In Colorado, What Is The Legal Age For Kids To Stay Home Alone?

It's a question most parents ask themselves at one point or another as their kids start to get older, "when can I leave my kids home alone?" Here's the answer we found.

What's The Legal Age To Be Left Alone In Colorado

Childcare isn't just expensive, it's hard to find good people that you trust with your kids. So wondering when you can leave your kids at home is a thought that will no doubt cross your mind at some point as a parent. This is going to make me sound ancient, but I honestly can't remember how old I was when I stayed home alone for the first time. I know I was younger because I was sick, or at least pretending to be sick, so I stayed home from school. I just can't recall at what age that happened. I'll use this line that I'm sure you've heard a thousand times, "things were different back then," right? My dad was a single dad and raised my younger brother and I on his own, and there were times when we had to stay home and he still had to go to work so he made the decision, and we both made it through without any crazy stories to share.

After doing some digging, there doesn't appear to be an actual "legal" age to be left home alone. More of a suggestion. Currently, there is not a specific age when you can leave your kiddos home alone in the state of Colorado. According to multiple articles, including this one at co4kids.org, the suggested age is at least 10. They provided some great guideline questions to ask yourself before making that decision though, including...

• Is your child capable of taking care of and protecting themselves?

• Does your child know what to do and who to call if a problem or emergency arises?

• Is your child mentally capable of recognizing and avoiding danger and making sound decisions?

You can read the rest of their guidelines as well as some of the other great advice HERE. As a parent, most of us know when or if we can trust our little monsters home alone for a bit without causing any issues. It all depends on the kid I suppose. Always keep in mind though, as parents, we're responsible for their well-being and that includes making the decision to leave them alone and unattended, so really think about it, talk to your kids and make sure they are really ready for this responsibility. Not all 10-year-olds will be.