What Age Is Right For Leaving Kids Home Alone In Michigan

The struggle of managing work and family life in a rough economy often leads to one big question: When is it okay to leave your kids unsupervised?

Even if it were 1998 again, when the cost of living was very low, while the U.S. economy was booming, we would still have to go to work and figure out what to do about our kids.  However, inflation has gotten out of hand, and the U.S. economy is a nightmare.  And now, kids are out of school for the summer.

Hard-working Michiganders with families have to wrestle with tough decisions.  One thing is for sure: staying home is not an option for most adults.  Somewhere between 7% and 20% of families with children in Michigan have one stay-at-home parent who is not in the workforce.

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What Every Michigan Parent Should Know About Leaving Kids Home Alone.

I was surprised to learn that Michigan has no state law regarding the minimum age at which a child can be left home alone.  However, there are guidelines according to LetGrow.org,

The state government will trust parental discretion for the most part.  Michigan.gov says that it's all about your child's maturity.

If leaving your 10 or 11-year-old kid home alone seems crazy to you.  Michigan does have a law against leaving a child younger than 13 alone in a vehicle.  Maybe 13 years old is a good minimum age to leave your kid home alone this Summer in Michigan.

Some areas of Michigan may have local ordinances with minimum ages.

Michigan.Gov provides resources you may find helpful, like Child Care Assistance and Information for Child Care Providers.