# Minimum age for unaccompanied minor in public



## grumpybear (Oct 5, 2006)

Is there such a thing?
I ask because I see some unsupervised children in our public playgrounds.
Parents drop them off and come back a few hours later.
These are 4-5 year olds. I was wondering if there is a law that addresses that.


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## veganone (May 10, 2007)

That sounds insane to me. I think I would call the police if I saw that. The only way I can picture unaccompanied kids at a playground is if they live very close and walk there - maybe 10 or so and up? Even beside the threat of predators, what if one of them got hurt?!


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

I think that the laws are intentionally vague so they can be applied as needed. I've never heard of a specific age that kids need an adult with them, or a particular distance from them. I

Where we used to live there was a park across the road. I'd probably let our girls go to the park together around age five if DH was working in the yard or in the driveway where he could see and hear them.

I know of private schools that will not let children walk home until they are eight. It wasn't very long ago though when 5 and 6 years were expected to walk home on their own.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Leaving a 4 or 5 year old unattended is neglectful. ESPECIALLY in public. Not that your child can't be in a room by themselves in your home, but if you wouldn't leave them home alone, you shouldn't leave them in public alone.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

We just finished reading the "Ramona" series of books to our kids, and the first one was written in the 1950s. Ramona, age 4, was often left at playgrounds to play, and at age 5 would walk a mile to kindergarten by herself. These ideas seem horrifying to us now, and I wonder when it all changed. It's kind of sad . . .

I don't know if there are any laws that address it; my guess is that it would vary by state. In MA, where I live, there is no _law_ about leaving kids unattended in the car, yet doing so requires mandated reporters to call DSS (i.e. if I left my five-year-olds in the car while I was picking up my 2-year-old at nursery school, the teachers at the school would be required to report me). So, sometimes there isn't a law, but if it's considered child endangerment, than it can still get the parents in trouble.

Lex


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## darien (Nov 15, 2005)

In Maryland, you can't leave a child unattended until they're 8.


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## 34me (Oct 2, 2006)

I work at a Rec Center. Until _we_ put rules in place parents would drop off their 5 year olds all the time.....


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## marybethorama (Jun 9, 2005)

In Maryland it's eight

Our local library used to have a notice posted


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *darien* 
In Maryland, you can't leave a child unattended until they're 8.

I tried looking this up and keep getting "unattended at home, school or in a car."


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

good link

http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/childWel...eKidsAlone.htm


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

http://listvpl.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/wa....c&attachment=q


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

http://www.sherwood.plinkit.org/abou...en-policy.html

Quote:

163.545 Child neglect in the second degree. (1) A person having custody or control of a child under 10 years of age commits the crime of child neglect in the second degree if, with criminal negligence, the person leaves the child unattended in or at any place for such period of time as may be likely to endanger the health or welfare of such child


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

Yeah, this is what I meant by vague writing on this stuff. It seems like most of the laws are written like this.

Quote:

163.545 Child neglect in the second degree. (1) A person having custody or control of a child under 10 years of age commits the crime of child neglect in the second degree if, with criminal negligence, the person leaves the child unattended in or at any place for such period of time as may be likely to endanger the health or welfare of such child.
No period of time is specified and it must be shown that the health or welfare of the child was likely to have be endangered. I think it's a good though to keep things sufficiently open ended so can be considered according to the situation.


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## Devaskyla (Oct 5, 2003)

Quote:

We just finished reading the "Ramona" series of books to our kids, and the first one was written in the 1950s. Ramona, age 4, was often left at playgrounds to play, and at age 5 would walk a mile to kindergarten by herself. These ideas seem horrifying to us now, and I wonder when it all changed. It's kind of sad . . .
I'd say it's changed in the last 30 years or less. Maybe a bit more in more urban areas. I remember walking home from kindergarten at age 5 by myself. Not every day, but a few times. It was at least a mile. My sister & I always walked to & from school by ourselves starting in grade 1 & that school was at least 10 blocks away. I'd also ride my bike from home or school downtown to my dad's job on occasion. I was under 9, because we moved that year. My mom would send us out to the store a couple blocks away to pick up stuff for her starting when we were 6 or 7, & the store was only a block away from a busy highway.

