Every day thousands of children arrive home from school to an empty house. Every week thousands of parents make decisions to leave children home alone while they go to work, run errands, or for social engagements. The realities facing children who find themselves home alone are very different.
Older adolescents are usually responsible enough to manage alone for limited periods of time.
Being home alone can be a frightening and potentially dangerous situation for many children and adolescents. Parents should strive to limit the times when children are home alone. Parents should prepare their children in advance for how to deal with situations that may arise. Questions or comments about these materials should be directed to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry . You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment.