How Old Should Your Child Be Before Being Left Home Alone?

It is always a question parents must wrestle with, what age is a safe age to leave your child alone at home? The answer will vary from family to family. According to an article in the Herald Whig, the State of Illinois has already determined that children under the age of 14 cannot be left unsupervised and now there is a proposal in Springfield, Illinois to lower it to 12 years old. Some states have no legislation for this issue. There lies another question. Should the State of Illinois even get involved in these decisions?

Basically, it comes down to whether a parent thinks his or her child is capable of making the right decisions when needed. Some 12 year olds are fully capable of doing that and others not so much. So legislating this issue seems like a difficult task to do.

The current law came about after a 9 and 4 year old were left home while their St. Charles, Illinois parents vacationed in Mexico in 1992.  They were caught when neighbors found out. So what are your thoughts on this issue?