OcalaMom.com

I think I was 11 maybe and watched my brothers and this was a rare event, but the world seemed safer then and I am a responsible person. My brothers might have called me a goody-goody, among other less nice words....

But I wonder now -- how old do you think kids should be (also depending on individual maturity levels) before being left home alone?

A lot of parents have no choice when they work and the kids walk home. I know there are younger kids in my neighborhood who are home alone.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the law (I don't know if it's state or county) states that the child has to be at least 13. Sort of a silly law if you ask me, as I know 13 year olds that are nowhere near mature enough to be left alone and I know 10 year olds who are.

I do not know our exact laws here but as a veteran voluteer community instructor for the American Red Cross that taught babysitting, I do know to attend the class, a student must be 11 years or older. As a parent, responsibilty is based on trust and proven track record with each individual child.

When I was a child, I could be trusted more than most babysitters that were hired by my parents, so I was in charge of myslef at a very young age of only 5, mainly for short trips or errands and yet never more than for an hour or two. I know today this would be unthinkable and I would never plan on doing this with my own child yet, as a kid I was very proud that I was and could be trusted.