At What Age Can We Leave the Kids Home Alone?

When to leave kids at home is a big decision for parents. Many states, including Missouri, do not have a law dictating when it's allowed.

I turned to Mercy pediatrician Dr. Laura Waters, for some guidance.

"11-12 is the average recommended age when you can start leaving kids at home alone. You know your kid better than anyone else, so some kids are going to be ready at that age and some are definitely not."

But even she will tell you there's no magic age.
And add more than one sibling into the mix, that further complicates things.

Because even if your older kid is ready to stay at home, they may not be ready to care for themself and a sibling.

That's the case for mom Sharla Hawks - who also works at Mercy.
She has two boys, Kendrick And Klayton, ages 6 and 10.

"He's (Klayton) a big gamer, and completely oblivious to a lot of things. And my youngest wants to be wherever my oldest is, so I almost feel like I should wait until my youngest is old enough to stay on his own at home before I even let them stay home alone."

Meanwhile, fellow Mercy mom Holly Ode just recently started leaving her 13 and 14 year olds at home.
You can see Lucky and Brylee here.

Ode and her husband both work just a few miles from home, and can check on the kids during lunch.
She says that made her more comfortable letting them stay home.

"They have cell phones, so we have a way to get ahold of them. Before we were comfortable leaving them at home, we made sure they were comfortable in case of emergency -- when to call, when to call me, when to call 911."

If it's something you decide is right for your family, Holly described the basics of an emergency plan just then.

But also, think about if there's someone who can get to them quicker in case of an emergency, a relative, or neighbor.

And then there's a lot to consider that's completely up to parents.
-can kids answer the door, if so, what should they say?
-same goes for a home phone if you still have one?
-then, what about cooking?
-playing outside?
-having friends over?


More than half of all states lack laws for leaving kids home alone.
But of the ones that do have legislation -- the minimum age to leave kids home alone ranges anywhere from 8 to 12 years old.