Moms Talk: Home Alone

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this topic:

Question: “How old is old enough for a child to stay at home and why?”

Moms Council member M.J. Czerpak was the only one to respond so far this week. She offered these thoughts:

“It's always going to vary from child to child because each child matures at a different rate. I know I started with my then 7-year-old by going to the corner store and leaving him alone. Then I would go to the post office, (a little bit further), and then, as he grew, my length of absence gradually grew. I think he was 11 when I actually got in the car to go somewhere without him.”