Recently, I posed a question that parents everywhere need to answer at some point in time: "What's the youngest age you can leave kids home alone?". We took calls and discussed it on the website and Facebook, and there were some interesting opinions shared in our conversations, so we put together a poll to see where Abilene stands on the subject. The results are in.

According to our poll, nearly 44% of Abilene believes there should be no age restriction on when a kid should be allowed to be left alone. Rather, it depends entirely on the maturity of the child. Over 37% believe that the correct age is somewhere between 10 and 13, and 12% of you think kids can be left home alone at age 10 or younger. Check out the full results of the poll.

For the record, Texas does not have a law that specifies any particular age that a child can be left home alone. According to the state website, these are points that need to be taken into consideration by parents:

  • the age, emotional maturity and capability of the child;
  • layout and safety of the home, play area, or other setting;
  • neighborhood circumstances, hazards, and risks;
  • the child's ability to respond to illness, fire, weather, or other types of emergencies; and
  • whether the child has a mental, physical, or medical disability.

Do you agree with the results of this poll? Do you agree with the state's position on children being left home alone?

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