Let’s start with the obvious: Every child is a little weirdo. In the best way.
I know a seven-year-old who can cook a mean scrambled egg but would panic if a fly landed on the counter. Meanwhile, I know a fourteen-year-old who once locked himself out of the house twice in one afternoon. Maturity isn’t about age. It’s about your child’s specific brand of chaos.
Ask yourself: Can they use a phone without dialing 911 because they lost the remote? Can they make a sandwich without setting the kitchen on fire? Can they calmly handle a knock at the door?
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Here’s a golden rule: Start small. Like, “I’m walking the dog for ten minutes” small.
Then work up to “I’m just popping to the corner shop for milk” small. That’s how you build trust. And how you discover if your child is secretly a tiny Houdini who will attempt to re-decorate the living room with ketchup in your absence.
Also, please—for the love of all that is holy—leave a fully charged phone and make sure they know your number. And the neighbor’s number. And maybe the number for pizza delivery, because priorities.
How young can kids be left home alone? | wtsp.com
