a relative nearby. You must also include the home address, as well as major intersections and copies of insurance cards. This is a big problem. Hoekstra said it`s best to set rules about what kids can and can`t do in the kitchen. For example, no cooking or using the stove. “Make sure they know what to do in the event of a fire when the smoke alarm goes off. when the carbon monoxide alarm is triggered. Hoekstra explained: “Who else is at home in the neighborhood? Who do you feel comfortable when they go to the neighborhood when there are problems? The state also recommends asking these questions about the circumstances under which your child will be left home alone: A child who is left home alone should have their parents` phone numbers in case of an emergency, as well as other adult contacts. Children aged 11 to 12 – 11 to 12 can usually be left alone for up to 3 hours, but not late at night or in circumstances that require undue responsibility, such as in a situation where they would be responsible for several other younger children. While there is no law setting the age at which a child can be left unattended, there are guidelines from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It is these guidelines that the CPS uses to try to determine whether or not an “unsupervised child” scenario should be screened for neglect.

They also say that parents should not leave their children alone at home too much. And finally, if you think your children are mature enough to be left home alone, the state gives some helpful tips. Despite the fact that DHHS makes these recommendations, in reality, they are not state laws. This means that even if these are the ages and periods they consider safest, it is not illegal to leave a younger child alone for a longer period of time (or an older child for a shorter period of time). “It was a little scary to think we were going to leave and leave them at home,” she said. “We just talked to each other and got an idea of what everyone was doing?” What age and what is the child`s developmental capacity? Is the minor anxious? Would the child feel grief if he or she were home alone? How many other children are at home? How old are you? How long will you be away? What time of day do you leave your child home alone? Does the teen have access to a phone and do they know how to use it in an emergency? Will they know what to do in an emergency? Does the young animal generally follow the rules? One of the examples that seems to appear regularly is that of children left unattended by parents who thought they were old enough to cope. Sometimes it`s obvious that the choice was wrong (five-year-olds simply can`t care for newborns), and sometimes it`s purely siuational. Regardless, once CPS is involved, a good family can be upset and try from within to deal with the state looking over their shoulder as they try to take care of their children.

7 years and under – Children under 7 years old should not be left alone for a period of time. This includes at home, in the car, in public playgrounds and even in backyards. “Proposing legislation to establish a strict and quick rule on a child`s age, and we do it every time, may not be reasonable and would certainly not fit every scenario we would encounter,” said Colin Parks, Child Protection Program Manager. “Here in Michigan, we have the ability to assign a complaint when a child is ten years old or younger. That does not mean we have to. If you answer yes to all of these questions, they might be mature enough to be left home alone. So now the parents are left with the “verdict”. It is up to us to decide when our children will be mature enough, responsible enough and wise enough to be left alone at home. KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Eventually, all parents will have to decide if they`re willing to leave their children home alone. But at what age? And how do you know when they`re ready? 16 to 17 years old – Teens between the ages of 16 and 17 can usually be left unattended for long periods of time. In some cases, if they are mature enough and experienced enough to meet daily needs unsupervised, it can take up to two consecutive periods of night.

Before parents leave their child alone at home, set limits if the child wants to cook, go out, watch TV or go to the computer. There are few states that have actual laws regarding the age at which a child can be left home alone, and Michigan is not one of them. But Michigan parents are expected to exercise judgment and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. How would a parent make that kind of decision, you might ask. Well, ideally, a parent should determine if their child is old enough to be left alone, based on factors such as the child`s age and maturity. When are children old enough to be left alone at home? Many parents ask themselves this question! 8 to 10 years old – Children 8 to 10 years old can usually be left unattended for short periods of time. If you leave them unattended, this should not be the case for more than an hour and a half and only during the day or early evening. Sometimes you have to leave your kids at home, but at what age can you stop paying for a babysitter and leave them home alone? Well, it really all depends on a few things. How old is he to leave the children alone at home? I used to think that there was a certain age, which is the “legal” age for a child left alone at home, and that parents would be removed from social services if they left their children at home before. But in reality, there is no law. This is at the discretion of the parents. However, remember to consider each child`s maturity and development when considering leaving them alone.

Consider their decision-making skills, approach to personal responsibility, and decision-making background when left alone.