How many people feel a 10-year-old is responsible enough.... [View all]

[moriah]

... to care for a five-year-old sibling overnight, alone?

Given how many people here denigrate the Duggars and other Quiverfull families for making children take on responsibility way too early, I'm astonished at some of the vitriol directed at a person who felt that leaving these children alone overnight was neglectful enough to warrant engaging authorities. I did a lot at age 10 -- I rode public buses alone to get to school and to my grandparents' house, I let myself in to wait for my mother to get home from work, and I even babysat a younger child for a few hours occasionally with my grandmother actively supervising me (as preparation for babysitting as a teenager). But my mother NEVER left me alone overnight at that age, even for a few hours. Even when she took a night job on the weekends the summer I turned 10, she made sure my 19-year-old sister was there.

Here are some guidelines from different states about when the law says a kid can be left alone:

http://www.imom.com/parenting/tikes/parenting/safety/home-alone-rules-by-state/

As an example: in Georgia, leaving a five year old child with a 10-year-old, even for an hour, is child neglect. They do not consider a 10-year-old to be a capable babysitter. They feel 8 is old enough to be a latchkey kid, but 13-and-up to babysit a child under 8. And 15 and up to be left alone overnight, by themselves or with another child.

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Does this suck for parents who are struggling the best they can and having to work an odd schedule to support their family? Of course it does. The single moms I knew who were on graveyard had relatives taking care of their children while they were working -- it must be terrible to have no family to help.

But it's unacceptable to leave a child alone in that situation in my opinion, and if I'd been made aware of such a situation happening, I'd be obligated to report it to the proper authorities. It's called being a mandated reporter.

Mandated reporting laws are in place so that hopefully *someone* will report abuse and neglect -- not that we are the only people who have a moral responsibility to report.

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Added "Depends" and "Other"

36 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	A 10-year-old should not be left by themselves, period.
	11 (31%)
	A 10-year-old could be left by themselves during daylight or early evening hours, but not overnight or as a babysitter.
	2 (6%)
	A 10-year-old is capable of being a babysitter to a younger sibling for a few hours, but not overnight.
	2 (6%)
	A 10-year-old is capable of being a babysitter to a younger sibling overnight.
	2 (6%)
	Depends on the 10-year-old
	19 (53%)
	Other
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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