It's sad people are so scared now. I don't even let my 7 year old walk home from the mall across the street. Mostly because I'm worried people would consider me neglectful.


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## cschick (Aug 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lexbeach* 
We just finished reading the "Ramona" series of books to our kids, and the first one was written in the 1950s. Ramona, age 4, was often left at playgrounds to play, and at age 5 would walk a mile to kindergarten by herself. These ideas seem horrifying to us now, and I wonder when it all changed. It's kind of sad . . .

It was changing during the early 1980s. When I was in 1st and 2nd grade (1982/1983), some of us were allowed to walk the mile to school ourselves (on occasion, it wasn't an everyday thing), some of us weren't.

When I was much older and my youngest sister was young (1994ish), we lived 1 block straight down the street from the same school, and people gave my mother grief about letting her walk herself in 3rd grade. My mom could watch her all the way there from the front porch.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

My state has a very vague law with no specific age either. it is *technically* okay for your kindergartener to be a latchkey kid. It's crazy.


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## grumpybear (Oct 5, 2006)

I just called our area's Office of Children's Services and they have no idea.
When I asked for direction on who to call, they told me that it was a question that is best answered by a lawyer.


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

i'm sure it varies by state. it would likely be the same as leaving your child in a car unattended. in some states (like mine) i know that's not illegal. but in other states it's considered child abandonment or endangerment.


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

It is amazing how times change, eh?

When I was 6 I used to walk to the park everyday, about four or five blocks away, for swimming lessons at the outdoor pool. I would have my lesson, and walk back home. Nothing every went wrong, and I was always where I was supposed to be.

We also used to ride around in our van sitting on lawn chairs.


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## accountclosed2 (May 28, 2007)

Here in New Zealand the law is very specific. You cannot leave child under the age of 14 home alone. However, there is no law regarding when children can walk to school on their own, or play by themselves in a playground. Some schools are having problems with parents dropping off their children an hour or more before school starts, because they don't have childcare, and legally can't leave the children at home.


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## jjawm (Jun 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AislinCarys* 
Here in New Zealand the law is very specific. You cannot leave child under the age of 14 home alone. However, there is no law regarding when children can walk to school on their own, or play by themselves in a playground. Some schools are having problems with parents dropping off their children an hour or more before school starts, because they don't have childcare, and legally can't leave the children at home.

Wow. 14! That seems old to me. At least the law is specific, though.


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## LeighB (Jan 17, 2008)

I was just wondering this too. There is a sign at our local park that says kids under 7 need to be with a parent. That seems soooo young to be alone.


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## Devaskyla (Oct 5, 2003)

Quote:

Here in New Zealand the law is very specific. You cannot leave child under the age of 14 home alone.
Really? Wow, that seems insanely old to me. I stayed home alone...just for 1/2 an hour or so, when I was 8, gradually getting longer as I got older. I can't imagine being 12 or so & dragged on errands just because I wasn't 14. And I was babysitting other people's kids by the time I was 11. My parents were just across the street, but still.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Devaskyla* 
Really? Wow, that seems insanely old to me. I stayed home alone...just for 1/2 an hour or so, when I was 8, gradually getting longer as I got older. I can't imagine being 12 or so & dragged on errands just because I wasn't 14. And I was babysitting other people's kids by the time I was 11. My parents were just across the street, but still.









:


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

It would depend on the kid and the situation. Playground with NO supervision? Absolutely not. Assuming the kids are playground age that is. With a teenager to supervise...sure why not?

I could imagine sending an 8-10 year old a few aisles down in the store to get something. If I trusted they knew not to go off with a stranger or yell if someone tried to take them.

In my neighborhood, there's kids as young as 4-5 running around without parents. It freaks me out. There's a really deep puddle across from our apt complex and I'm so afraid a kid will drown in it. They are just drawn to the water.


