It's a rite of passage. I think most of us as adults remember the very first time our parents thought we were old enough to be at home alone. I was Yes, my parents were crazy protective.
I remember how it felt to be old enough to do whatever I wanted, eat whatever I could find in the kitchen and snoop around. I did make a few messes and my clumsy attempts to clean them up were not well-received when my parents got home.
There were a ton more rules the next time they trusted me to stay at home by myself. Many parents who face childcare issues must face the question of whether they should leave their children alone at home. Sometimes it's just for a short errand. Other times it's while they go to work. Here in Texas, is it illegal? Depending upon the circumstances and the age of the child, leaving a kid at home or in a vehicle can lead to serious consequences.
In Texas, you can be charged with three different crimes depending upon the circumstances. Those felony charges include abandoning, endangering, and, if the child is under 7, leaving a child in a vehicle. Texas law does not specify at what age a child is old enough to stay home alone. However, if you decide to leave your child under 15 home alone and something bad happens, you could face criminal abandonment charges.
Under Texas Penal Code This covers leaving a dangerous item like an unsecured handgun somewhere a child could find it and use it to cause harm. If your child is going to be home alone, there are things that the American Red Cross recommends for parents:. This should include This should include parents work and cell numbers, numbers for neighbors or anyone else nearby who can be trusted.
