Whether your child has been begging you to stay home on her own, or you've gotten a job that will leave your child without you for a few hours after school, only you will know when your child is prepared. Although your state's department of social services may establish an age a child can legally stay home alone, deciding when to stay home alone is a decision you and your child should make together.
Review Safety Rules
Although you may hope time will freeze while your child is staying home alone, emergencies can happen. Providing a list of emergency contact numbers, like the doctor, the fire department and 911, can help both you and your child feel more secure. In addition to emergency numbers, give your child your work number, your cell phone number, a relative's number and a neighbor's number, says the National Crime Prevention Council.
Establish House Rules
Even if your child is generally well-behaved while you're home, she may use her newfound freedom to test her boundaries. Instead of waiting for a problem to happen, set ground rules before you leave the house. This will help establish what you expect of her while you're gone. Instructing your child not to answer the door, keep the door locked, not to let any strangers into the house and not to invite any friends over will help both your child and your home stay completely safe while you're away.
Create a Schedule
Your child may be more likely to get into mischief if he has the whole day with nothing to do. Creating a schedule for your child to follow while he is home alone will show him you are still the boss while you're out. The schedule may include calling you when he gets home from school, eating a snack, doing homework and having TV or video game time, says KidsHealth.org.
Do a Test Run
Before leaving your child home alone for the first time, do a short test run to make sure your child is completely prepared. Leave your child for 10 or 15 minutes while you run errands or take a walk around the neighborhood. Making sure your child follows the rules you have set will determine how prepared your child is. After the test run, ask your child if he felt nervous or scared about staying alone and if he would feel comfortable staying alone for longer periods of time.
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