Home Alone: How to Tell if Your Child Is Ready

At some point, every parent faces the question: Can I leave my child home alone? Maybe it’s just for 15 minutes while you run to the pharmacy, or a couple of hours after school.

The answer depends less on age and more on your child’s independence, skills, and your home environment. Let’s see how to take this step with care and confidence.

There’s No Right Age—There’s Readiness

In the U.S., Canada, and the UK, parents often hear the age range of 10–12, but always with a caveat: it’s about readiness, not just numbers.

Research shows that kids the same age can have very different levels of independence. That’s why behavior is a better guide than a birthday.

How to Know if Your Child Is Ready

Pay attention to signs like these: Does your child feel comfortable when left alone in a room? Do they know how to reach you or call emergency services? Can they stay calm if the power goes out or someone rings the doorbell? Can they make or heat up simple food?

It’s a good sign if they follow agreements without reminders. But frequent calls, visible anxiety, or fear of being alone mean it might be best to wait.

What to Consider by Age

Rather than focusing on the number, think about the tasks your child can already handle and how confident they are. Here are general guidelines for different stages:

Ages 7–9

It’s still too early to leave younger kids home alone, but you can start teaching basic safety rules:

• Don’t open the door to strangers
• Stay away from the stove without adult permission
• Know what to do in an emergency
• Know who to call for help

You can try very short times alone—5—7 minutes—when you’re nearby, like picking up a package.

Ages 10–12

This is when you can start with short periods of 15–30 minutes and clear rules: don’t open the door, don’t use the stove, and call you if anything feels wrong. Daytime is best, when they feel secure.

Ages 13–14

Teens can usually handle a few hours after school if they have prior experience and follow the rules confidently.

Agree on boundaries: Can they have friends over? How much screen time is okay? What activities are allowed? Support and trust are just as important now as in earlier years.

How to Prepare Your Child

Before leaving your child home alone, it’s important to assess readiness and help them feel confident. Preparation takes time, attention, and repetition. Here’s how to start:

• Tell them why you trust them. For example, they follow agreements, stay calm alone in a room, and know how to use the phone.
• Go over simple rules: don’t open the door to anyone, don’t answer unknown numbers, don’t turn on the stove, and don’t open windows or the balcony without need.
• Leave phone numbers, a “what to do if…” list, and agree on check-in times.
• Practice “what if” situations: “You’re home alone and someone rings the doorbell,” “A storm knocks out the power,” “You cut yourself—what do you do?”
• Remind them that you’re there for them, even from a distance.

If Something Doesn’t Go as Planned

Things won’t always go perfectly. Your child might get scared, panic, or call you in distress—this isn’t a reason for blame or harshness. Talk about what happened and decide together how to move forward. Sometimes it just means waiting a little longer before trying again.

Being home alone is a skill learned step by step. Your calm trust, and support are the best foundation for your child as they gain independence.

References:

• When Can Kids Stay Home Alone?, Parents, 2024
• Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone?, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023
• Going out or staying home alone, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, UK, 2023
• Evaluating the Effect of Child Home Safety Training Upon Three Family Support Practitioner Groups: A Mixed‑Methods Study, Perspectives in Public Health, 2023
• Relationship Between Leaving Children at Home Alone and Their Mental Health, Public Health Nutrition, 2021