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## KJoslyn78 (Jun 3, 2007)

I let my 10 yr old out alone all the time. We live 3 houses from the library, which she loves to go to. i let her - esp if i cant get out cause her brother is napping (or rather - should be and is a terror so i wont take him out). Our library has crafts and movies during breaks and why wouldnt i let her go *shrugs* I was doing the same much younger then she is before i would let her - mostly from the paranoia of others thinking i'm negectful.

I still don't let her go the extra few houses to the store alone. She has NO concept of money and its on a super busy street that, even though she wont ever have to cross it, would be a good get away anyone trying to kidnap might (and last year did) use.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

bandgeek said:


> I could imagine sending an 8-10 year old a few aisles down in the store to get something. If I trusted they knew not to go off with a stranger or yell if someone tried to take them.
> QUOTE]
> 
> At that age I used to run errands by myself for my mother to the A&P Supermarket two blocks from our building and to the deli around the corner. I was perfectly capable of doing minor shopping by myself.


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## runnerbrit (May 24, 2006)

My boys are 7 1/2 and 9 1/2 they are allowed to go to the park without me. The park is 5 blocks from our home. They must always go in at least pairs, so either the two of them together or them and a friend. They take a cell phone with them to call me if they need me. They go for specified periods of time. Also, I am always home when they go.

I think it is very important for kids to learn to navigate in the world. Whether that is learning to order for themselves at a restaurant, pay for their purchase at the store, or learning to listen to their internal voice.

I would not have let them go at 4 or 5 years old.


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandgeek* 
I could imagine sending an 8-10 year old a few aisles down in the store to get something. If I trusted they knew not to go off with a stranger or yell if someone tried to take them.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
At that age I used to run errands by myself for my mother to the A&P Supermarket two blocks from our building and to the deli around the corner. I was perfectly capable of doing minor shopping by myself.

I used to go to the corner store and buy my parents cigarettes!

(I am not saying that is good, just pointing out how different things are now.)


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## Elizabeth2008 (Nov 26, 2008)

In most states there isn't an actual age. When I was a kid I remember walking home from school alone at age 5-6 (of course my school was 2 blocks from home and there was a crossing guard), but that seems very young to me now that I have a 3 year old! We also played with friends in the neighborhood - just out front and up the street without adult supervision at around the same age. Different time I guess. Even then, my mom would have never dropped us in a public park or someplace to play for a couple of hours. That seems absolutely insane.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Elizabeth2008* 
We also played with friends in the neighborhood - just out front and up the street without adult supervision at around the same age. Different time I guess.

We moved in August, but before we moved we lived in the sweetest little neighborhood (in a small city), and we let our kids play with the neighbor kids outside without direct supervision all the time. It was a dead-end street, so hardly any traffic. Once the kids were 5, we let them cross the street by themselves. They played freely in the neighbors' yard and in our yard and sometimes in other neighbors' yards too. It felt completely safe. I guess it depends on where you live. I'm sure that in rural areas, it's completely common for kids to be out playing by themselves.

I let the kids play alone outside at our new house too (they're nearly six), but there isn't the same neighborhood feel to where we live, and they have to stay in our yard (or my mom's yard; my mom lives next door).

Lex


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bandgeek* 
I could imagine sending an 8-10 year old a few aisles down in the store to get something. If I trusted they knew not to go off with a stranger or yell if someone tried to take them.

Our 4 year old is often an aisle ahead or behind us at the grocery store. She is completely capable of going back to the previous aisle to get something we missed. She often stops to look at stuff and then catches up.

To be honest, my main fear about letting young kids walk short distances in the neighbourhood is that cars don't expect pedestrians, let alone short ones. People don't walk much here, and people aren't use to little kids being out on their own like they were twenty years ago.


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## Past_VNE (Dec 13, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChetMC* 
Our 4 year old is often an aisle ahead or behind us at the grocery store. She is completely capable of going back to the previous aisle to get something we missed. She often stops to look at stuff and then catches up.

