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Home Alone
Preventing War Between Siblings
By Kendeyl Johansen
Your preteen has proven trustworthy when left home unsupervised but will things fall apart if he's left home in charge of a younger sibling? And even if your kids usually get along, what if they break the rules while you're gone? There are several issues to address before deciding if siblings are ready to be left home alone.
"No sibling under the age of 11 or 12 should be responsible for a younger sibling – even if they are the most responsible children in the world," says Jody Johnston Pawel, licensed social worker. "Imagine the emotional trauma to a child that young should anything happen while he or she is 'responsible' for the younger sibling." Pawel offers several tips to help determine whether kids are ready to be left home alone in charge of a sibling.
- Do the siblings get along? If one torments the other, they shouldn't be left alone without an adult present.
- How many children would the older child be watching? Minors shouldn't watch more than three or four kids under the age of 10. Eleven- to 13-year-olds should only watch one or two children, and it's preferable if the children they're watching are older than toddler age. It's safer and more ideal for a child who is at least 13 to watch a sibling who is 7 or 8 years old.
- Children should be at least 13 to care for young infants and should have training in infant care. They need to know how to cope with incessant crying without resorting to crying themselves or – far worse – shaking, which younger children may do because of inexperience or lack of knowledge. Parents should have children help with the baby to gain experience before leaving them alone with each other.
