Leaving kids home alone: 5 things you need to know
Age is just a number. The best age to leave your kids alone varies, says safety educator
A safety educator says there is no magic number when it comes to knowing when children are ready to be left home alone, even though a recent B.C. Supreme Court ruled that eight is too young.
"I wouldn't leave a kid alone under 10," says Samantha Wilson, founder and president of Kidproof Safety.
"A lot of kids I wouldn't leave alone at 10 or even 12 or 14," said Wilson, who runs an international safety education company that teaches a children's course on home alone preparedness and safety.
"Parents are still responsible for safety and well being of their kids until the age of majority," she explained. The age of majority varies between provinces, in B.C. it is 19.
Children will inevitably be left alone well before that age, and Wilson said parents should have a discussion with their children before leaving them unsupervised at home.
5 things to know
Wilson shared her top five things parents should do before leaving their kids at home alone.
- Ask them if they are ready to be left alone and if they are not, take the time to find alternate care.
- Leave them alone for a few minutes at a time and discuss how the child felt when at home alone.
- Role play realistic scenarios and discuss the safe options.
- Do a home safety check with your child to ensure all doors and windows lock, and to make sure the child knows how to use a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
- Identify an adult close by that the child can go to for help — and introduce the child to them ahead of time. Don't just assume they know each other.
To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled How kids can stay home alone safely with the CBC's Rick Cluff on The Early Edition.