To be honest, my main fear about letting young kids walk short distances in the neighbourhood is that cars don't expect pedestrians, let alone short ones. People don't walk much here, and people aren't use to little kids being out on their own like they were twenty years ago.

Yep. When shopping, our son is often helping us at 4, or browsing toys an aisle away from where I'm trying to decide which *something* to buy. We live rurally, on a farm, so there's no where for him to go alone, except to two neighbors whom he treats like family. We have no worries about his safety, but make much more strict decisions than we would like to, based on the fear of others reporting us for some perceived misdeed.







: He could be SO much more independent and I have to corral him, just to keep CPS out of my life. It sucks. I think it's a systemic problem and it's a discussion DH and I have frequently.

Living in a small town, at 4, I was playing outside alone, visiting my friends alone (on the same block but across the street), doing all sorts of things unattended. And, I know I was at least occasionally unattended at age 2, in the backyard, because I was kidnapped. (Long story, but it was my dad. And misguided as he was, he had good intentions.)


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## Spirit Dancer (Dec 11, 2006)

I would let a couple of 5 and 6 years go play together at a park for a short period of time if it was close by on quiet roads.
IN the store my 2 1/2 year will sometimes be 10-20 feet away, always in my sight, from me looking at something or such. And people constantly look at him and see no adult right next to him and panic and think he is lost. When I step up some look at me like I am neglectful. I do not like this. I am far from a neglectful mother. I do not want to smother my child because of my irrational fears, and society's twisted ideas about what is safe.


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## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lexbeach* 
We just finished reading the "Ramona" series of books to our kids, and the first one was written in the 1950s. Ramona, age 4, was often left at playgrounds to play, and at age 5 would walk a mile to kindergarten by herself. These ideas seem horrifying to us now, and I wonder when it all changed. It's kind of sad . . .

I don't know if there are any laws that address it; my guess is that it would vary by state. In MA, where I live, there is no _law_ about leaving kids unattended in the car, yet doing so requires mandated reporters to call DSS (i.e. if I left my five-year-olds in the car while I was picking up my 2-year-old at nursery school, the teachers at the school would be required to report me). So, sometimes there isn't a law, but if it's considered child endangerment, than it can still get the parents in trouble.

Lex

yea, us too. i didnt remember being shocked at ramona when i read them as a kid, but now, im totally horrified. different times now.

eta
for me, my comfort zone with my own dd would be around 12 or so. and i'd prefer she have a buddy with her then.

4 or 5 is WAY too little to be dropped off at a public park.


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## jrabbit (May 10, 2008)

this is nuts! i am nervous about letting my kids walk to the playground with a babysitter, less than 4 blocks. The sitter wants to walk them to the library, but that is at least 9 blocks on a neighborhood street without sidewalks, so i say no.

I'm clearly more protective than a lot of my peers, but i can't imagine anyone thinking that it's ok to leave a 5yo at a park like that!! I live in houston, though, where bad things are always happening to little kids, and everyone knows it. maybe a little tooooo paranoid sometimes.

when i was 6 (100 years ago), my mom wouldn't let us walk anywhere except on our culdesac without an adult. That was Houston 1972. In a mid-size town in Wyoming, at age 10, we could walk 2-3 blocks in the neighborhood, but only WITH someone, even another kid. In a rural town in Wisconsin, at age 12+ (1978), we were allowed to go anywhere alone, even after dark. I walked or rode my bike to school, 1+ miles, alone, sometimes, even after dark. I also played in the woods alone, and we trick-or-treated with friends or siblings. But, today, I wouldn't dare to let my kids be anywhere alone in that same town. Things are definitely different now.

I would call the police to find out what laws can be enforced. I would think they are most likely to know. In Houston, there are truancy laws, but I don't recall what the time of day is for them - i think they've recently extended the hours. The school officials might also know what to do about child endangerment. I'm surprised that cps didn't know.

ok, my hand is tired of typing - nak
--janis


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