*Age is recommended but not required by law. ** Although New Mexico does not have a state law that imposes the minimum age for a child to stay home alone, an ordinance from the city of Albuquerque states that children under the age of 11 cannot be left home alone. This is a significant source of parental confusion about the age and circumstances in which children may be left unattended. There is no legal age for children to become babysitters in Canada, and it is not uncommon for them to start as early as age 12. The Canadian Red Cross offers a child care course for children aged 11 to 15, a program focused on child care, first aid, injury prevention, leadership and business skills. A trusted neighbor can be a good resource for children who stay home alone, Smith adds. Ultimately, however, children must be able to reach a parent in an emergency – and parents must be able to go home to be reunited with their children when they are needed. The national SAFEKIDS campaign recommends leaving no child under the age of 12 alone at home. At a time when parents are obsessed with safety, there are many rules and laws that govern what children can and cannot do without supervision – even the age that legally defines a child varies from province to province. What is done in practice may be very different from what is officially mandated, but it is always useful to know the rules. And it`s always best to ask. From flying alone to child care, here`s how children can be independent without their parents in different parts of the country: Lewis Smith, communications coordinator for the Canada Safety Council, says his organization is getting more inquiries about leaving children home alone after high-profile legal cases like a recent decision in British Columbia.
In that case, a court found that an eight-year-old child was too young to be left home alone after school. Children`s movie tickets from Cineplex, the country`s largest movie theater chain, are available for children ages three to 13. Unsupervised teenagers in this age category are allowed to purchase tickets for a G-rated film. While there is no official policy regarding the age at which a child should attend a film alone, Sarah Van Lange, Cineplex`s director of communications, says there are safety guidelines in place to help young guests who are not supervised. According to Cooper, if parents and caregivers are unsure whether to leave their children unattended, they should consider assessing the situation, the child`s age, the child`s maturity, how long the child would be alone, and whether the child would have access to a responsible adult in an emergency. Air Canada`s Unaccompanied Minor service is not available to children under the age of eight. Instead, they must travel with a passenger who is at least 16 years old. However, the service is mandatory for children aged eight to 11 travelling alone and listed as optional for children aged 12 to 17. Barbara Morrongiello, a professor of child psychology at the University of Guelph, adds that any contact between children and their friends should be supervised by an adult, as having two children left unattended in a home can be a recipe for problems. « Being home alone is not an event, but a process! » Being home alone should be a process that is initiated in gradual, supervised phases. Start with small periods of time and slowly increase the time with the child`s increasing abilities and maturity. Make sure the child is monitored and supported remotely at all times and has direct access to help in difficult or scary situations.
Parents are encouraged to regularly reinforce household safety rules and, most importantly, talk to your child about how they feel when they are home alone. Parents should closely monitor the process and offer or revoke « home alone » time that coincides with the child`s proven level of maturity. The report says that while Alberta currently has no legislation on the age at which children can be left home alone, the courts have weighed in on the discussion. On Greyhound buses, anyone under the age of eight must be accompanied by a person who is at least 15 years old. Children between the ages of eight and 14 can travel alone on the bus, but certain conditions must be met, including: the journey must not last more than five hours, children cannot switch from one bus to another, and the journey must start during the day and end at 10 p.m., among other things. An important and often overlooked aspect of home security alone is the focus on comfort and trust. If a teen is scared and nervous, they will not react confidently in an emergency situation. It is also important for parents to make it clear that being home alone is a privilege earned through mature behavior. Guide youth through the important steps to becoming self-reliant. Foster not only a deep respect for the privilege of being alone at home, but also anticipation of the growth process and greater independence and responsibility.
We want young people to feel comfortable and confident and therefore SAFE! Child Safe Canada offers a home safety program to meet all safety and education requirements to begin the process of being alone. It doesn`t matter if a child is well educated at home or through a community program, what matters is that it happens! If a parent is not sure that it is time for their child to be home alone. An important and often overlooked aspect of home security alone is the focus on comfort and trust. How does your child feel when home alone? If teens are scared or nervous, they won`t safely intervene in an emergency. Guide them through the important steps to becoming independent by fostering a deep respect for the privilege of being alone at home and the expectation of being offered more independence and responsibility. Assuming children are mature enough to take care of themselves at home, child psychologist Catherine Horvath sees no fundamental problem with leaving them home alone in moderation. However, she recommends giving children a structure and routine and, if possible, having the opportunity to have contact with their peers. That`s the question thousands of parents ask Child Safe Canada every year. The age at which children in Canada can be left home alone for a reasonable and short period of time varies from province to province and ranges from about 10 to 12 years. There is no law in Alberta that sets an age at which a child can be safely left home alone. Alberta has left this decision to parents or guardians (as long as they do not put a child at risk).